Google calls NotebookLM an “AI research tool and thinking partner,” and it’s each of these issues, however it’s onerous to sum up what it may do in only a single sentence. The Gemini-powered device could make advanced info extra palatable, dig into the finer particulars of subject material and current all the things in a format that works greatest for you. Whether you are utilizing it in your job, learning for varsity or your personal inventive endeavors, NotebookLM is a implausible device for protecting your ideas organized and centered on the knowledge you have shared with it. To make issues even higher, your private knowledge, together with supply uploads or textual content enter, is not used to coach NotebookLM. It’s onerous to maintain observe of all of the options Google has rolled out to NotebookLM in 2025 alone, however it’s grown into an extremely sturdy device that almost anybody can profit from utilizing. If you are new to NotebookLM or desire a refresher on its capabilities, I’ve listed a few of its greatest options, which make it, for my part, the most effective AI device on the market. For extra, do not miss how a lot every in style chatbot prices to improve. NotebookLM is not simply Google Keep filled with AI, neither is it only a chatbot that may take notes. It’s each and neither. Instead of asking questions of Gemini, just for it to seek out a solution from the ether of the web, NotebookLM will search solely by the sources you present it. It’s a dead-simple idea that seems like one of the vital sensible makes use of of AI. And Google did not cease there. Now it may accomplish that way more, and it will reward your poking round to see what it may do for you. Features like its spectacular Audio Overviews have since trickled down into Gemini itself, permitting them for use in a wider set of Google’s merchandise. Don’t miss any of our unbiased tech content material and lab-based opinions. Add CNET as a most popular Google supply. What is NotebookLM?NotebookLM is a Gemini-powered note-taking and analysis assistant device that can be utilized in some ways. It all begins with the sources you feed it, whether or not they’re webpage URLs, YouTube movies or audio clips, permitting you to drag a number of sources collectively right into a cohesive bundle and convey some group to your scattered ideas or notes. The most evident use case for NotebookLM is utilizing it for varsity or work. Think of it — you have saved up with numerous courses and typed notes down for each one and even maybe recorded some lectures. Sifting by all the things individually can ultimately get you to some semblance of understanding, however what if you happen to might get them to work collectively? Once you have uploaded your sources, Gemini will get to work to create an general abstract of the fabric. From there, you possibly can start asking Gemini questions on particular matters on the sources and data from the sources will probably be displayed in an easy-to-understand format. This alone could also be sufficient for some folks simply trying to get probably the most out of their notes, however that is actually simply scratching the floor.Web and cellular functions NotebookLM has a three-panel structure. Screenshot by Blake Stimac/CNETNotebookLM has been accessible for some time now on the desktop and is damaged right into a three-panel structure, consisting of Source, Chat and Studio panels. Both the Source and Studio panels are collapsible, so you possibly can have a full-screen chat expertise if you happen to favor. While the Source and Chat panels are fairly self-explanatory, the Studio panel is the place magic can occur (although a number of the options will also be created instantly from the Chat panel). This is the place you may get probably the most out of your NotebookLM expertise. NotebookLM app: The restricted, however useful, info alchemy companion The cellular app for Android and iOS launched the day earlier than Google I/O 2025. Screenshots by Blake Stimac/CNETThose accustomed to the desktop expertise will really feel proper at dwelling with the cellular apps for iOS and Android. The streamlined app lets you swap between the Source, Chat and Studio panels through a menu on the backside. When you go to the view that reveals all your notebooks, you may see tabs for Recent, Shared, Title and Downloaded. While not all the things is on the app but, it is seemingly only a matter of time earlier than it matches the online model’s full performance.Audio OverviewsIf you did not hear about NotebookLM when it was first introduced, you seemingly did when Audio Overviews had been launched for it. Once you might have not less than one supply uploaded, you possibly can then choose to generate an Audio Overview, which is able to present a “deep dive” on the supply materials. These overviews are created by none aside from Gemini, and it isn’t only a fast abstract of your materials in audio format — it is a full-blown podcast with two “hosts” that break down advanced matters into easy-to-understand items of data. They’re extremely efficient, too, usually asking one another inquiries to dismantle sure matters. The default size of an Audio Overview will fluctuate relying on how a lot materials there may be to go over and the complexity of the subject — although I’m certain there are different elements at play. In my testing, a really quick piece of textual