PDF summarizer for students
Turn course PDFs into clear study summaries.
A lecture handout can contain more detail than you need for a first review. Knowable uses AI to turn your coursework into a summary you can read online or print. Keep the original nearby so you can check definitions, examples and details.
You need an account to upload your coursework. Free accounts include 1 course, up to 10 materials and 3 summaries per course. Compare plans.
How to summarize a course PDF
- Create a course and upload your PDF. Each file can be up to 20 MB.
- Select the relevant course materials and describe the topic you want to cover. Start with one lecture or chapter when you want a focused review.
- Read the summary, compare it with your coursework, then print it if you prefer to study on paper.
What a useful summary keeps
The goal is to preserve the main idea and the distinctions you need to understand it. For a physics reading, that might mean keeping a definition, its units and one concrete example.
Illustrative source paragraph
Velocity describes the rate at which an object's position changes in a particular direction. Speed describes how fast it moves without specifying direction. Two cars traveling at the same speed in opposite directions therefore have different velocities.
Illustrative study summary
Speed measures how fast an object moves. Velocity includes direction. Equal speed does not mean equal velocity if two objects move in opposite directions.
Illustrative study example.
Choose material that answers your study question
Use related lectures together when they explain the same concept. Avoid combining unrelated chapters into one request. Name the subject and level in your topic, then check whether the summary includes the terms your instructor uses.
Questions before uploading
Can I upload other course files?
Knowable accepts PDF, DOCX, PPTX, Markdown and text files. If you want to start from a topic, the study guide maker explains that workflow.
Can I summarize a scanned PDF?
Use a PDF with selectable text. Knowable reads text stored in the file; it does not recognize text in scanned page images. If your PDF is a scan, convert it to a text-based document before uploading.
Does an AI summary replace reading the original?
No. AI can miss details or make mistakes. Check the output against the source, especially formulas, dates, quotations and anything your instructor emphasizes. Use the summary to decide what needs another reading.
Can I start for free?
Yes. Create an account to use the free allowance above. The pricing page explains the current Free and Pro plans.