NotebookLM is my favourite AI software, however wow, its Android model is dangerous!

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There are just a few AI instruments that I discover genuinely helpful, and NotebookLM is completely one in every of them. For those who’re unfamiliar with Google’s unsung AI hero, think about it just like ChatGPT, besides you management which sources it attracts data from. It’s a superb idea that I’ve utilized in quite a few methods since its debut a number of years in the past. It’s helped me comb by means of insurance coverage quotes, examine legalese-infected medical plans, and it has even develop into my quick-reference automotive handbook. Nonetheless, for all its positives, its greatest loss was its lack of an Android app.

Positive, this was an annoying actuality, but it surely didn’t hinder the NotebookLM expertise for me. I used workarounds to entry it from my telephone reliably, however I believed an official app would presumably have its benefits. Certainly, it might be higher built-in with different Google merchandise, permit me to view all of what NotebookLM affords on the net, and make folks conscious of its existence. All good issues, proper? So, when Google teased after which launched the NotebookLM Android app earlier this month, I used to be anticipating huge issues. Nicely, I’m now upset that I let my hopes up.

What do you concentrate on the NotebookLM app? 5 votes

I prefer it.

0%

It is usable, however I want it was higher.

20%

It is horrible, and I am going to preserve utilizing the online model.

40%

I've not but tried NotebookLM in any capability.

40%

Overlook the Android app, persist with the online interface for now

<img class="e_ig" decoding="async" loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 64rem) 51.25rem, 80vw" title="google notebooklm android app 1" srcset="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-app-1.jpg 1920w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-app-1-64w-36h.jpg 64w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-app-1-1000w-563h.jpg 1000w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-app-1-1536w-864h.jpg 1536w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-app-1-675w-380h.jpg 675w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-app-1-300w-170h.jpg 300w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-app-1-1280w-720h.jpg 1280w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-app-1-840w-472h.jpg 840w" alt="google notebooklm android app 1" src="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-app-1.jpg"/> Andy Walker / Android Authority

To offer the NotebookLM Android app its due, it’s useful. Animations are easy, menus are logically positioned, and it’s a fairly engaging setting. I can rapidly change between Google accounts to entry my notebooks, add sources from my telephone, and even create Audio Overviews as you'd on the full-fat net expertise. Nonetheless, these are the naked minimal expectations for an app revealed by Google.

Once I use NotebookLM’s net interface on my telephone through a Chrome shortcut (my most popular workaround, though there are others), I can entry each single one of many product’s free options. Nothing is disregarded. The app, nevertheless, has some obvious omissions.

Google places the AI smarts of NotebookLM on the forefront of its app expertise.

Google places the AI smarts of NotebookLM on the forefront of its app expertise. You’re only one faucet away from creating an Audio Overview for any pocket book in your account. Look, I believe Audio Overviews is a reasonably cool characteristic, and I might’ve cherished to have it as a research software in faculty. It presents two AI podcast hosts in an eerily lifelike and pure dialog in regards to the core matter included in your pocket book. The Interactive characteristic can also be excellent for cell, permitting me to converse with the 2 hosts and ask questions. However whereas it’s all very good, this characteristic isn’t why I exploit NotebookLM.

I wouldn’t have a difficulty with Google pushing these options to the floor if it didn’t neglect NotebookLM’s extra sensible aspects. As an example, I depend on its notice creation part. As I discussed earlier, I preserve a pocket book with all my car-related data, together with its consumer handbook, brochure, and any paperwork that could be associated to it in some way. However I additionally use the Add notice characteristic throughout the Studio tab to incorporate particulars I need to bear in mind.

