NotebookLM MCP API Reference

This document contains detailed API documentation for the internal NotebookLM APIs. Only read this file when debugging API issues or adding new features.

For general project info, see CLAUDE.md

Python Usage Examples

These examples show how to use the MCP tools programmatically via Python (for developers building with the API). For end users: see the main README for natural language examples.

List Notebooks

notebooks = notebook_list()

Create and Query

# Create a notebook
notebook = notebook_create(title="Research Project")

# Add sources
notebook_add_url(notebook_id, url="https://example.com/article")
notebook_add_text(notebook_id, text="My research notes...", title="Notes")

# Ask questions
result = notebook_query(notebook_id, query="What are the key points?")
print(result["answer"])

Configure Chat Settings

# Set a custom chat persona with longer responses
chat_configure(
    notebook_id=notebook_id,
    goal="custom",
    custom_prompt="You are an expert data analyst. Provide detailed statistical insights.",
    response_length="longer"
)

# Use learning guide mode with default length
chat_configure(
    notebook_id=notebook_id,
    goal="learning_guide",
    response_length="default"
)

# Reset to defaults with concise responses
chat_configure(
    notebook_id=notebook_id,
    goal="default",
    response_length="shorter"
)

Goal Options: default, custom (requires custom_prompt), learning_guide Response Lengths: default, longer, shorter

Get AI Summaries

# Get AI-generated summary of what a notebook is about
summary = notebook_describe(notebook_id)
print(summary["summary"])  # Markdown with **bold** keywords
print(summary["suggested_topics"])  # Suggested report topics

# Get AI-generated summary of a specific source
source_info = source_describe(source_id)
print(source_info["summary"])  # AI summary with **bold** keywords
print(source_info["keywords"])  # Topic chips: ["Medical education", "AI tools", ...]

Get Raw Source Content

# Get raw text content from a source (no AI processing)
# Much faster than notebook_query for bulk content export
content = source_get_content(source_id)
print(content["title"])        # Source title
print(content["source_type"])  # pdf, web_page, youtube, pasted_text, google_docs, etc.
print(content["url"])          # Source URL (if available)
print(content["char_count"])   # Character count
print(content["content"])      # Full raw text

# Example: Export all sources to markdown files
sources = notebook_get(notebook_id)["sources"]
for source in sources:
    content = source_get_content(source["id"])
    with open(f"{content['title']}.md", 'w') as f:
        f.write(content["content"])

Supported source types: google_docs, google_slides_sheets, pdf, pasted_text, web_page, youtube

Batch, Cross-Notebook, Pipelines & Tags

# Tag notebooks for organization
tag(action="add", notebook_id="...", tags="ai,research")

# Batch query across tagged notebooks
batch(action="query", query="What are the key findings?", tags="ai")

# Cross-notebook query with aggregated answers
cross_notebook_query(query="Compare approaches", notebook_names="Project A, Project B")

# Batch generate podcasts for all tagged notebooks
batch(action="studio", artifact_type="audio", tags="research", confirm=True)

# Run a multi-step pipeline
pipeline(action="run", notebook_id="...", pipeline_name="ingest-and-podcast", input_url="https://...")

# Find relevant notebooks by tag match
tag(action="select", query="ai research")

Built-in pipelines: ingest-and-podcast, research-and-report, multi-format

Sync Stale Drive Sources

# Check which sources need syncing
sources = source_list_drive(notebook_id)

# Sync stale sources (after user confirmation)
source_sync_drive(source_ids=["id1", "id2"], confirm=True)

Delete Sources

# Delete a source from notebook (after user confirmation)
source_delete(source_id="source-uuid", confirm=True)

Research and Import Sources

# Start web research (fast mode, ~30 seconds)
result = research_start(
    query="value of ISVs on cloud marketplaces",
    source="web",   # or "drive" for Google Drive
    mode="fast",    # or "deep" for extended research (web only)
    title="ISV Research"
)
notebook_id = result["notebook_id"]

# Poll until complete (built-in wait, polls every 30s for up to 5 min)
# By default, report is truncated to 500 chars to save tokens
# Use compact=False to get full 10,000+ char report and all sources
status = research_status(notebook_id)

