How to use NotebookLM: add a PDF, ask questions and check citations
Create a notebook, add a PDF or document, select the relevant source and ask a specific question. Open the cited passage before using a number or conclusion. Start with one source so you can check the whole workflow before expanding the notebook.
All contents
From a PDF to a checked answer
Start with one document before building a large research notebook.
Create a notebook
Open NotebookLM and create a notebook for one topic. Current Google help also uses the name Gemini Notebook. Name it after the document set so you can distinguish it from your other notebooks.
Add one PDF or document
Choose Add sources in the left panel and add a document you are allowed to use. Open the imported source and check the title and relevant text before adding more.
Ask a question tied to that source
Select the relevant sources and ask, for example: ‘In this pricing document, which charges are recurring and which are one-time? Include the source passages.’
Check the cited passages
Open the citation and read the surrounding text. Copy the facts you have checked into your notes; verify a missing answer in the original document as well.
A useful first notebook
| Stage | Add or ask | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | One decision question | A broad topic with no decision |
| Sources | Primary and current documents | Unlabeled web clippings |
| Questions | Agreement, conflict, missing data | Write the final answer immediately |
| Output | Claim and citation note | Unverified copy-and-paste |
Questions you can adapt for work or study
For a report: ‘List three claims in this document, the evidence for each and the author’s conditions.’ For study: ‘Ask me five questions about this chapter. After I answer, show where the source supports or corrects my answer.’ These are suggested prompts, not guaranteed outputs.
If the answer is vague, name the source and a narrower section. Ask about one disputed number or definition before requesting a summary of everything.
Define the decision before collecting sources
A notebook titled only with a broad topic quickly becomes a document pile. Write the decision, audience, date and exclusions in the first note.
For a plan comparison, state the account type, country and capabilities being compared. This keeps later answers from mixing incompatible conditions.
Start with a few relevant documents
Add the official plan page, relevant help article and policy document first. A smaller set makes missing evidence visible and reduces accidental reliance on a secondary summary.
Record title, publisher, URL and retrieval date outside the generated answer as a durable evidence list.
Ask questions that expose uncertainty
Ask which documents support each claim, where two documents disagree and what the sources do not specify. Then open the cited passages.
A useful research assistant should reveal gaps, not merely produce a fluent consensus from incomplete material.
Keep notes you can check later
The final note should contain the decision, assumptions, rejected options, source links and a review date. Keep analysis distinct from statements made by the sources.
When a source changes, rerun the affected question and revise the conclusion rather than regenerating the entire article without a change log.
Example: deciding whether to change a subscription
This example uses a pricing page, a feature guide, cancellation FAQs and terms from the same provider.
- Main question
- Keep the current plan or change it?
- Missing information
- Does the proposed plan include the feature we need?
- Possible conflict
- Do the pricing page and help article refer to the same date?
- Final checks
- Total price, effective date and cancellation conditions
Resolve missing details before asking for a recommendation. A clear comparison depends on the documents you supply.
Things to watch for
Putting every document into one notebook
Unrelated material makes it harder to understand which source applies to a question.
Treating a missing answer as proof
“Not found in the sources” can mean the document is absent, the question is unclear or the relevant passage was missed.
Mixing old and new documents without dates
Record which version applies before combining their statements into a summary.
Save the sources with the decision
Record the option you chose, why you chose it, source URLs and dates, and any unresolved questions. When terms change, those notes show what needs checking again.
Frequently asked questions
Can NotebookLM search the web for new sources?
Yes. The current source panel offers web research options. Review the found sources and import those you want to use. Do not assume an old notebook automatically contains all current web information; check source dates when currency matters.
Which documents should I add first?
Start with the documents needed for one question. For a subscription comparison, pricing, feature limits and cancellation terms are more useful than a large collection of loosely related articles.
Can I copy an answer directly into a report?
Check important numbers, quotations and conditions against the original passages first. Keep the links so that readers can verify them too.
Scope and key points
Who this helps
- You have several documents to compare for a work decision.
- You want answers that you can trace back to the uploaded material.
Limits of this guide
- A notebook cannot fill every gap in the documents you provide.
- Check your organization’s rules before uploading confidential material.
Key points
- NotebookLM works from the sources you add
- Source quality and scope determine what the notebook can answer
- Citations help navigation but still require reading the original passage
What the sources say
NotebookLM answers use the supplied sources, and question wording can affect what it finds.
Submitting feedback can allow review of associated prompts, uploads and responses under the stated conditions.
Source import, source selection and web-research options
References
- 1.Learn about NotebookLM
Google · Retrieved Aug 19, 2026
- 2.Privacy and Terms of Use in NotebookLM
Google · Retrieved Aug 19, 2026
- 3.Add or discover new sources for your notebook
Google · Retrieved Sep 15, 2026
- 4.Create a notebook in Gemini Notebook
Google · Retrieved Sep 15, 2026
- 5.Add or discover new sources for your notebook
Google · Retrieved Sep 15, 2026
- 6.Create a notebook in Gemini Notebook
Google · Retrieved Sep 15, 2026
About this article
Source-import and notebook-creation steps were checked in Google’s official help on September 15, 2026. The prompt examples are editorial suggestions. Earlier references retain their individual retrieval dates.
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