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Gemini Notebook Connected App: How to Use in Chats

Step-by-step guide to using Gemini Notebook as a Connected App in the Gemini app to create, edit, and query notebooks from chats.

October 26, 2026 Yum News

Gemini Notebook is now a Connected App inside the Gemini app. You can create notebooks, add sources, list contents, and pull answers from your notes without leaving a chat.

This guide shows exactly how to start, what prompts work, and how to control the feature. It draws from the official Google Workspace Updates announcement dated October 23, 2026.

What the Connected App Does

The integration works like other Connected Apps such as Gmail or Google Photos. Type @Gemini Notebook or let Gemini detect when the tool fits your request. It handles these actions:

Create, edit, or delete a notebook.
Add, update, or remove sources.
List notebooks and their sources.
Answer questions using the content in your notebooks.

Gemini can also act automatically on relevant prompts. You stay in one conversation instead of switching apps.

Person holding smartphone with AI apps including Gemini

Who Can Use It

The feature is available now to:

Users with personal Google accounts.
Google Workspace Individual subscribers.
All Google Workspace customers (work and school).

It is on by default outside the European Economic Area. Inside the EEA it starts off. Admins control access through Gemini and Gemini Notebook settings in the Admin console. Only users in groups or organizational units where both services are on can use the Connected App.

How to Turn It On or Off

Open the Gemini app or go to gemini.google.com.

Tap your profile avatar or the gear icon to open Settings.
Select Connected Apps.
Find Gemini Notebook and toggle it on or off.

If you are in the EEA, you must turn it on yourself. Outside the EEA you can turn it off at any time. Changes apply immediately to new chats.

Step-by-Step: Create and Use a Notebook from Chat

Start a new chat in the Gemini app.

Type a request that includes @Gemini Notebook or simply describe what you need. Gemini often chooses the tool on its own.
Example prompt: “Create a Gemini Notebook about solar farm market trends.”
Gemini creates the notebook and confirms the name.
Continue in the same chat: “Add a copy of this chat to my notebook about Bio 101 course.”
Ask a question: “What do my Gemini Notebooks say about butterfly migration?”
List contents: “Show me a list of all the sources in my notebook about US National Parks.”

Gemini replies with the notebook link or the requested information. You can open the notebook later from the side panel or the Gemini Notebook app for deeper work such as generating slides or videos.

Smartphone screen showing an AI assistant interface

Practical Prompts That Work

Keep prompts direct and specific:

“@Gemini Notebook create a notebook called Project Alpha and add this conversation as a source.”
“Update the sources in my research notebook by adding the latest link I shared.”
“Delete the notebook named Draft Ideas.”
“Answer this question using only the sources in my marketing notebook.”

If Gemini does not invoke the tool, add @Gemini Notebook at the start. You can also ask it to confirm which notebooks it can see before you proceed.

Tips for Better Results

Name notebooks clearly so you can reference them later. Keep source lists focused; too many unrelated files reduce answer quality. Use the Connected App for quick capture during research, then switch to the full Gemini Notebook interface for Studio outputs such as slide decks or audio overviews. Related guide: How to shape your slides and videos with Gemini Notebook.

Check the Data & privacy section in Settings if you want to review what activity is stored. Personal accounts and Workspace accounts both follow the same toggle controls for the Connected App.

Common Issues and Fixes

The Connected App does not appear in Settings. Confirm your account type supports it and that both Gemini and Gemini Notebook are enabled for your organizational unit if you use Workspace. Wait a few minutes after an admin change, then refresh the app.

Gemini ignores the @ mention. Make sure you are in a standard chat (not Task mode) and that the toggle is on. Try a shorter prompt first.

Answers lack notebook context. Explicitly name the notebook and ask Gemini to list its sources before the main question. This forces a fresh retrieval.

Conclusion

The Gemini Notebook Connected App removes the extra steps between chatting and organizing research. You create, update, and query notebooks with natural language while staying in the Gemini app. Turn the feature on in Settings, start with a clear @Gemini Notebook prompt, and refine as you go. The official announcement confirms availability for personal and Workspace users, with admin controls for organizations.