# Import all discovered sources
research_import(
    notebook_id=notebook_id,
    task_id=status["research"]["task_id"],
    timeout=600  # Optional: increase for large notebooks (default: 300s)
)

# Or import specific sources by index
research_import(
    notebook_id=notebook_id,
    task_id=status["research"]["task_id"],
    source_indices=[0, 2, 5],  # Import only sources at indices 0, 2, and 5
    timeout=600  # Optional: increase for large notebooks (default: 300s)
)

Research Modes:

fast + web: Quick web search, ~10 sources in ~30 seconds
deep + web: Extended research with AI report, ~40 sources in 3-5 minutes
fast + drive: Quick Google Drive search, ~10 sources in ~30 seconds

Generate Audio/Video Overviews

# Create an audio overview (podcast)
result = audio_overview_create(
    notebook_id=notebook_id,
    format="deep_dive",  # deep_dive, brief, critique, debate
    length="default",    # short, default, long
    language="en",
    confirm=True         # Required - show settings first, then confirm
)

# Create a video overview
result = video_overview_create(
    notebook_id=notebook_id,
    format="explainer",      # explainer, brief
    visual_style="classic",  # auto_select, classic, whiteboard, kawaii, anime, etc.
    language="en",
    confirm=True
)

# Check generation status (takes several minutes)
status = studio_status(notebook_id)
for artifact in status["artifacts"]:
    print(f"{artifact['title']}: {artifact['status']}")
    if artifact["audio_url"]:
        print(f"  Audio: {artifact['audio_url']}")
    if artifact["video_url"]:
        print(f"  Video: {artifact['video_url']}")

# Delete an artifact (after user confirmation)
studio_delete(
    notebook_id=notebook_id,
    artifact_id="artifact-uuid",
    confirm=True
)

Audio Formats: deep_dive (conversation), brief, critique, debate Audio Lengths: short, default, long Video Formats: explainer, brief Video Styles: auto_select, classic, whiteboard, kawaii, anime, watercolor, retro_print, heritage, paper_craft

Base Endpoint

POST https://notebooklm.google.com/_/LabsTailwindUi/data/batchexecute

Request Format

Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded

f.req=<URL-encoded JSON>&at=<CSRF token>

The f.req structure:

[[["<RPC_ID>", "<params_json>", null, "generic"]]]

URL Query Parameters

Param	Description
`rpcids`	The RPC ID being called
`source-path`	Current page path (e.g., `/notebook/<id>`)
`bl`	Build label, auto-extracted from page HTML (`cfb2h` key). Override via `NOTEBOOKLM_BL` env var.
`f.sid`	Session ID
`hl`	Language code (e.g., `en`)
`_reqid`	Request counter
`rt`	Response type (`c`)

Response Format

)]}'
<byte_count>
<json_array>

Starts with )]}' (anti-XSSI prefix) - MUST be stripped
Followed by byte count, then JSON
Multiple chunks may be present

