NotebookLM CLI & MCP Expert

This skill provides comprehensive guidance for using NotebookLM via both the nlm CLI and MCP tools.

Tool Detection (CRITICAL - Read First!)

ALWAYS check which tools are available before proceeding:

Check for MCP tools: Look for tools starting with mcp__notebooklm-mcp__ or mcp_notebooklm_
If BOTH MCP tools AND CLI are available: ASK the user which they prefer to use before proceeding
If only MCP tools are available: Use them directly (refer to tool docstrings for parameters)
If only CLI is available: Use nlm CLI commands via Bash

Decision Logic:

has_mcp_tools = check_available_tools()  # Look for mcp__notebooklm-mcp__* or mcp_notebooklm_*
has_cli = check_bash_available()  # Can run nlm commands

if has_mcp_tools and has_cli:
    # ASK USER: "I can use either MCP tools or the nlm CLI. Which do you prefer?"
    user_preference = ask_user()
else if has_mcp_tools:
    # Use MCP tools directly
    mcp__notebooklm-mcp__notebook_list()
else:
    # Use CLI via Bash
    bash("nlm notebook list")

This skill documents BOTH approaches. Choose the appropriate one based on tool availability and user preference.

Quick Reference

Run nlm --ai to get comprehensive AI-optimized documentation - this provides a complete view of all CLI capabilities.

nlm --help              # List all commands
nlm <command> --help    # Help for specific command
nlm --ai                # Full AI-optimized documentation (RECOMMENDED)
nlm --version           # Check installed version

Critical Rules (Read First!)

Always authenticate first: Run nlm login before any operations
Sessions expire in ~20 minutes: Re-run nlm login if commands start failing
⚠️ ALWAYS ASK USER BEFORE DELETE: Before executing ANY delete command, ask the user for explicit confirmation. Deletions are irreversible. Show what will be deleted and warn about permanent data loss.
--confirm is REQUIRED: All generation and delete commands need --confirm or -y (CLI) or confirm=True (MCP)
Research requires --notebook-id: The flag is mandatory, not positional
Capture IDs from output: Create/start commands return IDs needed for subsequent operations
Use aliases: Simplify long UUIDs with nlm alias set
Check aliases before creating: Run nlm alias list before creating a new alias to avoid conflicts with existing names.
DO NOT launch REPL: Never use nlm chat start - it opens an interactive REPL that AI tools cannot control. Use nlm notebook query for one-shot Q&A instead.
Choose output format wisely: Default output (no flags) is compact and token-efficient—use it for status checks. Use --quiet to capture IDs for piping. Only use --json when you need to parse specific fields programmatically.
Use --help when unsure: Run nlm --help to see available options and flags for any command.

Workflow Decision Tree

Use this to determine the right sequence of commands:

User wants to...
│
├─► Work with NotebookLM for the first time
│   └─► nlm login → nlm notebook create "Title"
│
├─► Add content to a notebook
│   ├─► From a URL/webpage → nlm source add <nb-id> --url "https://..."
│   ├─► From YouTube → nlm source add <nb-id> --url "https://youtube.com/..."
│   ├─► From pasted text → nlm source add <nb-id> --text "content" --title "Title"
│   ├─► From Google Drive → nlm source add <nb-id> --drive <doc-id> --type doc
│   └─► Discover new sources → nlm research start "query" --notebook-id <nb-id>
│
├─► Generate content from sources
│   ├─► Podcast/Audio → nlm audio create <nb-id> --confirm
│   ├─► Written summary → nlm report create <nb-id> --confirm
│   ├─► Study materials → nlm quiz/flashcards create <nb-id> --confirm
│   ├─► Visual content → nlm mindmap/slides/infographic create <nb-id> --confirm
│   ├─► Video → nlm video create <nb-id> --confirm
│   └─► Extract data → nlm data-table create <nb-id> "description" --confirm
│
├─► Ask questions about sources
│   └─► nlm notebook query <nb-id> "question"
│       (Use --conversation-id for follow-ups)
│       ⚠️ Do NOT use `nlm chat start` - it's a REPL for humans only
│
├─► Check generation status
│   └─► nlm studio status <nb-id>
│
└─► Manage/cleanup
    ├─► List notebooks → nlm notebook list
    ├─► List sources → nlm source list <nb-id>
    ├─► Delete source → nlm source delete <source-id> --confirm
    └─► Delete notebook → nlm notebook delete <nb-id> --confirm

Command Categories

1. Authentication

MCP Authentication

If using MCP tools and encountering authentication errors:

# Run the CLI authentication (works for both CLI and MCP)
nlm login

# Then reload tokens in MCP
mcp__notebooklm-mcp__refresh_auth()

Or manually save cookies via MCP (fallback):

# Extract cookies from Chrome DevTools and save
mcp__notebooklm-mcp__save_auth_tokens(cookies="<cookie_header>")


#### CLI Authentication

nlm login # Launch browser, extract cookies (primary method)

nlm login --check # Validate current session

nlm login --profile work # Use named profile for multiple accounts

nlm login --provider openclaw --cdp-url http://127.0.0.1:18800 # External CDP provider

nlm login switch # Switch the default profile

nlm login profile list # List all profiles with email addresses

nlm login profile delete # Delete a profile

nlm login profile rename # Rename a profile


**Multi-Profile Support**: Each profile gets its own isolated browser session (supports Chrome, Arc, Brave, Edge, Chromium, and more), so you can be logged into multiple Google accounts simultaneously.

