Quick Answer
Gemini Notebook is Google’s AI research tool that answers questions from documents you add, with citations back to those sources. Google renamed it from NotebookLM on July 16, 2026, and existing notebooks carried over. The free plan allows 100 notebooks with 50 sources each, and paid Google AI plans raise those limits.
Key Takeaways
- Same product: Gemini Notebook and NotebookLM are one tool, and Google says old shared links redirect automatically
- Source-based answers: chat replies are built from the sources you add and include in-line citations
- Outputs: a notebook can produce Audio Overviews, Video Overviews, study guides, quizzes, flashcards, mind maps, and reports
- Free limits: the Standard plan covers 100 notebooks and 50 sources per notebook, with usage that refreshes every 5 hours up to a weekly cap
- Accuracy: Google warns that Gemini Notebook can make mistakes, so important claims need checking against the original source
What is Gemini Notebook?
Gemini Notebook is a Google research tool that reads the material you give it and answers questions from that material. You create a notebook for a project, add sources such as PDFs, web pages, or class notes, and then ask questions in a chat panel. Google’s help center says replies are grounded in your sources and include in-line citations, so you can open the passage behind a claim.
That design separates Gemini Notebook from a general chatbot. A chatbot draws on what its model learned and, in many cases, the web. Gemini Notebook is designed to work from the documents in the notebook, and Google says it may decline to answer when those sources do not contain the information. The tool suits a reader with a defined pile of material, such as a student with lecture notes or an analyst with a set of reports.
Gemini Notebook also has a large audience. Google said in July 2026 that the product had more than 30 million users and 600,000 organizations. It runs in a web browser and in apps for Android and iPhone, and Google’s help center lists support for more than 80 languages.
Is Gemini Notebook the same as NotebookLM?
Gemini Notebook is the same product as NotebookLM under a new name. Google announced the change on July 16, 2026, and described it as the same standalone product. The tool started in 2023 as Project Tailwind, so Gemini Notebook is its third name. People still search for “Gemini Notebook LM” because the two names have overlapped since the change.
Existing users did not need to move anything. Google’s Workspace update said automatic redirects keep shared notebooks and links working, and that admins had no action to take. Our report on what changed in the NotebookLM rename covers the announcement in more detail.
How does Gemini Notebook work?
Gemini Notebook works by turning your uploaded material into a workspace that you can question and turn into new formats. A typical session follows these steps:
- Create a notebook: Open Gemini Notebook with a Google account and start a notebook for one project or subject.
- Add sources: Upload files, paste text, or add links. You can also search for sources from the web or Google Drive.
- Ask questions: Use the chat panel to request summaries, comparisons, or explanations.
- Check the citations: Open the cited passages to confirm that the answer matches the source.
- Create outputs: Use the Studio panel to generate an Audio Overview, a quiz, a report, or another format.
Google’s source guide lists PDFs, Word and PowerPoint files, Google Docs, Sheets and Slides, Markdown and CSV files, ePub files, images, audio files, web URLs, public YouTube videos, and pasted text. Each source can hold up to 500,000 words, and uploaded files can reach 200 MB.
Some sources bring in less than people expect. Gemini Notebook imports only the text of a web page, so images and embedded videos are left out, and paywalled pages are not supported. A YouTube source must be a public video with captions, and only the transcript comes in. Copy-protected PDFs cannot be imported.
What can you create with Gemini Notebook?
Gemini Notebook can turn a set of sources into audio, video, study, and report formats. These outputs appear in the Studio panel and draw on the sources in that notebook:
- Audio Overviews: spoken summaries of your sources, including a conversational Deep Dive format
- Video Overviews: narrated video summaries, including short versions of about 60 seconds in more than 80 languages
- Study tools: study guides, flashcards, and quizzes
- Visual tools: mind maps, infographics, and slide decks
- Written reports: briefings and other summaries of the material
Google has added more active features since the rename. Each notebook now has a secure cloud computer that can write and run code against your sources, which helps with tables and calculations. Google opened that feature to Ultra subscribers first and said in July that it would reach Pro users on the web. In September, Google also announced real-time voice conversations in the mobile apps, starting with Ultra subscribers age 18 and older. Our coverage of the Gemini Notebook study tools explains that rollout.
How is Gemini Notebook different from the Gemini app?
