On July 16, 2026, Google renamed NotebookLM to Gemini Notebook, folding its popular research tool into the wider Gemini brand. If you woke up to a new blue-purple logo and a different name at the top of your screen, nothing is broken and nothing is gone. It is the same product, at the same address, with your notebooks exactly where you left them.
The change matters because NotebookLM was not a niche experiment; it had grown to 30 million users and more than 600,000 organizations before the rename. This article breaks down what actually changed, what stayed the same, the one new feature that shipped alongside the new name, and whether you need to lift a finger. We also clear up the confusion between the standalone Gemini Notebook app and the “Notebooks” section inside the Gemini chat app, because those are two different things.
The Key Takeaways
- NotebookLM is now Gemini Notebook, effective July 16, 2026. It is a rename, not a shutdown.
- Everything transfers automatically. The site notebooklm.google.com still works, shared links redirect, and all your notebooks and Audio Overviews stay put.
- The free tier is unchanged. Paid Google AI Pro and AI Ultra plans continue as before.
- One real new feature ships with the rename: a secure cloud computer in every notebook that can write and run code for data analysis.
- Google cited the 30 million users who never understood the “LM” jargon as a key reason for the rebrand.
What Google Actually Changed
The short version is that NotebookLM got a new name, a new logo, and one new capability, and almost everything else stayed identical. In its official announcement, Google said it “remains a standalone product focused on being your premier research tool,” now doing more across the Google ecosystem. This is the product’s third name, having started life as Project Tailwind before becoming NotebookLM, and now Gemini Notebook.
The most important thing to understand is that this is a rebrand, not a discontinuation. Your existing notebooks did not move, your shared links keep working through automatic redirects, and browser extensions built for NotebookLM continue to function. The table below shows the full before-and-after at a glance.
| Aspect | Before (NotebookLM) | Now (Gemini Notebook) |
|---|---|---|
| Name | NotebookLM | Gemini Notebook |
| Logo | Old NotebookLM mark | Blue-purple Gemini gradient |
| Website URL | notebooklm.google.com | notebooklm.google.com (unchanged) |
| Existing notebooks | Yours | Same, carried over automatically |
| Shared links | Working | Working, auto-redirect |
| Free tier | Available | Unchanged |
| Audio & Video Overviews | Yes | Yes |
| Code execution | No | New secure cloud computer |
| Gemini app & Search links | Notebooks in Gemini (2026) | Deeper, with Search AI Mode planned |
If you use Gemini Notebook the way most people use it, for turning documents into summaries, Audio Overviews, and mind maps, your day-to-day workflow does not change at all. The rename is mostly cosmetic for existing users. The one exception is the new code feature, which we cover next.
The One New Feature: A Secure Cloud Computer in Every Notebook
The rename did not arrive empty-handed. Alongside the new brand, Google gave every notebook a secure cloud computer that can write and run code natively, letting Gemini Notebook perform complex data analysis grounded in your own sources. Instead of only summarizing your documents, the tool can now crunch numbers, build charts, and reason over data files inside the notebook itself.
This is the same kind of code-execution sandbox that power users have wanted for structured data. Upload a spreadsheet or dataset, and the notebook can analyze it directly rather than just describing what it contains. For research-heavy work, that turns Gemini Notebook from a reading assistant into something closer to a lightweight analyst.
Who Gets the Cloud Computer First
The code feature is rolling out in stages rather than to everyone at once. At launch it went live for Google AI Ultra subscribers and Workspace business customers with the right access tiers. Google says it will reach Google AI Pro users on the web “over the coming weeks.”
Google has not said the cloud computer is coming to the free tier, so treat it as a paid-tier capability for now. If you rely on Gemini Notebook’s free plan, your familiar features remain intact, but the new code execution is not part of that free experience at the time of writing. For a fuller breakdown of where the paid ceilings sit, see our look at Google’s Gemini 3.5 and its plans.
Gemini Notebook vs “Notebooks in Gemini”
Here is where most people get confused, so let us be precise. There are now two things with almost the same name, and they are not identical. Understanding the difference saves you from hunting for a feature in the wrong place.
