NotebookLM not working today: fixes for limits, sources and access

If NotebookLM is not working today, check three things first: whether Google reports an outage, whether you hit a usage limit, and whether the source that failed breaks one of Google's import rules. NotebookLM is now called Gemini Notebook, so Google's help pages and status page use the new name.

As of November 3, 2026, the Google Workspace Status Dashboard lists Gemini Notebook and shows no incidents. Most problems people report are not outages. They are limits, access settings or a file Google can't read.

Is NotebookLM down right now?

Open the status dashboard and look for Gemini Notebook. The dashboard lists the product under that name only, and NotebookLM does not appear. If it shows no incident, the problem is on your side or in your notebook. If it shows one, wait for Google to resolve it.

Our explainer on the rename covers what changed on July 16, 2026. Notebooks and shared links carry over.

Chat says "Limit reached"

Gemini Notebook limits are based on compute, not a fixed number of questions. Long chats, complex prompts and heavy features such as generated media use more. According to Google's usage limits page, the message in chat reads "Limit reached. All features are available after [time]."

What to do:

1. Wait. The quota refreshes every 5 hours, until you reach your weekly limit.
2. On the web, select Generate later in the Studio panel to queue an artifact. Google says this can take a couple of hours, and you get a notification if notifications are on.
3. Check your usage at notebook.google.com: select Settings at the top right, then Usage.
4. Upgrade if you hit the limit often. Without a plan you get standard limits, AI Plus gives two times that and AI Pro four times. Our plans and limits guide lists the prices.

A source will not import

Google's source help page lists why imports fail and what fixes each case.

Other details from the same page:

• To add several web links at once, separate them with a space or a new line.
• Drive sources sync every few minutes. Select "Click to sync with Google Drive" to update one by hand.
• Google Docs and Sheets lose footnotes and comments on import, and multiple tabs are combined into one source.
• Free users can add up to 50 sources per notebook, and inactive sources still count toward that limit. Remove the ones you no longer need.
• Deep Research results may import only partly if you exceed your usage limits.

Our step-by-step guide shows how to add sources correctly the first time.

Chat will not answer or has no citations

Google's FAQ names three causes of unanswered questions: safety flags on sensitive topics, vague phrasing, and answers that are not in your sources. Make the question more specific and point it at what your sources actually contain.

If a source is very short, the answer may point to the whole document instead of citing a passage. That is expected.

You cannot open it at all

• Age: verify your age in your Google Account first.
• Region: Gemini Notebook is available in the regions where the Gemini app is, and the FAQ links that list.
• Work or school account: your Workspace admin has to turn on additional Google services and enable the Gemini Notebook app.

Mobile app problems

Google notes that some features are more limited in the mobile app than on the web. To report a bug on Android, open the app, tap your profile, choose the feedback option, describe the problem and optionally attach a screenshot or system logs. On Android in a browser, use the settings icon and its feedback option. Google's page gives steps for Android only. Other questions go to notebooklm-user-support@google.com, and Workspace users can contact Workspace support.

Deleted notes cannot be recovered, according to Google, so export or copy anything you need before you clean up a notebook.