FAQ
Common questions.
What is Notebook OS?
Notebook OS is a free Chrome extension that adds a persistent side panel and workflow layer on top of Gemini Notebook. It gives you Studio Recipes (turn chat into artifacts automatically), Capture Spoken Thoughts (record audio as a source), Academic Search (find papers without leaving your notebook), and more — all without replacing anything Gemini Notebook already does well.
Is it really free?
Yes. Most of Notebook OS is free with no limits — Note Studio, Studio Recipes (all 9 artifact types), the YouTube tools, the Prompt Library, custom recipes, folders & tags, and more. A few features are free up to a monthly limit: YouTube Search, Academic Search, Concept Map, Capture Spoken Thoughts, and Web Snip. Pro removes those limits and unlocks Pro-only tools like Premium Deck View, Artifact Shelf, Library Map, and Library Hygiene. No core feature will ever be paywalled.
Do I need a Gemini Notebook account?
Yes — Notebook OS works with your existing Gemini Notebook account. It reads your notebooks via the Gemini Notebook interface in Chrome. There's no separate Notebook OS login or account.
Can Notebook OS bypass Gemini Notebook account limits?
No. Notebook OS cannot bypass, raise, or unlock limits on your Gemini Notebook account. Studio Recipes and other workflow tools still rely on Gemini Notebook's native generators, so Gemini Notebook limits and availability still apply: slide deck counts, video previews, artifact generation quotas, source limits, rate limits, plan restrictions, and any temporary errors from Gemini Notebook. If Gemini Notebook blocks or delays an artifact (due to quota limit), Notebook OS has to respect that.
Does it send my notebook data anywhere?
No. Notebook OS reads the Gemini Notebook page to enable its features — for example, reading your chat to write a Studio Recipe prompt. It does not transmit your notebook content to any external server. Everything runs locally in your browser. Your data goes only between your browser and Google's Gemini Notebook.
How is this different from other Gemini Notebook extensions?
Other Gemini Notebook extensions focus on organizing your inputs — library management, bulk source import, tag systems. Notebook OS focuses on your outputs and workflows — Studio Recipes, Capture Spoken Thoughts, Web Snip, and Academic Search are unique to Notebook OS. The persistent side panel that works on any Chrome page (not just Gemini Notebook) is also unique.
What exactly are Studio Recipes?
Studio Recipes are one-click workflows that turn a Gemini Notebook conversation into a structured artifact. You pick a type (Report, Slides, Flashcards, etc.), Notebook OS reads your chat and notebook sources, writes a customized prompt, and automatically triggers Gemini Notebook's native artifact generator. The result appears in Gemini Notebook's Studio panel as if you had written the perfect prompt yourself.
What is Premium Deck View, and is it really watermark-free?
Premium Deck View is a full-screen presentation mode for the slide decks Gemini Notebook generates. When a deck is on screen, a floating “Present” button appears (or press P) and Notebook OS opens a dark, distraction-free stage you drive entirely from the keyboard — ← → Space to move, F for fullscreen, Esc to exit. While you present, it also hides the small “Gemini Notebook” watermark in the corner of each slide, so the stage is clean enough to screen-share, record, or project. The clean-up is purely visual and only happens inside Premium Deck View — it never modifies or re-uploads Google’s files, and if you download the deck the original watermark is still there. Premium Deck View is a Pro feature.
Does Capture Spoken Thoughts transcribe my audio?
No — and that's by design. Notebook OS uploads the raw audio file directly to Gemini Notebook as a source. Gemini Notebook's own AI (powered by Gemini) handles the transcription natively — and it does a remarkable job. Gemini's accuracy holds up even for technical vocabulary and domain-specific terms. It also handles mixed-language recordings exceptionally well: if you switch between English and Vietnamese, or English and any other language mid-session, Gemini Notebook typically follows along without losing context. Your audio never touches a third-party transcription service.
What if Gemini Notebook updates its interface?
Notebook OS tracks Gemini Notebook's DOM structure and updates when Google changes the interface. Enable auto-update in Chrome's extension settings (chrome://extensions) to stay current. If something breaks between updates, submit a bug report and we patch it quickly.
Does it work on Microsoft Edge, Brave, or other Chromium-based browsers?
Yes. Notebook OS is a standard Chrome Manifest V3 extension and works on any Chromium-based browser that supports Chrome extensions — including Microsoft Edge, Brave, Vivaldi, Arc, and Opera. Install it directly from the Chrome Web Store in any of these browsers.
Does it work on mobile?
No. Notebook OS uses browser extension APIs that are desktop-only. It requires Chrome or Firefox on macOS, Windows, or Linux. Mobile browsers do not support extensions.