noFriction

Guides · Classes

Capture a class and study from it

Stay in the lecture instead of copying it down. noFriction records it, keeps the slides next to what was said, and turns it into study material. The example: BIO 101, a 50-minute lecture on cellular respiration.

Check your school's policy. Many schools require the instructor's permission to record a class, and some require classmates' consent. noFriction reminds you the first time you record a class.

Before class

Step 1

Choose Class and a notebook

Tap Record, choose Class, pick the length of the lecture (it stops by itself, with a warning and +15 min before it does) and type the course as the Notebook, for example "BIO 101". Next time, tap the notebook chip instead of typing.

A Class gets lecture notes and a study guide instead of meeting notes.

Record sheet with Class selected, 60 minutes, notebook BIO 101
Mac Record sheet: What is it? Class, How long? 60 min, Notebook BIO 101
On a Mac the keys work too: C for Class, 1 to 5 for the length, Enter to start.

During class

Step 2

Mark what's on the test

When the instructor says "this will be on the exam", tap Mark this moment and choose On the test. Use Question for anything you want to ask later.

On an Apple Watch, Discreet dims the screen, and a tap anywhere marks the moment.

Recording a BIO 101 lecture on iPhone with the On the test mark selected
Mac recording a lecture: transcript from Dr. Reyes and the captured slides beside it
On a Mac, noFriction also saves the slides on screen as they change, so every slide sits next to what was said about it.

After class

Step 3

Read the lecture notes

Open the recording and tap Make notes. You get the key concepts, definitions with examples, and any announcements or deadlines the instructor gave.

Lecture 7: Cellular respiration, with lecture notes on glycolysis, the Krebs cycle and the electron transport chain

Step 4

Jump to your marks

Marks lists every moment you marked. Filter to On the test and tap one to read exactly what was said.

The Marks list of a lecture: Important at 13:00, On the test at 25:00, a question at 31:00

Study

Step 5

Make a study guide

Tap Make study guide for a summary, key terms, flashcards, a practice quiz and questions to ask, with extra weight on what you marked On the test.

Flip each flashcard and tap Again or Known. Export them as a CSV to use in other study apps.

Flashcard: Which stage makes most of the ATP?

Step 6

Quiz yourself

The practice quiz explains every answer and can take you straight to the moment in the lecture where it was covered.

Practice quiz answered correctly: the electron transport chain, with Jump to this moment
Mac: searching potassium finds the BIO 101 lecture and its study guide
Searching a word from the lecture, here "potassium", finds the class and the line where it was said.

Step 7

Keep the whole course together

Every lecture recorded into "BIO 101" stays in that notebook. Tap the chip to see the course, or ask Chat about this notebook: "What did the professor say about the midterm?"

Recordings filtered to the BIO 101 notebook

More ways to use it

Lab safety briefing

Record it as a Class in the course notebook and mark every rule as Important. The notes list them in order.

Office hours

Mark each answer you need as Question, then search a word from it before the exam.

Online lectures

On a Mac, choose the browser window with the slides as the screen to capture. Rewind shows the slide that was up when each line was said.

Next: Take notes without taking notes.