**Session lifetime**: ~20 minutes. Re-authenticate when commands fail with auth errors.

**Switching MCP Accounts**: The MCP server always uses the active default profile. If you need to switch which Google account the MCP server is communicating with, you MUST use the CLI: run `nlm login switch <name>`. Your next MCP tool call will instantly use the new account.

**Note**: Both MCP and CLI share the same authentication backend, so authenticating with one works for both.

### 2. Notebook Management

#### MCP Tools

Use tools: `notebook_list`, `notebook_create`, `notebook_get`, `notebook_describe`, `notebook_query`, `notebook_rename`, `notebook_delete`. All accept `notebook_id` parameter. Delete requires `confirm=True`.

#### CLI Commands

nlm notebook list # List all notebooks

nlm notebook list --json # JSON output for parsing

nlm notebook list --quiet # IDs only (for scripting)

nlm notebook create "Title" # Create notebook, returns ID

nlm notebook get # Get notebook details

nlm notebook describe # AI-generated summary + suggested topics

nlm notebook query "question" # One-shot Q&A with sources

nlm notebook rename "New Title" # Rename notebook

nlm notebook delete --confirm # PERMANENT deletion


### 3. Source Management

#### MCP Tools

Use `source_add` with these `source_type` values:
- `url` - Web page or YouTube URL (`url` param)
- `text` - Pasted content (`text` + `title` params)
- `file` - Local file upload (`file_path` param)
- `drive` - Google Drive doc (`document_id` + `doc_type` params)

Other tools: `source_list_drive`, `source_describe`, `source_get_content`, `source_rename`, `source_sync_drive` (requires `confirm=True`), `source_delete` (requires `confirm=True`).

#### CLI Commands

Adding sources

nlm source add --url "https://..." # Web page

nlm source add --url "https://youtube.com/..." # YouTube video

nlm source add --text "content" --title "X" # Pasted text

nlm source add --drive # Drive doc (auto-detect type)

nlm source add --drive --type slides # Explicit type

Listing and viewing

nlm source list # Table of sources

nlm source list --drive # Show Drive sources with freshness

nlm source list --drive -S # Skip freshness checks (faster)

nlm source get # Source metadata

nlm source describe # AI summary + keywords

nlm source content # Raw text content

nlm source content -o file.txt # Export to file

Drive sync (for stale sources)

nlm source stale # List outdated Drive sources

nlm source sync --confirm # Sync all stale sources

nlm source sync --source-ids --confirm # Sync specific

Rename

nlm source rename "New Title" --notebook

nlm rename source "New Title" --notebook # verb-first

Deletion

nlm source delete --confirm


**Drive types**: `doc`, `slides`, `sheets`, `pdf`

### 4. Research (Source Discovery)

Research finds NEW sources from the web or Google Drive.

#### MCP Tools

Use `research_start` with:
- `source`: `web` or `drive`
- `mode`: `fast` (~30s) or `deep` (~5min, web only)

Workflow: `research_start` → poll `research_status` → `research_import`

#### CLI Commands

Start research (--notebook-id is REQUIRED)

nlm research start "query" --notebook-id # Fast web (~30s)

nlm research start "query" --notebook-id --mode deep # Deep web (~5min)

nlm research start "query" --notebook-id --source drive # Drive search

Check progress

nlm research status # Poll until done (5min max)

nlm research status --max-wait 0 # Single check, no waiting

nlm research status --task-id # Check specific task

nlm research status --full # Full details

Import discovered sources

nlm research import # Import all

nlm research import --indices 0,2,5 # Import specific


**Modes**: `fast` (~30s, ~10 sources) | `deep` (~5min, ~40+ sources, web only)

### 5. Content Generation (Studio)

#### MCP Tools (Unified Creation)

Use `studio_create` with `artifact_type` and type-specific options. All require `confirm=True`.

