Google NotebookLM is expanding the ways users can turn research material into something easier to review. Its newest addition is a TikTok-style video format that condenses uploaded sources into a 60-second vertical clip.
The feature is beginning with Google AI Ultra and Pro subscribers. For now, it works in English only, and Google says support for free users is coming “soon.”
What NotebookLM is adding
The new format gives NotebookLM another output for people who already use the app to work through notes, documents, and other uploaded sources. Instead of only reading or listening, users can now ask the product to make a short video based on the material in a notebook.
Each clip runs 60 seconds and is built vertically, matching the structure people associate with short-form mobile video. The result combines AI-generated images with narration, so the source material is presented as a compact visual explanation rather than a written summary.
The core idea is simple: NotebookLM takes the sources a user has uploaded and packages a selected topic into a fast video recap. That gives the product a more casual, glanceable way to revisit research without replacing the source material itself.
How the short video tool works
Google’s process starts inside NotebookLM, either on the web or in the app. A user selects a notebook, then goes to the Studio column on the right side of the screen.
From there, the user chooses "Video," selects "Short," and then picks the topic NotebookLM should focus on. The topic can come from NotebookLM’s options, or the user can enter one directly. The last step is to hit "Generate."
That workflow matters because it keeps the short video tied to a specific notebook and a specific topic. NotebookLM is not being described as making a general video from the open web. The feature is framed around the sources the user has already uploaded to the app.
Where it fits in NotebookLM
The 60-second clip is not NotebookLM’s first attempt to transform research into another format. The app already includes other ways to interact with uploaded material, including AI podcasts, cinematic videos, and visual explainers.
The short clip format adds a different rhythm. AI podcasts lean on audio, cinematic videos suggest a more expansive video treatment, and visual explainers focus on making material easier to understand visually. A 60-second vertical clip is more compressed and more direct.
That makes the new feature useful as a fast overview format. It can help a user get oriented around a topic in a notebook before deciding whether to read deeper, listen to another generated format, or return to the original sources.
Google’s example shows the intended style
Google shared an example built around Australia’s unsuccessful war on emus. The clip pairs narration with paper cutout-style AI art of emus, showing how NotebookLM can turn source material into a short illustrated explanation.
The example is also a useful signal of what the feature is trying to do. It is not just a text summary placed on a screen. The format uses generated visuals and spoken narration to make the subject feel closer to a short explainer video.
Because the videos are generated from uploaded sources, the quality of the result will logically depend on the material available in the notebook and the topic the user asks NotebookLM to focus on. The source does not describe customization controls beyond choosing or entering the topic, selecting "Short," and generating the clip.
Who can use it now
The rollout starts with Google AI Ultra and Pro subscribers. Free users are not included at launch, though Google says their access is coming “soon.”
Language support is also limited at the start. The feature is rolling out in English only for now, so users working in other languages will need to wait for broader support if they want the same video-summary workflow.
For current eligible users, the feature gives NotebookLM a more social-video-shaped way to summarize research. It keeps the focus on sources, but changes the output into a short, narrated vertical video that can be watched quickly.