What shipped
Google renamed NotebookLM to Gemini Notebook on July 16, 2026. Google says automatic redirects keep existing notebooks and shared links working. It also changed the usage limits on Sept 2, 2026. The free tier, which Google calls Standard, currently allows 100 notebooks, 50 sources per notebook, 50 chats a day and 3 Audio Overviews a day, and Google marks those limits as subject to change.
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Why it matters
Most people have a pile of long documents they mean to read. Gemini Notebook answers questions from the sources you upload, with in-line citations back to them, so it suits "help me understand this specific document." The Audio Overview turns that document into a spoken summary you can play in the car.
Steps
- Go to notebook.google.com and sign in with a Google account. Old NotebookLM links still work.
- Select Create new notebook.
- In the pop-up, select Upload a source and add your document. Supported sources include PDFs, Google Docs and Slides, Word and text files, websites (text only; paywalled pages aren't supported), public YouTube videos with captions, and audio files.
- Read the summary in the Chat panel to make sure it picked up the right document.
- In the Studio panel, select Audio Overview. Before generating, pick a format:
- Deep Dive (default): two hosts unpack and connect topics from your sources.
- The Brief: one speaker covers the main points in under two minutes.
- The Critique: two hosts give a constructive review of material like an essay or design doc. Good for your own writing or plan.
- The Debate: two hosts hold a formal back-and-forth debate on the topic.
- Choose a length (Shorter, Default or Longer; Longer is English only) and a language (80+ are supported). Add a focus in the prompt box using the example below.
- Generate. Google says it can take a couple of minutes.
- Listen in the browser, or select Download to save the audio. To ask questions out loud, create a new Audio Overview, select Interactive mode, then select Join while you listen. Interactive mode is English only and works only on newly generated overviews. Google notes the mobile app may have limits on this feature.
Copy-paste prompt
I'm a complete beginner on this topic. Focus on the 3 most practical takeaways I can act on this week. Explain any jargon in plain words the first time it comes up. Skip the history and background unless it changes what I should do.
List the 5 most important points from my sources as bullets, each with a citation. Then tell me one thing the audio overview may have oversimplified.
Common mistakes
- Trusting the audio without checking. Google's help page says Audio Overviews can contain inaccuracies or audio glitches. Use the Chat citations to confirm anything important.
- Uploading private documents without thinking. On a personal Google account, Google says your notebook content isn't used to directly train its foundational models unless you give feedback. A thumbs up or down sends your prompts, sources, uploads and outputs to trained human reviewers, separated from your account, and Google keeps it for up to 3 years. Skip the thumbs on sensitive notebooks. Work and school Workspace accounts have stricter rules: no human review and no training, even with feedback.
- Mixing unrelated documents in one notebook. Make one notebook per topic so the summary and the audio stay focused.
- Burning your 3 daily Audio Overviews on test runs. Set the format, length and prompt before you hit generate.
Sources
- NotebookLM is now Gemini Notebook
- NotebookLM is now Gemini Notebook | Google Workspace Updates
- Generate Audio Overview in Gemini Notebook - Gemini Notebook Help
- Create a notebook in Gemini Notebook - Gemini Notebook Help
- Upgrade Gemini Notebook - Gemini Notebook Help
- Add or discover new sources for your notebook - Computer - Gemini Notebook Help
- Privacy and Terms of Use in Gemini Notebook - Gemini Notebook Help