Gemini Notebook is built for working from your own sources, while the Gemini app is a general assistant. The two now connect closely, which adds to the naming confusion. Google says notebooks sync between the standalone product and the Gemini app, so a notebook created in one appears in the other.
| Gemini Notebook | Gemini app | |
|---|---|---|
| Main job | Research from sources you add | General questions, writing, and tasks |
| Answer basis | Designed to use your sources | The model, plus tools such as web search |
| Citations | In-line links to your sources | Varies by feature |
| Signature outputs | Audio Overviews, quizzes, mind maps | Chat replies, images, and video on eligible plans |
| Best fit | A defined set of documents | Open-ended requests |
The link between them grew in October. Google made Gemini Notebook a Connected App on October 23, 2026, so you can type @Gemini Notebook in a Gemini chat to create notebooks, add sources, or ask about existing material. The connection is on by default outside the European Economic Area and off by default inside it. Our explainer on what Gemini AI is covers the wider product family.
How much does Gemini Notebook cost?
Gemini Notebook is free with a Google account, and paid Google AI plans raise its limits. Google’s plans page sets the notebook and source limits below, and the US prices are as of October 2026.
| Plan | US price per month | Notebooks | Sources per notebook | Usage limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | Free | 100 | 50 | Standard |
| Google AI Plus | $4.99 | 200 | 100 | 2x Standard |
| Google AI Pro | $19.99 | 500 | 300 | 4x Standard |
| Google AI Ultra | From $99.99 | 500 | 500 or 600 | 5x or 20x Pro |
Usage no longer works as a simple daily count. Google’s usage page says limits are compute-based, so a complex prompt, a long chat, or a heavy feature uses more of your allowance. When you reach the limit, your quota refreshes every 5 hours, and a weekly limit also applies. You can see your remaining usage under Settings, then Usage.
Students may not need to pay full price. Google’s September announcement offered US college students one year of Google AI Pro at no cost, with redemption open until December 31, 2026. Our guide to the best AI tools for students compares other options.
Is Gemini Notebook private and accurate?
Gemini Notebook’s privacy terms depend on the account type, and its answers still need checking. For personal accounts, Google’s privacy page says notebook content is not used to directly train its foundational models unless you submit feedback. Feedback and any included content are reviewed by trained teams and kept for up to 3 years, disconnected from your account.
Work and school accounts receive stronger terms. Google says uploads, queries, and responses on those accounts are not reviewed by people, even when a user gives thumbs-up or thumbs-down feedback, and are not used to train AI models. Anyone handling confidential client, patient, or company material should use an approved work account and should keep that material out of feedback on a personal account.
Source-based answers lower the risk of invented facts but do not remove it. Google warns that Gemini Notebook can make mistakes and advises consulting a qualified professional for medical, legal, or financial questions. A notebook also inherits the quality of its sources, because it organizes what you supply rather than checking whether that material is true.
Who should use Gemini Notebook?
Gemini Notebook suits people who already have the material and need to understand it faster. Students can turn lecture notes into quizzes, researchers can compare papers, and teams can question a shared set of reports. Our comparison of Gemini and ChatGPT for students shows how it fits alongside a general assistant.
Gemini Notebook is a weaker choice for everyday note-taking or open-ended questions. Google’s help center says notes exported to Google Docs do not sync back to the notebook, and a general assistant handles requests that do not depend on specific documents. Our list of the best free note-taking apps covers tools built for keeping notes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Gemini Notebook the same as NotebookLM?
Gemini Notebook is the same product as NotebookLM. Google renamed it on July 16, 2026, and existing notebooks and shared links carried over automatically.
Is Gemini Notebook free?
Gemini Notebook is free with a Google account on the Standard plan, which allows 100 notebooks and 50 sources per notebook. Paid Google AI plans add higher limits, starting at $4.99 per month in the US as of October 2026.
What does the LM in NotebookLM stand for?
The LM in NotebookLM stands for language model, the type of AI system behind the tool. Google dropped those letters when it adopted the Gemini Notebook name.
Does Gemini Notebook use the internet?
Gemini Notebook answers from the sources in your notebook, not from the open web. It can, however, search the web or Google Drive to help you find new sources to add.
Does Google train AI on Gemini Notebook uploads?
Google says personal account content is not used to directly train its foundational models unless you submit feedback. Work and school account uploads, queries, and responses are not used to train AI models.