content created a five-minute audio clip, whereas two lengthier and extra dense Google Docs paperwork I uploaded created an 18-minute Overview. If you need a bit extra management over the size of your Audio Overview, you are in luck. Announced in a weblog publish throughout Google I/O earlier this month, customers now have three choices to select from: shorter, default and longer. This is ideal if you wish to have a brief and dense podcast-like expertise or get into the nitty-gritty on a topic with an extended Audio Overview. You can take part on the dialogIt will get even higher. In December, NotebookLM received a brand new design and new methods to work together with Audio Overviews. The customise button lets you information the dialog in order that key factors are coated. Type in your directive after which generate your Audio Overview. Now, if you wish to make this characteristic much more interactive, you possibly can select the Interactive mode, which continues to be in beta, to hitch the dialog. The clip will play, and when you’ve got a specific query in response to one thing that is mentioned, you possibly can click on the be a part of button. Once you do, the audio system will pause and acknowledge your presence and ask you to chime in with ideas or questions, and you will get a reply. I needed to attempt one thing a bit completely different, so I threw within the lyrics of a track as the one supply, and the AI podcast duo started to dismantle the motivations and feelings behind the phrases. I used the be a part of characteristic to level out a element within the lyrics they did not contact on, and the 2 started to dissect what my suggestion meant within the context of the writing. They then started linking the theme to different parts of the textual content. It was spectacular to look at: They dealt with the emotional weight of the track so effectively, and tactfully at that. Video OverviewsThe Video Overviews characteristic began reaching customers in late July, and has lately expanded to over 80 languages — of the three Google accounts I used NotebookLM with, I solely have Video Overviews accessible in one in every of them.The new characteristic creates an animated visible support to accompany your Audio Overview. For now, Google says that Video Overviews will begin out as slideshows, which means that extra forms of these overviews will probably be accessible sooner or later. A Veo-powered Video Overview would not be a totally shocking addition sooner or later. To check out the characteristic, I grabbed 1,600 or so phrases from the Odyssey. It took practically 20 minutes for the overview to generate — and even then, it wasn’t really prepared. When I clicked the play button, NotebookLM robotically went again to “Generating Video Overview… This may take a while,” and it caught there so lengthy I made a decision to delete your complete pocket book and begin over. The second try additionally appeared to get caught, too, however I might have simply been impatient whereas the overview was being processed. I minimize the phrase rely by half, and certain sufficient, this sped up the overview era considerably, and I used to be watching the slideshow inside 5 or 6 minutes. The present model of Video Overviews accessible is ok, however it is not something to write down dwelling about. There will probably be visible aids, however the one generated based mostly on the textual content from the Odyssey was largely an Audio Overview with slides of quotes from the supply and did not add an excessive amount of to the general expertise. I’ve little doubt that it will change sooner or later, however the present model of Video Overviews feels extra like a barely upgraded model of Audio Overviews moderately than its personal factor but.Here’s an instance of the present Video Overview format. Mind Maps Generating a Mind Map is only one of a number of highly effective options from NotebookLM. Google/Screenshot by CNETI’d heard fascinating issues about NotebookLM’s Mind Map characteristic, however I needed to go in blind once I tried it out, so I did a separate check. I took roughly 1,500 phrases of Homer’s Odyssey and made that my solely supply. I then clicked the Mind Map button, and inside seconds, an interactive and categorical breakdown of the textual content was displayed for me to poke round in. Many of the broken-down sections had subsections for deeper dives, a few of which had been devoted to single traces for dissection. Clicking on a class or endpoint of the map will open the chat with a prefilled immediate. I selected to dive into the road, “now without remedy,” and as soon as clicked, the chat portion of NotebookLM reopened with the prefilled immediate, “Discuss what these sources say about Now without remedy, in the larger context of [the subsection] Alternative (worse).” The full line was displayed, together with who mentioned it, what it was in response to and any motivations (or different references) for why the road was mentioned within the textual content. Public and featured notebooksInitially, notebooks had been certain solely to your account, however Google added the choice to share your pocket book with folks or make it completely public and shareable through a hyperlink. While it is a easy addition, it opens up the doorways for collaboration if you happen to’re engaged on a pocket book with another person, as you possibly