| artifact_type | Key Options |
|--------------|-------------|
| `audio` | `audio_format`: deep_dive/brief/critique/debate, `audio_length`: short/default/long |
| `video` | `video_format`: explainer/brief, `visual_style`: auto_select/classic/whiteboard/kawaii/anime/watercolor/retro_print/heritage/paper_craft |
| `report` | `report_format`: Briefing Doc/Study Guide/Blog Post/Create Your Own, `custom_prompt` |
| `quiz` | `question_count`, `difficulty`: easy/medium/hard |
| `flashcards` | `difficulty`: easy/medium/hard |
| `mind_map` | `title` |
| `slide_deck` | `slide_format`: detailed_deck/presenter_slides, `slide_length`: short/default |
| `infographic` | `orientation`: landscape/portrait/square, `detail_level`: concise/standard/detailed, `infographic_style`: auto_select/sketch_note/professional/bento_grid/editorial/instructional/bricks/clay/anime/kawaii/scientific |
| `data_table` | `description` (REQUIRED) |

**Common options**: `source_ids`, `language` (BCP-47 code), `focus_prompt`

**Revise Slides:** Use `studio_revise` to revise individual slides in an existing slide deck.
- Requires `artifact_id` (from `studio_status`) and `slide_instructions`
- Creates a NEW artifact — the original is not modified
- Slide numbers are 1-based (slide 1 = first slide)
- Poll `studio_status` after calling to check when the new deck is ready

#### CLI Commands

All generation commands share these flags:
- `--confirm` or `-y`: **REQUIRED** to execute
- `--source-ids <id1,id2>`: Limit to specific sources
- `--language <code>`: BCP-47 code (en, es, fr, de, ja)

Audio (Podcast)

nlm audio create --confirm

nlm audio create --format deep_dive --length default --confirm

nlm audio create --format brief --focus "key topic" --confirm

Formats: deep_dive, brief, critique, debate

Lengths: short, default, long

Report

nlm report create --confirm

nlm report create --format "Study Guide" --confirm

nlm report create --format "Create Your Own" --prompt "Custom..." --confirm

Formats: "Briefing Doc", "Study Guide", "Blog Post", "Create Your Own"

Quiz

nlm quiz create --confirm

nlm quiz create --count 5 --difficulty 3 --confirm

nlm quiz create --count 10 --difficulty 3 --focus "Focus on key concepts" --confirm

Count: number of questions (default: 2)

Difficulty: 1-5 (1=easy, 5=hard)

Focus: optional text to guide quiz generation

Flashcards

nlm flashcards create --confirm

nlm flashcards create --difficulty hard --confirm

nlm flashcards create --difficulty medium --focus "Focus on definitions" --confirm

Difficulty: easy, medium, hard

Focus: optional text to guide flashcard generation

Mind Map

nlm mindmap create --confirm

nlm mindmap create --title "Topic Overview" --confirm

nlm mindmap list # List existing mind maps

Slides

nlm slides create --confirm

nlm slides create --format presenter --length short --confirm

Formats: detailed, presenter | Lengths: short, default

nlm slides revise --slide '1 Make the title larger' --confirm

Creates a NEW deck with revisions. Original unchanged.

Infographic

nlm infographic create --confirm

nlm infographic create --orientation portrait --detail detailed --style professional --confirm

Orientations: landscape, portrait, square

Detail: concise, standard, detailed

Styles: auto_select, sketch_note, professional, bento_grid, editorial, instructional, bricks, clay, anime, kawaii, scientific

Video

nlm video create --confirm

nlm video create --format brief --style whiteboard --confirm

Formats: explainer, brief

Styles: auto_select, classic, whiteboard, kawaii, anime, watercolor, retro_print, heritage, paper_craft

Data Table

nlm data-table create "Extract all dates and events" --confirm

DESCRIPTION is required as second argument


### 6. Studio (Artifact Management)

#### MCP Tools

Use `studio_status` to check progress (or rename with `action="rename"`). Use `download_artifact` with `artifact_type` and `output_path`. Use `export_artifact` with `export_type`: docs/sheets. Delete with `studio_delete` (requires `confirm=True`).

#### CLI Commands

Check status

nlm studio status # List all artifacts

nlm studio status --full # Show full details (including custom prompts)

nlm studio status --json # JSON output

Download artifacts

nlm download audio --output podcast.mp3

nlm download video --output video.mp4

nlm download report --output report.md

nlm download slide-deck --output slides.pdf # PDF (default)

nlm download slide-deck --output slides.pptx --format pptx # PPTX

nlm download quiz --output quiz.json --format json

Export to Google Docs/Sheets

nlm export sheets --title "My Data Table"

nlm export docs --title "My Report"

Delete artifact

nlm studio delete --confirm


**Status values**: `completed` (✓), `in_progress` (●), `failed` (✗)

**Prompt Extraction**: The `studio_status` tool returns a `custom_instructions` field for each artifact. This contains the original focus prompt or custom instructions used to generate that artifact (e.g., the prompt for a "Create Your Own" report, or the focus topic for an Audio Overview). This is useful for retrieving the exact prompt that generated a successful artifact.

