notebooklm Skill (teng-lin) for Claude: What It Does and How to Install It

Lets Claude run Google NotebookLM (now Gemini Notebook) from the command line through the unofficial notebooklm-py tool.

Installs: 10K; on skills.sh
Stars: 20.1K; on GitHub
Updated: Nov 2026; last commit

The skill tells Claude how to install, sign in to and run the notebooklm CLI. Claude creates notebooks, adds sources (URLs, PDFs, YouTube, Drive), waits until they are ready, asks questions with citations, runs research, and generates and downloads audio, video, slide decks, reports, quizzes, flashcards, mind maps and data tables.

It needs Python 3.10 or later and the notebooklm-py package, and you sign in with your Google account. The README says notebooklm-py is an unofficial library that uses undocumented Google APIs, which can change without notice. Google is not affiliated with it.

Good for

Researchers who want an agent to load sources and ask cited questions
People who generate podcasts, slide decks, quizzes or flashcards from documents
Developers who script NotebookLM from the shell or Python
Claude Code and Codex users who want NotebookLM as a research backend

Install notebooklm

Claude Code

Copy this prompt.

Install the notebooklm skill in Claude Code. Run this command:

uv tool install "notebooklm-py[browser]"

Then check that it loaded and tell me how to use it.

2
Paste it into Claude Code. It shows the change and asks before running it.

Requires Python 3.10 or later, uv (or pipx).

The skill does nothing without the notebooklm CLI, so install the package first. notebooklm skill install copies the skill into ~/.claude/skills/notebooklm and ~/.agents/skills/notebooklm. The first notebooklm login downloads Chromium (about 170 MB) and opens a Google sign-in. Prefer a dedicated Google account, as the skill advises for headless token use.

From the project README. Source.

What's in the skill

When it loads

Install, authenticate, troubleshoot, and operate Gemini Notebook through the notebooklm-py CLI or typed async Python API. Use for notebook and source management, grounded chat and research, and artifact generation or download when the user mentions Gemini Notebook, notebooklm-py, the notebooklm CLI, or its Python API. Do not use for the generic Gemini API or unrelated content creation.

Sections in SKILL.md

Setup and Authentication
Operating Invariants
Authorization Boundaries
Command Discovery
Canonical Source-to-Artifact Workflow
Deep Research
Python API Baseline
Generation Notes
Output and Citations
Failure Handling
Skill Installation

Key facts

Author: teng-lin (repo owner of notebooklm-py), an independent project; the README says it is not affiliated with Google
License: MIT
Installs on skills.sh: 10,037 (Nov 2, 2026)
GitHub stars: 20,056 for the notebooklm-py repo (Nov 2, 2026)
Last repo commit: Nov 1, 2026
What it includes: SKILL.md sits at the repo root, next to the notebooklm-py package source and docs
Needs: Python 3.10 or later, the notebooklm-py package, and a Google account
Works in: Claude Code and Codex via local skill install, per the README

What it includes

Install the package and verify sign-in
Installs notebooklm-py with pip, uv or pipx, signs in with notebooklm login, and checks it with notebooklm auth check --test --json.
Runs code · Setup and authentication
Rules for IDs, waits and concurrency
Use --json, keep full UUIDs, pass -n on every notebook command, run source wait before chat, and download the exact artifact by ID.
Read · Operating invariants
When Claude must ask before acting
Lists actions needing confirmation: deletions, ask --new, language set, generation, downloads, research import and note creation.
Read · Authorization boundaries
create, list, source add, source wait
Creates notebooks and adds sources, then waits for each to be ready.
Try: “Create a notebook called "Research: solar", add these 5 URLs, and wait for them.”
Network · Notebooks and sources
ask returns an answer with references
Runs notebooklm ask with --json. The reply includes the answer, a conversation ID and source references.
Try: “Ask my notebook what the key arguments are across all sources.”
Network · Chat with citations
source add-research in fast or deep mode
Deep research can take 15 to 30 minutes or more. Import only after you authorize it.
Try: “Run deep research on this topic and import the sources when I say so.”
Network · Deep research
audio, video, slide-deck, infographic, report and more
Nine generators: audio, video, slide-deck, infographic, report, mind-map, data-table, quiz and flashcards. Video in the cinematic format needs Google AI Ultra.
Try: “Make a podcast from these sources focused on the key arguments.”
Write · Generate artifacts
Saves a finished artifact to a local file
Downloads the exact artifact by ID to a path you choose.
Write · Download
Typed async NotebookLMClient
Used only when you ask for application code or the CLI cannot do the job.
Runs code · Python API baseline
Read-only diagnosis first
Checks auth, lists notebooks, sources and artifacts, and reads exit codes before any retry.
Read · Failure handling
notebooklm skill install, package and status
Installs or updates the local skill, builds an uploadable archive, or reports installed versions.
Files · Skill install commands

From the official docs

Permissions

High risk

This skill drives your Google account through an unofficial tool, and it stores sign-in credentials on disk and can delete notebooks. Use a dedicated Google account, keep the auth files private, and approve destructive commands yourself.

