Affiliate links on Android Authority may earn us a commission. Learn more.
Jul 14, 2026 — 5:00 AM ET
I’ve been using NotebookLM for a long time now, long enough to remember when it was just a handy place to dump documents and ask questions. Every new update made it a little more capable, and before I knew it, opening NotebookLM had become second nature whenever I needed to untangle a messy idea or dive into a new topic.
That said, NotebookLM probably isn’t the AI tool you open every day. With so many chatbots, research assistants, and writing tools competing for your attention, it’s easy for one app to get lost in the mix. But over the past year, NotebookLM has grown well beyond a simple research companion. Today, it can help you understand documents, organize information into tables, generate audio overviews, and even create short video summaries.
Obviously, not every feature has earned a permanent spot in my workflow, but a handful absolutely have. These are the ones I keep coming back to, and the ones I think you’ll end up using every day, too.
What's your favorite NotebookLM feature/tip?
Reading the same paragraph again? There’s a better way #
We’ve all had that moment when a document feels impossible to get through. You reread the same page and somehow end up even more confused. That’s exactly where NotebookLM’s video overviews have become useful for me. Once I’ve added my sources to a notebook, I head to the Studio panel, pick Video overview, and within a minute, the tool turns them into a short video that breaks everything down into something that’s actually easy to follow.
I first started using it for my Psychology thesis. Some topics are so dense that, by the fourth reread, I’m just staring at words instead of making sense of them. Seeing those concepts explained visually makes everything click much faster, and it’s become one of my favorite ways to revise before exams.
Then I realized it wasn’t just useful for studying. My mother loves trying new recipes, but she has zero patience for scrolling through lengthy blog posts. Ironically, she’d much rather watch recipe reels on Instagram. So I started turning detailed recipes into video overviews instead. Now she gets a quick visual walkthrough she can follow while cooking, without wading through paragraphs of instructions.
Video overviews don't just summarize information; they make it easier to process.
That’s what I like most about Video overviews — they don’t just summarize information; they make it easier to process. Whether you’re studying for an exam, researching a story, or simply learning something new, it’s the feature I reach for the moment a document stops making sense.
The feature that lets you skip the boring part #
Another feature I’ve started appreciating is Slide Decks. I simply upload my source material, whether that’s PDFs, documents, or even YouTube videos. Then I choose Slide Deck and tell NotebookLM how I want the presentation to look. Since it only works with the information I provide, the final deck stays grounded in my research.
Since it only works with the information I provide, the final deck stays grounded in my research.
Now, I don’t make presentations often enough to use this feature every day. My nephew, on the other hand, always seems to have one school presentation or another coming up. Whenever he’s in a pinch, he sends me his notes and research. I upload everything to NotebookLM, and within minutes, we have a well-structured presentation ready to refine rather than build from scratch.
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t do this every time. I want him to learn to put together a presentation on his own, rather than relying on AI for every assignment. But when he’s racing against a deadline or needs something at the last minute, it’s pulled me out of a bind more than once.
And that’s where I think Slide Decks shine. If presentations are a regular part of your job or studies, this feature can handle the time-consuming first draft while still letting you decide the structure, tone, and overall format.
The shortcut that doesn’t cut corners #
If there’s one update that’s saved me the most time, it’s the new way NotebookLM handles sources, a feature called Discover Sources. Earlier, I had to do all the research myself, gather every article and PDF, add them to a notebook, and only then could I start working. Now, I can simply open a notebook, type in the topic I’m exploring, and let NotebookLM find a solid starting point. This has been a genuine time-saver whenever I’m racing against the clock. NotebookLM finds relevant sources for me, but here’s the part I actually appreciate: it doesn’t force them into my notebook. I get to review everything, pick what I want to import, and ignore the rest. That means I’m still the one deciding what goes into my research.
For me, that’s the sweet spot. AI helps me skip the tedious part of finding information, but I still decide what makes the cut. It saves me time without making me feel like I’ve handed over the entire job.
The easiest way to give your eyes a day off #
I’ll admit it: I’m an unapologetic doomscroller. Well, maybe not unapologetic because I’ve tried just about every trick to spend less time mindlessly scrolling through reels. Some worked for a day or two, but most didn’t.
Then I started using NotebookLM’s audio overviews a little differently. Instead of reaching for Instagram every time I had a few spare minutes, I’d upload my notes or research and generate an audio overview from the Studio panel, which turns them into a podcast. It gave me a way to learn something new without staring at yet another screen. The result is a natural, back-and-forth conversation between two AI hosts that feels surprisingly close to something you’d actually choose to listen to. On newer versions, you can even set how long you want it to run, or join in and ask the hosts a question mid-episode, which is worth a try if your account supports it.
The hosts sound so natural that it's easy to forget you're listening to AI.
I’ve found myself playing these while going for a walk, tidying up the house, or even during a quick grocery run. The back-and-forth between the hosts keeps things engaging, and they sound realistic enough that it’s easy to forget you’re listening to AI.
My only complaint is that the conversations can sometimes take the scenic route. They’ll occasionally spend a little too much time setting up a point before getting to it. But that’s an easy fix. If I feel like I’ve got what I came for, I simply stop the audio and move on.
Even with that minor gripe, audio overviews have become one of my favorite NotebookLM features. They’ve helped me swap a few minutes of doomscrolling for something I actually learn from, while also giving my eyes a break from screens. Honestly, that feels like a pretty good trade.
Your notebook can’t read your mind until you tell it how #
The last trick that’s made a big difference is customizing each notebook before I start working. This completely changes the kind of responses I get.
I keep separate notebooks for different parts of my life.
I already keep separate notebooks for different parts of my life. One is dedicated to work, while the other is reserved for my university assignments. That alone keeps my research organized, but I take it a step further by assigning each notebook a specific role. Before I ask my first question, I tell NotebookLM exactly how I want it to respond.
To do that, I click the configuration button at the top of the Chat panel, select Customize notebook, and then describe exactly what I need. It only takes a few seconds, but it changes the entire conversation that follows. For work, I usually ask it to be concise, factual, and easy to skim because I’m often sifting through dozens of sources while writing. For university, I take the opposite approach. I ask it to explain concepts in simple language, use real-world examples, and walk me through the ideas step by step, almost like a patient tutor.
The best part is that you can make it work however you want, whether that’s preparing for a job interview, planning a vacation, or turning every response into bite-sized bullet points that are easier to skim. Once you start telling NotebookLM how you want it to help, the answers feel far more tailored.
My best NotebookLM tips … for now #
These are the NotebookLM features I keep coming back to, simply because they’ve become part of how I work, study, and even learn things outside of both. They’ve saved me time, helped me understand complicated topics faster, and, every now and then, even convinced me to spend a little less time staring at a screen. Worth flagging that I’m on the paid tier, so a couple of these features and limits will differ if you’re on the free plan.
That said, I don’t think I’ve mastered NotebookLM, or any AI tool for that matter. Every time I use it, I discover a new feature or a different way to approach the same task. That’s probably the fun part about using AI right now — it’s constantly evolving, and so is the way we use it.
Who knows? A few months from now, this list might look completely different. But for now, these are the features that keep pulling me back, and there’s a good chance at least one of them will do the same for you.
Thank you for being part of our community. Read our Comment Policy before posting.