### Renaming Resources

#### Rename a Source

**MCP Tool:** `source_rename(notebook_id, source_id, new_title)`

**CLI:**

nlm source rename "New Title" --notebook

nlm rename source "New Title" --notebook # verb-first


#### Rename a Studio Artifact

#### MCP Tools

Use `studio_status` with `action="rename"`, `artifact_id`, and `new_title`.

#### CLI Commands

nlm studio rename "New Title"

nlm rename studio "New Title" # verb-first alternative


### Server Info (Version Check)

#### MCP Tools

Use `server_info` to get version and check for updates:

mcp__notebooklm-mcp__server_info()

Returns: version, latest_version, update_available, update_command


#### CLI Commands

nlm --version # Shows version and update availability


### 7. Chat Configuration and Notes

#### MCP Tools

Use `chat_configure` with `goal`: default/learning_guide/custom. Use `note` with `action`: create/list/update/delete. Delete requires `confirm=True`.

#### CLI Commands

> ⚠️ **AI TOOLS: DO NOT USE `nlm chat start`** - It launches an interactive REPL that cannot be controlled programmatically. Use `nlm notebook query` for one-shot Q&A instead.

For human users at a terminal:

nlm chat start # Launch interactive REPL


**REPL Commands**:
- `/sources` - List available sources
- `/clear` - Reset conversation context
- `/help` - Show commands
- `/exit` - Exit REPL

**Configure chat behavior** (works for both REPL and query):

nlm chat configure --goal default

nlm chat configure --goal learning_guide

nlm chat configure --goal custom --prompt "Act as a tutor..."

nlm chat configure --response-length longer # longer, default, shorter


**Notes management**:

nlm note create "Content" --title "Title"

nlm note list

nlm note update --content "New content"

nlm note delete --confirm


### 8. Notebook Sharing

#### MCP Tools

Use `notebook_share_status` to check, `notebook_share_public` to enable/disable public link, `notebook_share_invite` with `email` and `role`: viewer/editor.

#### CLI Commands

Check sharing status

nlm share status

Enable/disable public link

nlm share public # Enable

nlm share public --off # Disable

Invite collaborator

nlm share invite user@example.com

nlm share invite user@example.com --role editor


### 9. Aliases (UUID Shortcuts)

Simplify long UUIDs:

nlm alias set myproject abc123-def456... # Create alias (auto-detects type)

nlm alias get myproject # Resolve to UUID

nlm alias list # List all aliases

nlm alias delete myproject # Remove alias

Use aliases anywhere

nlm notebook get myproject

nlm source list myproject

nlm audio create myproject --confirm


### 10. Configuration

CLI-only commands for managing settings:

nlm config show # Show current config

nlm config get # Get specific setting

nlm config set # Update setting

nlm config set output.format json # Change default output

For switching profiles, prefer the simpler command:

nlm login switch work # Switch default profile


**Available Settings:**

| Key | Default | Description |
|-----|---------|-------------|
| `output.format` | `table` | Default output format (table, json) |
| `output.color` | `true` | Enable colored output |
| `output.short_ids` | `true` | Show shortened IDs |
| `auth.browser` | `auto` | Preferred browser for login (auto, chrome, arc, brave, edge, chromium, vivaldi, opera) |
| `auth.default_profile` | `default` | Profile to use when `--profile` not specified |

### 11. Skill Management

Manage the NotebookLM skill installation for various AI assistants:

nlm skill list # Show installation status

nlm skill update # Update all outdated skills

nlm skill update # Update specific skill (e.g., claude-code)

nlm skill install # Install skill

nlm skill uninstall # Uninstall skill


**Verb-first aliases**: `nlm update skill`, `nlm list skills`, `nlm install skill`

## Output Formats

Most list commands support multiple formats:

| Flag | Description |
|------|-------------|
| (none) | Rich table (human-readable) |
| `--json` | JSON output (for parsing) |
| `--quiet` | IDs only (for piping) |
| `--title` | "ID: Title" format |
| `--url` | "ID: URL" format (sources only) |
| `--full` | All columns/details |

## Common Patterns

### Pattern 1: Research → Podcast Pipeline

nlm notebook create "AI Research 2026" # Capture ID

nlm alias set ai

nlm research start "agentic AI trends" --notebook-id ai --mode deep

nlm research status ai --max-wait 300 # Wait up to 5 min

nlm research import ai # Import all sources

nlm audio create ai --format deep_dive --confirm

nlm studio status ai # Check generation progress


### Pattern 2: Quick Content Ingestion

nlm source add --url "https://example1.com"

nlm source add --url "https://example2.com"

nlm source add --text "My notes..." --title "Notes"

nlm source list


### Pattern 3: Study Materials Generation