can present edit or view-only entry. For the latter, a instructor might create a research information on a specific topic for an examination or homework task to share with a category. The introduction of public and shareable notebooks paved the best way for one more characteristic that Google dropped in July: featured notebooks. Publicly accessible to anybody, featured notebooks come from publications, authors and researchers that cowl a wide range of matters. The record is proscribed to solely eight notebooks for the time being, however extra will come over time. Study guides and extra If the mix of all that Audio Overviews and Mind Maps might do appears like all the things a scholar may want for the right research buddy, NotebookLM has just a few different options that can solidify it in that place. Study guidesAfter you have uploaded a supply, you possibly can create a fast research information based mostly on the fabric that can robotically present a doc with a quiz, potential essay questions, a glossary of key phrases and solutions for the quiz on the backside. And if you would like, you possibly can even convert the research information right into a supply in your pocket book.FAQsWhether you are utilizing it for varsity or wish to create a FAQ web page in your web site, the NotebookLM button generates a sequence of doubtless widespread questions based mostly in your sources. TimelineIf you are searching for a play-by-play form of timeline, it is constructed proper in. Creating a timeline for the Odyssey excerpt broke down the principle occasions in a bulleted record and positioned them based mostly on the instances talked about within the materials. If an occasion takes place at an unspecified time, it can seem on the prime of the timeline, stating this. A forged of characters for reference can be generated beneath the timeline of occasions. Briefing docThe briefing doc is simply what it appears like, supplying you with a fast snapshot of the important thing themes and essential occasions to get somebody on top of things. This will embody particular quotes from the supply and their location. A abstract of the fabric can be created on the backside of the doc. Small additions add upBig options like Audio Overviews are inclined to get all the consideration, however Google’s lately rolled out a few smaller additions or lifted earlier restrictions that make NotebookLM accessible to extra folks and simpler to make use of. NotebookLM had been restricted to folks aged 18 or older, however Google has modified this restriction so youthful folks can use the device to assist them be taught and research with schoolwork. Now, NotebookLM can be utilized by anybody ages 13 or older, although some international locations might have completely different age restrictions.NotebookLM additionally lately added in one in every of its most requested options: bulk URL uploads. This appears like a easy and small addition, however it’s certainly to be a time saver, as beforehand you may solely add web site URLs separately. How NotebookLM turned an indispensable device for meI already actually appreciated NotebookLM’s idea and execution throughout its 1.0 days, and revisiting the brand new options solely strengthened my appreciation for it. My testing was largely for enjoyable and to see how this device can flex, however utilizing it once I “needed” it helped me actually get an concept of how highly effective it may be, even for easy issues. During a product briefing, I did my typical note-taking: Open a Google Doc, begin typing in fragmented ideas on key factors, and hope I might translate what I meant once I wanted to refer again to them. I knew I’d additionally obtain an official press launch, so I wasn’t (too) frightened about it, however I needed to place NotebookLM to the check in a real-world state of affairs once I was utilizing it for actual — and never simply tinkering, when practically something appears spectacular when it does what you inform it to. I made a decision to create a brand new pocket book and make my crude notes (which regarded like a sequence of unhealthy haikus at first look) the one supply, simply to see what got here out on the opposite finish. Not solely did NotebookLM fill within the blanks, however the general abstract learn nearly in addition to the press launch I acquired the next day. I used to be impressed. It felt alchemical — NotebookLM took some pretty unintelligible language and did not simply flip it into one thing satisfactory, however moderately, a reasonably spectacular description. Funny sufficient, I’ve since turn into a extra thorough note-taker, however I’m relieved to know I’ve one thing that may save the day if I want it to. If you want extra from NotebookLM, take into account upgradingMost folks will seemingly by no means have the necessity to pay for NotebookLM, because the free model is strong sufficient. That mentioned, if you happen to want extra, you possibly can improve for added options. Upgrading NotebookLM will present all the things from the free model, together with:Five instances extra Audio Overviews, Video Overviews, notebooks, queries and sources per pocket book.Access to premium options akin to chat customization, superior sharing and pocket book analytics.For extra, do not miss Google’s going all-in on AI video with Flow and Veo 3.
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