> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://google-40.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# NotebookLM: AI research assistant grounded in your sources

> NotebookLM is Google's AI-powered research tool. Upload your documents, and the AI answers questions using only your sources—with citations.

NotebookLM is an AI-powered research and note-taking tool from Google. You upload your own sources—PDFs, Google Docs, websites, YouTube videos, and more—and NotebookLM's AI answers your questions using only that material, always with citations back to the original text.

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Quick Start" icon="rocket" href="/quickstart">
    Create your first notebook and start chatting with your sources in minutes.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Add Sources" icon="file-arrow-up" href="/sources/adding-sources">
    Learn which file types are supported and how to upload them.
  </Card>

  <Card title="AI Chat" icon="message-bot" href="/features/chat">
    Ask questions, get summaries, and explore your material with the AI assistant.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Notebook Guide" icon="book-open" href="/features/notebook-guide">
    Auto-generate study guides, FAQs, briefing docs, and timelines from your sources.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Audio Overview" icon="headphones" href="/features/audio-overview">
    Turn your sources into a podcast-style audio discussion you can listen to anywhere.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Sharing" icon="share-nodes" href="/guides/sharing-notebooks">
    Collaborate by sharing your notebook with others.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## How NotebookLM works

<Steps>
  <Step title="Sign in with your Google Account">
    Go to [notebooklm.google.com](https://notebooklm.google.com) and sign in. No separate account is needed.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create a notebook">
    Click **New notebook** and give it a name. Each notebook is a self-contained workspace for a project or topic.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add your sources">
    Upload PDFs, paste in Google Docs links, add website URLs, or drop in YouTube links. You can add up to 50 sources per notebook.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Chat with your sources">
    Use the chat panel to ask questions. Every answer is grounded in your uploaded material and includes inline citations so you can verify the source.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Note>
  NotebookLM's AI only uses the sources you add to a notebook. It does not draw on outside knowledge, which means you get focused, verifiable answers rather than general information.
</Note>