I don’t consider NotebookLM’s Studio panel features a bonus or nice-to-have - they’re integral to the work I do in almost all of my notebooks. I do think, however, that many underestimate or underappreciate how powerful these features are. They’re a core part of how the app is supposed to be used; it’s where your sources get transformed into different, usable formats, so you’ve got something to work with beyond the AI’s text responses.
Not every single one of them is useful to me, personally, but a handful have actually ended up replacing a collection of separate apps I used to use for the same tasks. And now all of my work is contained within NotebookLM without requiring tool-hopping. The cool thing is that they’re all generative, so you don’t even have to create anything yourself and can just focus on absorbing the work.
What are the NotebookLM Studio features?
There’s something for everyone
NotebookLM’s Studio features live in the right-side panel of the interface. Instead of having to reorganize or recreate your content, most of the Studio features transform your content in one click, and they’re customizable with options like format, length, and focus. At the time of writing, they include:
- Audio overview - you get an audible output of your sources
- Video overview - this gives you an animated sequence of stills of your sources
- Mind map - an interactive and interconnected branch of information
- Reports - turn your sources into customizable, structured documents
- Flashcards - a quick learning aid
- Quiz - test your knowledge
- Infographic - a visual overview of your sources
- Slide Deck - turn your sources into presentation slides
- Note - a rich text editor and note-taking space
No need for dedicated mind mapping tools anymore
NotebookLM’s mind map features replaced all my mind mapping apps
One of my top tools for creating mind maps used to be Mermaid. I liked that it let me sketch ideas in a text-based format and render them into clean and connected diagrams. The code is also simple to understand; however, it can become quite time-consuming. Even using design tools like those in Miro can be more effort than it’s worth.
NotebookLM completely flipped the way I approach mind maps on its head. It generates highly accurate maps based on your selected sources, so I don’t have to waste time creating the connections myself. Plus, I absolutely love that the map is interactive - you can expand the nodes and clicking on a subject will take you back to the chat panel to further engage with the content. Sometimes I create a notebook, not to prompt NotebookLM, but just to get a mind map, because you can download the maps as PNG files. It’s just the perfect tool for visual learners.
Learning made even easier
Testing my knowledge
NotebookLM already makes learning easier just by letting me chat with my sources, but the Quiz and Flashcard features take it a step further. They let me test my memory and understanding without having to leave the app. And it’s generative, so I don’t have to create the cards myself, which saves a ton of time compared to how I used to do it before NotebookLM.
Just like mind maps, quizzes and flashcards are interactive. I can ask NotebookLM for hints, I can check the answers, and I can ask it to elaborate on the answers to get a better understanding. Quizzes also give you a score at the end, which is a great motivator to keep learning. More importantly, both are customizable, so I can set the number of cards or questions as well as the difficulty level.
Learning made more accessible
The Studio features support diverse learning needs
Audio and Video overview were specifically implemented to support inclusive and accessible learning for users. Audio overview generates a podcast-style or voiceover-style audio where the AI hosts discuss your sources, so you can listen to it instead of reading the responses. This particularly benefits users with visual impairments and reading difficulties, or anyone who learns better by listening.
Video overview is one of my favorite features of Studio. It creates an animated sequence of stills paired with audible narration. I will say, not every single image is as accurate as I’d like it to be, but that’s what the customization feature is for - you can instruct NotebookLM on the visuals and information you’d like to see included/excluded. I’ve also used this feature to creatively “edit” a video before.
You can take notes
It doubles as a minimalist notes app
I’ve used NotebookLM as my primary note app on-and-off now. It’s not exactly a note-taking tool, but its Note feature suffices for basic notes and rich text formatting. I mainly use this feature for noting my ideas or the next topics I want to explore in the chat panel, just as a way to not forget anything. I also like that you can convert notes to sources once they’re more beefed up with content, and you can export into Google Docs, which is one of my more long-term writing tools.
NotebookLM is more than just AI responses
I think NotebookLM would have been a fantastic learning and research tool even with just the AI chat on its own. But the Studio features take it to another level entirely, it almost feels like entering a second compartment of the app. They transform your content into different formats that make it easier to engage with it in whichever way makes sense for you.