Apps that turn PDFs and notes into TikTok-style study videos
Short answer: on iPhone, the apps that make short study videos from your own PDF are LearnScroll, Brainjuice and Braintok. LearnScroll and Brainjuice build a scrollable feed with quizzes and spaced repetition; Braintok makes meme-style videos with an AI voice over gameplay. Recess and Scrollar take a different route: they lock your social apps until you study, and make no videos.
Disclosure and method
This page is written by the developer of LearnScroll, so read it with that in mind. To keep it fair, every fact about other apps comes from their own App Store listing, Apple's public lookup API or their website, checked on 9 October 2026. Prices are US prices as stated by the developer; where a developer states none, we quote the App Store in-app purchase list. Nothing here rates other apps as good or bad; if something is wrong or out of date, tell us via the support page and we will fix it.
At a glance
| App | Makes videos from your files | Format | Quiz / spaced repetition | Platforms | Price (US) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LearnScroll | Yes: PDF, PPTX, DOCX, TXT, photos, topic | Feed of short captioned videos, one idea each | Quiz every 10 videos; spaced repetition | iPhone, iPad | $4.99/mo or $29.99/yr. First upload free (6 cards) |
| Brainjuice | Yes: PDFs, YouTube, photos, topic | Short-video feed, summaries, AI chat | Quizzes; spaced repetition (stated) | iPhone, iPad | In-app plans from $2.99/week; Pro $9.99/mo or $79.99/yr listed |
| Braintok | Yes: text, notes, PDFs, topic | Meme-style video, AI voice over Minecraft / Subway Surfers | None mentioned | iPhone, iPad | Weekly or monthly subscription ($2.99 to $19.99 listed) |
| PDF Brainrot (iOS) | Yes: PDFs | Brainrot-style video | None mentioned | iPhone, iPad | 3 videos/week free; Pro $4.99/week |
| ScreenApp PDF to Brainrot | Yes: PDFs | One narrated vertical video | No | Web | 3 free uploads, then paid plan |
| Recess | No (flashcards) | Flashcards and quizzes shown before social apps open | Quiz; FSRS spaced repetition | iPhone, web | $12.99/mo or $39.99/yr (7-day trial). No free tier |
| Scrollar | No | Answer questions to unlock blocked apps | Quiz; spaced review | iPhone | Free tier; Premium monthly or annual |
| Knowt | No video | Flashcards, notes, practice tests | Quiz; spaced repetition | iOS, Android, web | Free; Ultra $24.99/mo or $149.99/yr |
| Quizlet | No video | Flashcards, study guides, practice tests | Quiz; spaced repetition | iOS, Android, web | Free; Quizlet Plus subscription |
Notescast and StudySwipe alternatives
Two apps that often come up for "PDF to TikTok study videos" are no longer on the App Store. On 9 October 2026 the US pages of Notescast - PDF to Brainrot (id 6737321593) and StudySwipe - AI Learning (id 6739216586) returned 404, and Apple's lookup API returned no results for either in 12 countries. Older listings and directory pages are still indexed, which is why they keep being recommended.
If you were looking for either one, the apps in the table above that still make short videos from your own PDFs on iPhone are LearnScroll, Brainjuice and Braintok.
App by app
LearnScroll
Turns a PDF, slides, Word doc, photo of notes or a typed topic into a feed of short vertical videos with bold captions, one key idea each, in English or Turkish. A multiple-choice quiz appears every 10 videos and spaced repetition brings older videos back. Ready in about 1 to 3 minutes. First upload free (6 cards), then subscription; no ads. Choose it if you want to replace your TikTok time with a feed made from your exam material. More about LearnScroll.
Brainjuice: Scroll to Study
The closest app to LearnScroll. It turns PDFs, YouTube videos, photos or a topic into a feed of short videos, with quizzes, summaries, an AI chat about your material and cited sources. Version 1.0.23 (8 September 2026), 4.0 stars from 8 US ratings. Choose it if you also want YouTube input and a chat with your material.
Brainrot Study Video: Braintok
Makes meme-heavy vertical videos where a selectable AI voice reads your material over gameplay footage such as Minecraft or Subway Surfers. No quizzes or spaced repetition mentioned. Last updated 22 February 2025, 3.3 stars from 17 US ratings. Choose it if you want a funny one-off video of a topic.
PDF to Brainrot (web tools and iOS app)
"PDF to Brainrot" is a format more than one product. ScreenApp's web tool turns a PDF into one narrated vertical video (3 free uploads). pdftobrainrot.org is a free web tool. The iOS app PDF Brainrot (id 6738877998) was last updated in February 2025. Choose these if you want a single video on a laptop without installing anything.
Recess: Study, Then Scroll
Not a video app. Recess shows your flashcards and quizzes before TikTok or Instagram opens, scheduled with FSRS spaced repetition. $12.99/month or $39.99/year with a 7-day trial; no free tier. 4.8 stars from 23 US ratings. Choose it if you want a gate in front of social apps rather than a replacement feed. LearnScroll and Recess work well together.
Scrollar: Study to Unlock
Also a gate: it blocks chosen apps until you answer study questions, with spaced review. Has a free tier (one app, one question every 5 minutes). Choose it if you want a free study gate.
Knowt and Quizlet
The big flashcard platforms. Both turn notes and PDFs into flashcards, practice tests and study guides, on iOS, Android and web, with free tiers. Neither makes short videos. Choose them if you want classic active recall, Android, or a free option.
FAQ
Which app turns a PDF into TikTok-style study videos?
On iPhone: LearnScroll, Brainjuice and Braintok make short study videos from your own PDF. LearnScroll and Brainjuice build a feed with quizzes; Braintok makes meme-style narrated videos. On the web, ScreenApp's PDF to Brainrot makes a single narrated video.
Is Notescast still available?
Not on the App Store as of 9 October 2026: its US page returns 404 and Apple's lookup finds it in none of 12 countries checked. The same is true for StudySwipe.
Is there a free app that turns PDFs into study videos?
Fully free options are web tools such as pdftobrainrot.org or ScreenApp's 3 free uploads. PDF Brainrot on iOS allows 3 videos a week for free. LearnScroll makes your first upload free (6 cards).
What about Android?
Of the video apps above, only the web tools work on Android today. Knowt and Quizlet have Android apps but make flashcards, not videos. LearnScroll has an Android waitlist on its homepage.