What it can do

Read your data
Create and change things
Delete things
Read-only mode

Watch out for

Stores Google account credentials on disk
SKILL.md says the auth files (storage_state.json with Google cookies, or master_token.json) are bearer credentials, and a master token is a durable full-account credential that survives password changes. The login can also copy cookies from a browser you are already signed in to (login --browser-cookies). Use a dedicated Google account, keep the file at mode 0600 and revoke it if exposed. github.com
It can delete notebooks and sources
Deletion, sharing removal, logout, clear, research cancellation and ask --new need your confirmation. SKILL.md notes that some JSON commands, including ask --new --json and share remove --json, run without prompting, so do not treat a missing prompt as consent. github.com
It installs software for you
SKILL.md runs pip install "notebooklm-py[browser]" and optional extras, and the README quick start installs a Chromium build of about 170 MB at first login. Install into an isolated tool environment as the README suggests. github.com
Unofficial, undocumented Google APIs
The README says the library can break without notice and heavy use may be throttled. Treat it as suitable for prototypes, research and personal projects, as the README puts it. github.com
Your documents go to Google
Sources you add and questions you ask are processed by NotebookLM under your Google account. Do not add material you cannot share with Google. github.com

Security advisories

No published security advisories as of Nov 2, 2026.

Technical details

Turning on read-only	Diagnosis commands are read-only, and auth check --test --passive avoids refreshing cookies. There is no global read-only switch.
Talks to	Google NotebookLM (Gemini Notebook) services, through undocumented endpoints. PyPI and the Playwright Chromium download during install
Sign-in and keys	Google cookies or a master token are stored under ~/.notebooklm/profiles/<profile>/ by default (storage_state.json or master_token.json). NOTEBOOKLM_HOME and NOTEBOOKLM_PROFILE change the location.
Scopes	Installs a Python package and may download Chromium for browser sign-in Signs in to your Google account and stores auth files on disk Can create, change and delete notebooks, sources, notes and artifacts Writes downloaded artifacts to local files

Questions

What does the notebooklm skill do?

It teaches Claude to operate Google NotebookLM (renamed Gemini Notebook) through the notebooklm CLI. Claude can manage notebooks and sources, ask grounded questions, run research and generate and download artifacts.

How do I install it?

Use the install box at the top of this page. Install the notebooklm-py package first, then add the skill. The package needs Python 3.10 or later.

Is it an official Google tool?

No. The README says it is an unofficial library that uses undocumented Google APIs and is not affiliated with Google. The APIs can change without notice and heavy use may be rate limited.

Does it work in the Claude app?

This skill runs the notebooklm command and Python, so it needs a machine where those are installed, such as Claude Code or Codex. It is not a fit for a ZIP upload to the Claude app.

Does it need an API key?

It needs a Google sign-in, not an API key. You log in with notebooklm login in a browser, or use browser cookies or a master token for headless use. SKILL.md calls these auth files bearer credentials and says never to print, log or commit them.

What is a master token?

It is a durable full-account credential created by notebooklm login --master-token. SKILL.md says it survives password changes, so use a dedicated account, keep the file at mode 0600, and revoke it if exposed.

Is it safe?

It runs shell commands and a Python package on your machine, signs in to your Google account, and can delete notebooks and sources. SKILL.md tells Claude to confirm destructive actions, language changes, generation, downloads and imports unless you already authorized them. Use a dedicated Google account for automation.

Can it generate podcasts?

Yes. The audio generator creates an Audio Overview and the download command saves it, for example as an .m4a file. SKILL.md says generation can take minutes and may be rate limited by Google.

Information

updated Nov 2, 2026

Repository: teng-lin/notebooklm-py

teng-lin/notebooklm-py skills.sh

Sources

Docs, issue trackers and discussions this page is built from.

Show all 2

notebooklm SKILL.md · github.com
notebooklm-py README · github.com