The Standalone Gemini Notebook App
This is the full product, the one formerly called NotebookLM, living at its own address. It holds the complete feature set, including Video Overviews, Deep Research, Mind Maps, and now the secure cloud computer. If you want everything Gemini Notebook can do, this is where you go.
The “Notebooks” Section Inside the Gemini App
Earlier in 2026, the Gemini chat app gained a “Notebooks” section that lets you start a research project without leaving Gemini. It shares the same notebooks as the standalone app, syncing in both directions, so a notebook you begin in the Gemini app shows up in Gemini Notebook and the other way around. Some features, such as creating video overviews, still require the standalone app. Think of the in-Gemini section as a convenient entry point and the standalone Gemini Notebook as the full workshop.
Why Google Renamed NotebookLM
The old name carried a piece of engineering jargon that meant little to normal people. “LM” stands for language model, and Google decided that most of its 30 million users neither knew nor cared what that meant. Dropping it in favor of the Gemini brand makes the product instantly legible as part of Google’s AI family.
This is also a pattern, not a one-off. TechCrunch called it Google’s “renaming streak”, and it fits. The company has spent the past two years consolidating its AI products under the Gemini umbrella, first turning Bard into Gemini, then rebranding Duet AI in Workspace. Pulling NotebookLM into the same house was the logical next step. The blue-purple gradient logo now signals, at a glance, that this is a Gemini product.
Do You Need to Do Anything?
For almost everyone, the answer is no. You do not need to migrate, re-import, or re-share anything. Google handled the transition on its end, and the automatic redirects mean old bookmarks and shared notebook links keep resolving to the right place.
If you have shared a notebook link with colleagues or students, it still works, so there is no need to resend anything. If you use a browser extension built for NotebookLM, it keeps functioning, since the underlying site did not move. The only new thing to explore is the code feature, and only if you are on a paid plan that has received it. Beyond that, you can carry on exactly as before. If you are weighing which assistant fits which job, our guide on when to use which AI tool puts Gemini Notebook in context alongside the alternatives.
What This Means Going Forward
Gemini Notebook remains the best free way to turn your own documents into summaries, study aids, and Audio Overviews, and the rename does not take any of that away. What changes is the trajectory. By pulling the tool under the Gemini brand and wiring it into the Gemini app and, soon, Google Search’s AI Mode, Google is signaling that notebooks are becoming a core part of how you research across its products, not a side project.
For now, the practical takeaway is simple. Nothing you rely on has disappeared, the free tier is intact, and there is a powerful new code feature waiting for paid users. If you want the full background on how the tool works, our explainer on what NotebookLM is and how it works walks through the core features under their new name. And if you like the idea of running several AI models from one place, Fello AI brings the leading models together on your Mac so you can research, write, and create without juggling tabs.
FAQ
Is NotebookLM discontinued?
No. NotebookLM was not discontinued; it was renamed to Gemini Notebook on July 16, 2026. The website still works, shared links redirect automatically, and all your notebooks, Audio Overviews, and the free tier stay exactly as they were.
Is Gemini Notebook the same as NotebookLM?
Yes. Gemini Notebook is simply the new name for NotebookLM. It is the same standalone research tool with the same features, now under the Gemini brand and with a new blue-purple logo, plus one new code-execution feature.
Is Gemini Notebook still free?
Yes. The free tier continues unchanged after the rename. Paid Google AI Pro and AI Ultra plans also remain available, and the new secure cloud computer feature is rolling out to paid tiers first.
Will my notebooks and shared links still work?
Yes. Every existing notebook carries over automatically, and the address notebooklm.google.com still works. Shared links redirect on their own, so you do not need to resend anything to colleagues or students.
Why did Google rename NotebookLM?
The “LM” in NotebookLM stood for language model, jargon that meant little to most of its 30 million users. Google also wanted to consolidate the tool under its Gemini brand, the same move it made with Bard and Duet AI.
