How to Use NotebookLM: A Beginner's Guide

You have three reports, two PDFs and a long web page to get through, and you have an hour to do it. With NotebookLM, you let an AI search mainly through your own documents and answer questions about them.

In this article, you will read how NotebookLM works, what you can do with it and what to watch out for.

What is NotebookLM and what does it do?

NotebookLM is an AI tool from Google for research and note-taking. You upload your own sources, and the tool works mainly with those sources, not with everything that is on the internet.

You create a notebook (a digital notepad) for each project. In it, you can put PDFs, Google Docs, websites or videos, for example. Then you ask questions, ask for a summary or have the tool create overviews. According to an explanation on id.nl, you can also use it to make reports, quizzes, mind maps and podcasts.

The difference from an ordinary chatbot is therefore the focus. A chatbot such as ChatGPT draws on broad knowledge. NotebookLM sticks to your pile of documents. That reduces the chance of made-up answers, but it does not rule it out.

How do you get started with NotebookLM?

You start with a Google account, a new notebook and a few sources. Within a few minutes, you can ask your first question.

1. Go to NotebookLM and log in with your Google account.
2. Create a new notebook and give it a clear name, such as Quotes 2026.
3. Add sources. Think of PDFs, text, a link to a website or a Google Doc.
4. Ask a question in the chat, for example: what are the three most important agreements in these documents?
5. Click the references in the answer and check that the source really says it.

Choose your sources with care. A notebook with ten good documents works better than a notebook with a hundred random files. If you have a text in another language, such as Dutch, you can simply upload it and ask questions about it.

Give your notebook a clear focus too. A notebook about one client or one topic gives sharper answers than a bin of loose files about everything. Remove outdated versions of a document, otherwise the tool may quote from the wrong version.

Which features are there and how do you ask good questions?

The most important feature is the chat with your sources. You can also have it create overviews, such as summaries, study guides, quizzes and mind maps. Exactly which extra options you see changes regularly, so check in the tool what is available now.

Good questions are specific. Do not ask: summarise this. Ask instead: summarise the risks in these three reports in five points, for a manager who has little time.

• Say who the reader is: an explanation for a beginner is different from one for a specialist.
• Ask for sources: have it say where each point can be found.
• Ask follow-up questions: ask another question if an answer is too vague.
• Check the figures: always check amounts, dates and names in the original document.

What can you use NotebookLM for at work?

NotebookLM is especially handy when you have a lot to read and little time. You use it for summarising, comparing and preparing.

• Preparing for meetings: upload the previous minutes and ask which actions are still open.
• Comparing quotes or contracts: ask for a table showing the differences in delivery time and terms.
• Studying or upskilling: have the tool create practice questions about your course material.
• Research for a client: collect reports and have the tool find the common thread.
• Onboarding: put manuals in a notebook so that new colleagues can ask questions.

Here is a tip that many beginners miss: ask for the counterarguments. Type, for example: where do these sources contradict each other? That way, you see straight away where you need to look further yourself.

Audio Overview is also a well-known feature. The tool then creates a conversation between two voices about your sources, as Bright wrote when it was introduced. At launch, those voices spoke English only, although you could upload sources in other languages. Language options have changed since then, so check in the tool what is possible now.

What are the risks and limitations of NotebookLM?

NotebookLM still makes mistakes, and you are uploading your documents to a tech company’s service. Both points need your attention.

First, the mistakes. The tool can summarise a text wrongly or miss a nuance. The references help, but you remain responsible for the result. A summary of a contract is not legal advice.

Then privacy. For personal accounts, it is often said that Google does not use your uploads to train models unless you explicitly give feedback. Check that yourself in Google’s privacy information, because terms change. Do not upload documents containing personal data of customers or colleagues if you are not sure that this is allowed. That also applies under the GDPR (the European data protection law, known in the Netherlands as the AVG). If in doubt, ask your data protection officer or IT department.

Situation	Smart thing to do
Public reports and articles	Fine to upload
Your own notes without sensitive information	Usually fine
Customer data or personnel files	Check permission or policy first
Confidential business plans	Only through an approved work account

If you use Microsoft at the office, a different tool may suit you better. For example, read how Copilot organises files in SharePoint and OneDrive.

Frequently asked questions

Is NotebookLM free?

There is a basic version that you can try with a Google account. For current terms, limits and any paid options, check with Google itself.

Can I use NotebookLM in other languages?

You can upload sources in other languages, such as Dutch, and ask questions in those languages. With extra features such as Audio Overview, the choice of language may be more limited, so check this in the tool.

Does NotebookLM make things up too?

The risk is smaller than with a general chatbot, because the tool works with your sources. Even so, it can make mistakes, so check the references.

What is the difference between NotebookLM and ChatGPT?

NotebookLM works mainly with the documents that you upload. ChatGPT is a general assistant that can answer more broadly but stays less focused on your sources.

Want to go further? Then read how to make your own AI assistant without programming, or browse all the articles in AI tools. Start small with one project and three sources.