2 popular NotebookLM features that will completely change the way you study.

When many people first tried NotebookLM , this AI-powered learning tool was just an experiment from Google Labs. Since then, NotebookLM has grown into a leading research website, becoming one of the few Labs experiments to have its own mobile app. NotebookLM is widely used on iOS, Android, and the web, but its feature set is also rapidly expanding. Following the success of Audio Overviews, Google added Video Overviews to the NotebookLM web app.

Audio and Video Overviews in NotebookLM are essentially AI-generated podcasts and tutorial videos based on your chosen topic. You won't realize how helpful it is to have a personal podcast or video host guiding your learning until you try it.

Audio Overviews are like on-demand educational podcasts.

It's great to study while walking, driving, or riding the bus or train.

NotebookLM might sound like a note-taking companion, allowing users to take notes in text format or upload existing notes in various file formats. However, the application focuses more on analyzing and processing information using Gemini models rather than attempting to replace your notebook.

NotebookLM is built on Sources , which are files, web pages, YouTube videos, or pasted text that provide context for the notebook. This context is used to support NotebookLM's interactive features, including chatbots and more advanced options like Audio and Video Overviews. For example, you might take notes in class using Google Docs. Your NotebookLM notebook will likely include those notes, but ideally it would also include PDF files  of thousand-page textbooks, assigned reading materials from the web, or relevant YouTube videos.

All of these resources provide NotebookLM with more specific context tailored to your exact learning needs, whether you're trying to learn a new skill or mastering a structured course. Once you have the resources, it's time to move on to the Studio section of the NotebookLM app. This is where you can start creating Audio Overviews. These podcast-style conversations are incredibly customizable, and that's the best part.

Creating an audio overview begins with choosing a format – you have options: Deep Dive , Brief , Critique , or Debate . If you want your podcast to sound like a sharp sports commentary program, choose Debate . If you want an expert to challenge your source material, choose Critique . Next, customize the language and length of the podcast based on your preferences. The refined customization options make it possible for anyone to create an engaging audio overview tailored to their learning style.

What people love most about NotebookLM is that you can guide the podcast host in exactly the direction you want. With a concise prompt, you can precisely describe what you want your Audio Overview to discuss. For example, you might want to ask NotebookLM to skip sources you're already familiar with or focus on sources that will be in your next test. The prompt can be more detailed than that, specifying a particular topic in a source or a topic referenced across multiple sources.

After a short time creating the content, your Audio Overview is ready to listen to. Surprisingly, these conversations sound very natural, with the AI ​​host pausing naturally, using filler words, and even appearing shy at times. Once you get past the initial awkwardness, you'll realize that the human-like nature of Audio Overviews is what makes them so great. Learning a new skill or studying for a final exam suddenly doesn't feel boring anymore—it's more like listening to a real-life crime podcast or an entertaining radio show.

Video Overviews explain the slides, graphics, and more.

This is a great tool for visual learners to better understand a topic!

NotebookLM added Video Overviews support in July 2025, and it remains limited to the NotebookLM web application. This feature is good enough to use NotebookLM on your smartphone or laptop browser. Everything we discussed about NotebookLM's Audio Overviews also applies to Video Overviews. Think of Video Overviews as an audio overview with visual elements, much like a slideshow that combines images, diagrams, quotes, and other details from your source.

It's great for complex topics that might be difficult to visualize with just audio explanations. Video Overviews can be used to learn more about personal music player setups and possible upgrade paths, and the visual illustrations have completely changed the way people understand things. In the screenshot below, you'll see NotebookLM's Video Overviews showing the music player cartridge compatible with many high-end stylus cartridges.

Similar to Audio Overviews, there are several ways to customize a Video Overview. You can choose the Explainer or Brief format , language, and image style. There is a prompt box that allows the user to guide a Video Overview in a similar way to an Audio Overview. You can provide specific guidance on images in addition to referencing NotebookLM to a source or structure.

This is a demo of how Video Overviews work:

Video Overviews are particularly excellent for specialized topics that might not be widely covered on YouTube or other platforms. NotebookLM's AI-generated content shouldn't replace your favorite podcasters and video creators. Instead, Audio and Video Overviews work well for content not available in audio or video format—such as a decades-old Reddit thread or a little-known research paper.

A breakthrough for visual learners.

Everyone should try Audio and Video Overviews.

Audio and video overviews are a solution for those who don't find traditional educational content engaging. It can be difficult to concentrate on reading a monotonous textbook, but when an audio overview transforms the material into a debate, the story is entirely different. Audio overviews are also an excellent companion in situations where it's impossible or impractical to pull out a notebook or laptop. For example, you can't drive and memorize flashcards at the same time, but you can listen to an audio overview.

If you haven't tried the Audio and Video Overviews features in NotebookLM, both are worth a try. They are useful, accurate, and customizable, and most importantly, they will change the way you learn new material.