<img class="e_ig" decoding="async" loading="lazy" sizes="calc(min(calc(100vw - 1.875rem), 51.25rem) / 2)" title="google notebooklm android web screenshot 4" srcset="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-web-screenshot-4.jpg 1080w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-web-screenshot-4-29w-64h.jpg 29w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-web-screenshot-4-1000w-2222h.jpg 1000w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-web-screenshot-4-648w-1440h.jpg 648w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-web-screenshot-4-486w-1080h.jpg 486w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-web-screenshot-4-389w-864h.jpg 389w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-web-screenshot-4-171w-380h.jpg 171w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-web-screenshot-4-540w-1200h.jpg 540w" alt="google notebooklm android web screenshot 4" src="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-web-screenshot-4.jpg"/> The Studio tab on Chrome on my Pixel. <img class="e_ig" decoding="async" loading="lazy" sizes="calc(min(calc(100vw - 1.875rem), 51.25rem) / 2)" title="google notebooklm android app screenshot 2" srcset="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-app-screenshot-2.jpg 1080w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-app-screenshot-2-29w-64h.jpg 29w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-app-screenshot-2-1000w-2222h.jpg 1000w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-app-screenshot-2-648w-1440h.jpg 648w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-app-screenshot-2-486w-1080h.jpg 486w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-app-screenshot-2-389w-864h.jpg 389w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-app-screenshot-2-171w-380h.jpg 171w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-app-screenshot-2-540w-1200h.jpg 540w" alt="google notebooklm android app screenshot 2" src="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-app-screenshot-2.jpg"/> The Studio tab on the app on my Pixel. Say I hit the curb just lately, hear a rattle from the transmission, am planning a street journey and require a specific merchandise of upkeep, or crammed up at a selected gasoline station. I'll need to recall these particulars, so I’ll file these in a notice (or notes) and convert them right into a supply. Nonetheless, the app utterly lacks this performance. Sure, it has a Studio tab, however my notes are nowhere to be discovered.

I wouldn’t have a difficulty with Google pushing these options if it didn’t neglect NotebookLM’s extra sensible aspects, like notes.

Word-taking is a typical characteristic on trendy smartphone apps, and I’d count on a Google app launched in 2025 to supply it. Given the dearth of area on a smartphone display screen, I can perceive why the Thoughts map characteristic wasn’t included, however Google has no excuse for omitting notes from NotebookLM.