Known RPC IDs

RPC ID	Purpose	Params Structure
`wXbhsf`	List notebooks	`[null, 1, null, [2]]`
`rLM1Ne`	Get notebook details	`[notebook_id, null, [2], null, 0]`
`CCqFvf`	Create notebook	`[title, null, null, [2], [1,null,null,null,null,null,null,null,null,null,[1]]]`
`s0tc2d`	Rename notebook / Configure chat	See s0tc2d section below
`WWINqb`	Delete notebook	`[[notebook_id], [2]]`
`izAoDd`	Add source (unified)	See source types below
`hizoJc`	Get source details	`[["source_id"], [2], [2]]`
`yR9Yof`	Check source freshness	`[null, ["source_id"], [2]]` - returns `false` if stale
`FLmJqe`	Sync Drive source	`[null, ["source_id"], [2]]`
`b7Wfje`	Rename source	`[null, ["source_id"], [[["new_title"]]]]` - path: `/notebook/<notebook_id>`
`tGMBJ`	Delete source	`[[["source_id"]], [2]]` - deletion is IRREVERSIBLE
`hPTbtc`	Get conversation IDs	`[notebook_id]`
`hT54vc`	User preferences	-
`ZwVcOc`	Settings	-
`ozz5Z`	Subscription info	-
`Ljjv0c`	Start Fast Research	`[["query", source_type], null, 1, "notebook_id"]`
`QA9ei`	Start Deep Research	`[null, [1], ["query", source_type], 5, "notebook_id"]`
`e3bVqc`	Poll Research Results	`[null, null, "notebook_id"]`
`LBwxtb`	Import Research Sources	`[null, [1], "task_id", "notebook_id", [sources]]`
`R7cb6c`	Create Studio Content	See Studio RPCs section
`gArtLc`	Poll Studio Status	`[[2], notebook_id, 'NOT artifact.status = "ARTIFACT_STATUS_SUGGESTED"']`
`V5N4be`	Delete Studio Content	`[[2], "artifact_id"]`
`rc3d8d`	Rename Studio Artifact	`[["artifact_id", "new_title"], [["title"]]]`
`KmcKPe`	Revise Slide Deck	`[[2], artifact_id, [[[0-based_index, "instruction"], ...]]]`
`yyryJe`	Generate Mind Map	See Mind Map RPCs section
`CYK0Xb`	Save Mind Map	See Mind Map RPCs section
`cFji9`	List Mind Maps	`[notebook_id]`
`ciyUvf`	Get Suggested Report Formats	`[[2], notebook_id, [[source_id1], ...]]`
`VfAZjd`	Get Report Suggestions	`[notebook_id, [2]]`
`tr032e`	Get Source Guide	`[[[["source_id"]]]]`

`s0tc2d` - Notebook Update RPC

This RPC handles multiple notebook update operations based on which array position is populated.

Rename Notebook

Updates the notebook title.

# Request params
[notebook_id, [[null, null, null, [null, "New Title"]]]]

# Example
["549e31df-1234-5678-90ab-cdef01234567", [[null, null, null, [null, "My New Notebook Name"]]]]

# Response
# Returns updated notebook info

Configure Chat Settings

Configures the notebook's chat behavior - goal/style and response length.

# Request params
[notebook_id, [[null, null, null, null, null, null, null, [[goal_code, custom_prompt?], [response_length_code]]]]]

# chat_settings is at position 7 in the nested array
# Format: [[goal_code, custom_prompt_if_custom], [response_length_code]]

# Example - Default goal + Longer response:
["549e31df-...", [[null, null, null, null, null, null, null, [[1], [4]]]]]

# Example - Custom goal + Default response:
["549e31df-...", [[null, null, null, null, null, null, null, [[2, "You are an expert..."], [1]]]]]

# Example - Learning Guide + Shorter response:
["549e31df-...", [[null, null, null, null, null, null, null, [[3], [5]]]]]

Goal/Style Codes

Code	Goal	Description
1	Default	General purpose research and brainstorming
2	Custom	Custom prompt (up to 10,000 characters)
3	Learning Guide	Educational focus with learning-oriented responses

Response Length Codes

Code	Length	Description
1	Default	Standard response length
4	Longer	Verbose, detailed responses
5	Shorter	Concise, brief responses

Source Types (via `izAoDd` RPC)

All source types use the same RPC but with different param structures:

URL/YouTube Source

IMPORTANT: YouTube and regular web URLs use different positions in the source_data array!

Regular Website URL

source_data = [
    None,
    None,
    [url],  # URL at position 2 for regular websites
    None, None, None, None, None, None, None,
    1
]
params = [[[source_data]], notebook_id, [2], settings]

YouTube URL

source_data = [
    None,
    None,
    None,  # Position 2 must be None for YouTube
    None, None, None, None,
    [url],  # URL at position 7 for YouTube
    None, None,
    1
]
params = [[[source_data]], notebook_id, [2], settings]

Detection: Check if URL contains youtube.com or youtu.be to determine which format to use.

