# NotebookLM not working today: fixes for limits, sources and access > NotebookLM is now Gemini Notebook. Check the status dashboard, your usage limit, then the import rules Google lists for sources. URL: https://claudegpt.si/news/notebooklm-not-working-today-fixes Published: 2026-11-03T02:50:39.687Z Author: ClaudeGPT Si Newsroom Section: Guides Topics: NotebookLM, Gemini Notebook, Google, Troubleshooting Publisher: ClaudeGPT Si ## Key takeaways - As of November 3, 2026, Google's status dashboard lists Gemini Notebook and shows no incidents. - Usage quotas refresh every 5 hours until you reach a weekly limit, and the Usage setting shows where you stand. - Sources fail to import over 500,000 words or 200MB, or when a PDF is copy-protected, a page is paywalled or a YouTube video lacks captions. 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](https://www.google.com/appsstatus/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](https://claudegpt.si/news/notebooklm-is-now-gemini-notebook) 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](https://support.google.com/gemininotebook/answer/17670842), 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](https://claudegpt.si/news/notebooklm-pricing-plans-limits) lists the prices. ## A source will not import Google's [source help page](https://support.google.com/notebooklm/answer/16215270) lists why imports fail and what fixes each case. | Source | Why it fails | Fix | | --- | --- | --- | | Any file | Over 500,000 words or 200MB | Split the file | | PDF | Copy-protected | Use an unprotected copy | | YouTube | Invalid link, private or deleted video, no captions, unsupported language, no speech, uploaded under 72 hours ago | Check the link, that the video is public and has captions, or wait 72 hours | | Web page | Paywalled. Only text is imported, not images, embedded video or nested pages | Paste the text or upload a file | | Audio | No speech or low quality | Use a cleaner recording | | Google Drive | You lack view access, or the file was deleted or unshared | Request access or remove the file | | Play Books | Title is not eligible, shown grayed out | Pick another title, and sign in to the account that owns the book | 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](https://claudegpt.si/news/notebooklm-how-to-use) shows how to add sources correctly the first time. ## Chat will not answer or has no citations Google's [FAQ](https://support.google.com/notebooklm/answer/16269187) 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. ## Frequently asked questions ### Is NotebookLM down right now? Check the Google Workspace Status Dashboard, which lists the product as Gemini Notebook. As of November 3, 2026 it showed no incidents. ### Why does NotebookLM say limit reached? Limits are compute-based. The quota refreshes every 5 hours until you reach the weekly limit, and Settings then Usage shows your usage. ### Why will NotebookLM not import my source? Common causes are files over 500,000 words or 200MB, copy-protected PDFs, paywalled pages, missing Drive access and YouTube videos without captions. ### Is NotebookLM the same as Gemini Notebook? Yes. Google renamed NotebookLM to Gemini Notebook on July 16, 2026, and its help pages and status dashboard now use the new name. ## Sources - [Add or discover new sources for your notebook](https://support.google.com/notebooklm/answer/16215270), Google Gemini Notebook Help - [Frequently asked questions - Gemini Notebook Help](https://support.google.com/notebooklm/answer/16269187), Google Gemini Notebook Help - [Manage your usage limits in Gemini Notebook](https://support.google.com/gemininotebook/answer/17670842), Google Gemini Notebook Help - [Report a problem - Android phone & tablet](https://support.google.com/notebooklm/answer/16179536), Google Gemini Notebook Help - [Google Workspace Status Dashboard](https://www.google.com/appsstatus/dashboard/), Google