<img class="e_ig" decoding="async" loading="lazy" sizes="calc(min(calc(100vw - 1.875rem), 51.25rem) / 2)" title="google notebooklm android app screenshot 1" srcset="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-app-screenshot-1.jpg 1080w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-app-screenshot-1-29w-64h.jpg 29w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-app-screenshot-1-1000w-2222h.jpg 1000w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-app-screenshot-1-648w-1440h.jpg 648w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-app-screenshot-1-486w-1080h.jpg 486w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-app-screenshot-1-389w-864h.jpg 389w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-app-screenshot-1-171w-380h.jpg 171w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-app-screenshot-1-540w-1200h.jpg 540w" alt="google notebooklm android app screenshot 1" src="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-app-screenshot-1.jpg"/> The Sources choices on the app. <img class="e_ig" decoding="async" loading="lazy" sizes="calc(min(calc(100vw - 1.875rem), 51.25rem) / 2)" title="google notebooklm android web screenshot 3" srcset="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-web-screenshot-3.jpg 1080w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-web-screenshot-3-29w-64h.jpg 29w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-web-screenshot-3-1000w-2222h.jpg 1000w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-web-screenshot-3-648w-1440h.jpg 648w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-web-screenshot-3-486w-1080h.jpg 486w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-web-screenshot-3-389w-864h.jpg 389w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-web-screenshot-3-171w-380h.jpg 171w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-web-screenshot-3-540w-1200h.jpg 540w" alt="google notebooklm android web screenshot 3" src="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-web-screenshot-3.jpg"/> The broader sources choices on the net. <img class="e_ig" decoding="async" loading="lazy" sizes="calc(min(calc(100vw - 1.875rem), 51.25rem) / 2)" title="google notebooklm android web screenshot 1" srcset="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-web-screenshot-1.jpg 1080w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-web-screenshot-1-29w-64h.jpg 29w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-web-screenshot-1-1000w-2222h.jpg 1000w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-web-screenshot-1-648w-1440h.jpg 648w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-web-screenshot-1-486w-1080h.jpg 486w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-web-screenshot-1-389w-864h.jpg 389w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-web-screenshot-1-171w-380h.jpg 171w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-web-screenshot-1-540w-1200h.jpg 540w" alt="google notebooklm android web screenshot 1" src="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-web-screenshot-1.jpg"/> The Uncover sources characteristic not on the app. <img class="e_ig" decoding="async" loading="lazy" sizes="calc(min(calc(100vw - 1.875rem), 51.25rem) / 2)" title="google notebooklm android web screenshot 2" srcset="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-web-screenshot-2.jpg 1080w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-web-screenshot-2-29w-64h.jpg 29w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-web-screenshot-2-1000w-2222h.jpg 1000w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-web-screenshot-2-648w-1440h.jpg 648w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-web-screenshot-2-486w-1080h.jpg 486w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-web-screenshot-2-389w-864h.jpg 389w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-web-screenshot-2-171w-380h.jpg 171w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-web-screenshot-2-540w-1200h.jpg 540w" alt="google notebooklm android web screenshot 2" src="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-web-screenshot-2.jpg"/> The Uncover sources characteristic not on the app. The NotebookLM app additionally makes content material discovery much more tedious, because it lacks the useful Uncover possibility. Click on this button on the net, and it’ll open up a field letting you submit queries on a given matter. The software then finds associated sources on the net, which you'll be able to add to present or new notebooks. It even had an I’m feeling curious possibility in the event you determined that immediately you’d study one thing out of your quick scope. Sadly, the app misses out right here, too. This is able to be an amazing complementary characteristic to Audio Overviews, so its disappearance is really puzzling.

The Android app lacks the supply discovery characteristic, which makes creating topical Audio Overviews simpler and extra enjoyable.

As for Audio Overviews, the characteristic’s processing time feels far slower on the cell app than through the online interface. It spent an excellent ten minutes changing a Wikipedia web page about consumer interface design right into a podcast on the app, and fewer than 5 on a far chunkier, jargon-filled automotive handbook when prompted on my desktop. The previous produced a 15-minute audio file, whereas the latter prolonged to 35 minutes. Why is the app a lot slower?

I've different visible pet peeves which can be maybe borderline pedantic, however they don’t actually have an effect on the app’s performance. Others have highlighted the lack to modify languages, which polyglots use every day on a number of different Google apps.

It’s a timid begin, however NotebookLM on Android has loads of room to develop

<img class="e_ig" decoding="async" loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 64rem) 51.25rem, 80vw" title="google notebooklm android app 2" srcset="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-app-2.jpg 1920w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-app-2-64w-36h.jpg 64w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-app-2-1000w-563h.jpg 1000w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-app-2-1536w-864h.jpg 1536w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-app-2-675w-380h.jpg 675w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-app-2-300w-170h.jpg 300w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-app-2-1280w-720h.jpg 1280w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-app-2-840w-472h.jpg 840w" alt="google notebooklm android app 2" src="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/google-notebooklm-android-app-2.jpg"/> Andy Walker / Android Authority

You possibly can most likely inform that I’m actually disillusioned by the NotebookLM app. I used to be able to lastly ditch my foolish Chrome shortcut workaround for a modern, trendy app with all of the bells and whistles of the total expertise. As a substitute, I discovered an app that solely included the flashiest options to attract the attention (and ear).

Look, a minimum of the one approach is up from right here, proper? I do hope there’s a technical purpose notes had been disregarded of the Studio tab and that Google’s planning to combine its supply discovery characteristic sooner or later sooner or later. However contemplating an much more flamboyant characteristic in Video Overviews is about to land on the net expertise, I concern that it could land on the app before the sensible options it so dearly wants.