The Studio panel in NotebookLM, now called Gemini Notebook, turns your sources into finished outputs: slide decks, infographics, mind maps, flashcards, quizzes, reports, Audio Overviews and Video Overviews. Open a notebook with sources, pick the output in the Studio panel (or the Mind Map chip in chat), adjust the settings with the pencil icon and generate. You need edit access to the notebook.
Most people only use NotebookLM's chat and the podcast-style Audio Overviews. The Studio outputs are where it starts saving real work: a client presentation from your notes, an infographic from a report, a revision deck from a course handbook. Here's how each one works and the settings worth knowing, from Google's own help pages.
Which output to use for what
| Output | Best for | Download as |
|---|---|---|
| Slide Deck | A presentation you can show or send | |
| Infographic | One visual summary of the key points | PNG |
| Mind Map | Seeing how the ideas in your sources connect | A downloadable file |
| Flashcards | Revising facts and terms | CSV |
| Quiz | Testing what you've learned | Not listed |
Slide decks
- Open a notebook with sources you have edit access to.
- In the Studio panel, select Slide Deck.
- Choose a format, output language, length and which sources to use.
- Describe the deck you want, for example a beginner's deck in a bold, playful style focused on step-by-step instructions.
- Select Generate now, or Generate later to schedule it.
It can take several minutes, and you can keep working while it runs. Afterwards you can present it full screen with Start slideshow, download it as a PDF, or select Revise and type instructions on each slide. Google AI Ultra subscribers get an extra option: co-creating the deck in chat and reviewing the outline before the final render. Google warns that once you select Proceed, you can't refine that outline any further.
Infographics
Select Infographic in the Studio panel, or the pencil icon to customise first. The settings are where the quality comes from:
- Output language.
- Level of detail: Concise, Standard or Detailed (in beta).
- Orientation: square, portrait or wide.
- Visual style, such as Sketch Note, Kawaii or Professional, or let it choose for you.
- A prompt to guide colour and focus. Google's own example asks for a blue colour theme that highlights three key stats.
You can share an infographic by link, but only if the notebook is shared with that person or made public with access to the full notebook. Public sharing only works on consumer accounts, not Workspace Enterprise or Education. Delete the infographic and the share link stops working.
Mind maps
Mind maps are made from the chat, not the Studio list: select the Mind Map chip, and the map appears as a new note in the Studio panel. You can zoom, expand or collapse branches, and select any node to ask a question about that topic in chat. That last part is the useful bit: it turns the map into a way of navigating long sources. To regenerate, delete the note and start again. Usage limits apply.
Flashcards and quizzes
Choose Flashcards or Quizzes in the Studio panel, set the difficulty to easy, medium or hard, and add a prompt to steer the audience, style or focus. Once they're made you can choose fewer, standard or more cards, ask for an explanation of any card or answer, and mark flashcards as got it or missed it. Gemini Notebook remembers your progress, and at the end you can practise again with the same cards, all cards or only the cards you missed. Quizzes include hints, and the controls let you shuffle cards, delete any you don't need, go full screen or restart from the beginning. One catch from Google: if a notebook uses a Play Books ebook as a source, the publisher's restrictions may stop you downloading what you generate from it.
What the mobile app can't do yet
The Gemini Notebook mobile app supports flashcards, quizzes, infographics and slide decks, though Google says they may differ from the web versions. Mind maps aren't supported in the app at all, so build those on a computer. Slide decks and infographics are also only available to users over 18 at the moment.
A small business workflow
Here's how I'd use Studio in a real week. Add your service pages, a recent client report and your onboarding notes as sources. Then:
- Make a Detailed, wide infographic of the report's main findings to drop into a client email.
- Generate a slide deck for a sales call from your service pages, then use Revise to tighten each slide.
- Build flashcards from your onboarding notes for a new freelancer or assistant.
- Use a mind map to check your sources cover everything before you write anything new.
If you're new to the tool, start with my NotebookLM guide, and for narrated explainers see NotebookLM video overviews.
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My verdict
Studio is the most underused part of NotebookLM. The infographic and slide deck options alone can save an afternoon, as long as you check every figure, because Google says they may contain visual or factual mistakes. Use your own sources, keep prompts specific, and treat each output as a strong first draft.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the Studio panel in NotebookLM?
It's the panel in NotebookLM, now Gemini Notebook, where you turn your sources into outputs such as slide decks, infographics, flashcards, quizzes, reports, Audio Overviews and Video Overviews. Mind maps you create from chat also appear there.
How do I make an infographic in NotebookLM?
Open a notebook with sources, select Infographic in the Studio panel or use the pencil icon to set language, detail level, orientation, visual style and a prompt, then generate. You can download it as a PNG.
How do I make a mind map in NotebookLM?
In the chat, select the Mind Map chip. The map appears as a note in the Studio panel, where you can expand branches and select nodes to ask questions.
Can NotebookLM make slide decks?
Yes. Select Slide Deck in the Studio panel, choose format, language, length and sources, describe the deck and generate. You can present it, revise slides or download it as a PDF.
Can I export NotebookLM flashcards?
Yes. Google's help page says you can download your flashcards as a CSV file.
