NotebookLM is capable of many things thanks to Google’s artificial intelligence . But it’s still just a notepad , as its name suggests. Like any notepad, it’s for saving notes and annotations . And, precisely because it uses AI, it’s capable of doing much more than a simple notepad. In short, you can take notes in NotebookLM in the traditional way. But you can also leverage everything you write, processing it in seconds with Gemini.
With the help of mobile phones, it is now easier than ever to record a conversation , a meeting, note down what you need to buy at the store, remember what appointments you have for today, where you parked your vehicle, where that place that has been recommended to you is, or simply create notes instantly and keep them always at hand for when you need to consult a specific fact or information.
What’s not so easy is deciding which app to use for note-taking. If you have an iPhone , Apple has its own Notes app . It’s very comprehensive and full of surprises . And on Android and similar devices, you have Google Keep . In addition, there are dozens of other recommended apps like the minimalist Simplenote or the versatile Notion . This time, we’re going to see what Google’s AI-powered app can do. Let’s see how to jot down, save, and process notes with NotebookLM .
Taking notes and making annotations from NotebookLM
Let’s start from the beginning. There are several ways to take notes in NotebookLM . Whether in class, at a meeting, during a museum visit, or at a public lecture. Or even with friends over a drink. The first is quite obvious. Open NotebookLM on your computer , choose a notebook or create a new one by clicking on Create notebook , and finally, click the Add note button . Then, simply type what you need.
The editor is quite comprehensive. While the main purpose is to write whatever you want on the fly, you can then format it to better organize the text. You can even highlight code snippets , create lists and numbered lists, or highlight quotes from other people. And the note will be saved automatically. When you’re finished, you can either convert it to a font or save it as a note. And, of course, the notes can be edited continuously. You can even view them from the mobile version.
Photograph all your notes
But if you’re using NotebookLM’s mobile app , then you’ll need to opt for other, more practical options. The most recommended method for taking notes in NotebookLM with your iPhone or Android is by photographing them. In fact, when you open the app, the first thing you’ll see is a camera icon. This is its way of telling you to photograph your notes . The AI will then process that information.
In this sense, you can continue taking notes on paper , using a physical notebook like a Moleskine or any other brand. The idea is that with your mobile phone’s camera, you can photograph any sheet of paper with handwritten or typed text . These notes will be saved in NotebookLM as JPG images. The content will then be instantly analyzed by artificial intelligence, so you’ll get a description or summary of what the image shows. From there, you can process those images, as we’ll see later.
Import your PDFs, audio files, and text files
Whether you’re at your computer or using your mobile phone, NotebookLM stands out because it can convert any file into a source for extracting useful information. This is a huge advantage when it comes to processing your notes and annotations . So, in addition to taking notes directly in NotebookLM or photographing handwritten notes or typed documents, you can also import your notes from other applications.
Both iOS and Android allow you to record and save audio . And, as we saw at the beginning, you can take notes with other apps. In this regard, you can import your notes into NotebookLM as a PDF, audio file , or directly copy the text from another app . Until NotebookLM includes a dictation option or a voice recorder, this solution will be just as useful.
Extract the content from images and audio
Now that we’ve mastered taking notes in NotebookLM or importing annotations from other sources— text, images, PDFs, or audio— it’s time for the most interesting part, the one for which the NotebookLM app was designed: processing files and texts to extract and access their information.
When you photograph text, upload a PDF, or upload audio to NotebookLM, it automatically scans it, places it in the Sources section , and includes a description. From there, you can do several things. First, leave it as is. When you need to consult the source, you can do so by looking at the scanned document or through the NotebookLM chat. Or, if you prefer, ask NotebookLM to extract the content and save it as a note. If it’s a PDF, JPG, or audio file, it will save it as a transcript .
Google’s AI, Gemini, which powers NotebookLM, can recognize handwritten and typed text, audio, text in images, and even what’s displayed in an image or video. In short, when you import any file or document , you can access information from those sources directly in the chat without having to do it manually.
Transform your notes in NotebookLM
We’ve already covered the most important aspects: taking notes with NotebookLM, importing external notes in paper, digital, audio, or PDF format, and then processing their content so you can access them through NotebookLM’s smart chat. This should be enough to get the most out of your notes and annotations with this Google tool. But, of course, we can always go further.
As we saw in previous articles, NotebookLM is a great study tool , as it allows you to gather information from books, notes, and the internet, process it, and turn it into bite-sized pieces of knowledge that are easy to memorize . Among other things, you can create podcasts with NotebookLM and listen to that information in audio format.
Using one, two, or more sources —that is, the notes and annotations you add to your NotebookLM notebooks—you can generate different formats to help you extract and better understand the content of your notes. At the time of writing, you can ask NotebookLM to generate a summary , a PowerPoint-style slideshow , flashcards, mind maps , data tables, quizzes, or infographics.
Depending on your needs, these formats will allow you to make the most of your notes. At home, at work, or at your school. The goal is to ensure your notes and annotations don’t get lost . From the NotebookLM chat, you can ask anything about those notes, instead of searching for them manually. And if you also create a document that organizes that information, you’ll save time and effort creating reports or documents for studying, sharing with your boss or clients, or, for example, planning a trip with your friends.