Pasted Text Source

source_data = [
    None,
    [title, text_content],  # Title and content at position 1
    None,
    2,  # Type indicator at position 3
    None, None, None, None, None, None,
    1
]
params = [[[source_data]], notebook_id, [2], settings]

Google Drive Source

source_data = [
    [document_id, mime_type, 1, title],  # Drive doc at position 0
    None, None, None, None, None, None, None, None, None,
    1
]
params = [[[source_data]], notebook_id, [2], settings]

MIME Types:

application/vnd.google-apps.document - Google Docs
application/vnd.google-apps.presentation - Google Slides
application/vnd.google-apps.spreadsheet - Google Sheets
application/pdf - PDF files

Query Endpoint (Streaming)

Queries use a different endpoint - NOT batchexecute!

POST /_/LabsTailwindUi/data/google.internal.labs.tailwind.orchestration.v1.LabsTailwindOrchestrationService/GenerateFreeFormStreamed

Query Request Structure

params = [
    [  # Source IDs - each in nested array
        [[["source_id_1"]]],
        [[["source_id_2"]]],
    ],
    "Your question here",  # Query text
    None,
    [2, None, [1]],  # Config
    "conversation-uuid"  # For follow-up questions
]

f_req = [None, json.dumps(params)]

Query Response

Streaming JSON with multiple chunks:

Thinking steps - "Understanding...", "Exploring...", etc.
Final answer - Markdown formatted with citations
Source references - Links to specific passages in sources

Research RPCs (Source Discovery)

NotebookLM's "Research" feature discovers and suggests sources based on a query. It supports two source types (Web and Google Drive) and two research modes (Fast and Deep).

Source Types

Type	Value	Description
Web	`1`	Searches the public web for relevant sources
Google Drive	`2`	Searches user's Google Drive for relevant documents

Research Modes

Mode	Description	Duration	Can Leave Page
Fast Research	Quick search, ~10 sources	~10-30 seconds	No
Deep Research	Extended research with AI report, ~40+ sources	3-5 minutes	Yes

`Ljjv0c` - Start Fast Research

Initiates a Fast Research session for either Web or Drive sources.

# Request params
[["query", source_type], null, 1, "notebook_id"]

# source_type: 1 = Web, 2 = Google Drive
# Example (Web):  [["What is OpenShift", 1], null, 1, "549e31df-..."]
# Example (Drive): [["sales strategy documents", 2], null, 1, "549e31df-..."]

# Response
["task_id"]
# Example: ["6837228d-d832-4e5c-89d3-b9aa33ff7815"]

`QA9ei` - Start Deep Research (Web Only)

Initiates a Deep Research session with extended web crawling and AI-generated report.

# Request params
[null, [1], ["query", source_type], 5, "notebook_id"]

# The `5` indicates Deep Research mode
# source_type: 1 = Web (Drive not supported for Deep Research)
# Example: [null, [1], ["enterprise kubernetes trends 2025", 1], 5, "549e31df-..."]

# Response
["task_id", "report_id"]
# Example: ["a02dd39b-94c0-443e-b9e4-9c15ab9016c5", null]

`e3bVqc` - Poll Research Results

Polls for research completion and retrieves results. Call repeatedly until status = 2.

# Request params
[null, null, "notebook_id"]

# Response structure (when completed)
[[[
  "task_id",
  [
    "notebook_id",
    ["query", source_type],
    research_mode,  # 1 = Fast, 5 = Deep
    [
      # Array of discovered sources
      [
        "url",           # Web URL or Drive URL
        "title",         # Source title
        "description",   # AI-generated description
        result_type      # 1 = Web, 2 = Google Doc, 3 = Slides, 8 = Sheets
      ],
      # ... more sources
    ],
    "summary"  # AI-generated summary of sources
  ],
  status  # 1 = in progress, 2 = completed
],
[end_timestamp, nanos],
[start_timestamp, nanos]
]]

# Deep Research also includes a report in the results (long markdown document)

Result Types (in poll response):

Type	Meaning
1	Web URL
2	Google Doc
3	Google Slides
5	Deep Research Report
8	Google Sheets

`LBwxtb` - Import Research Sources

Imports selected sources from research results into the notebook.

# Request params
[null, [1], "task_id", "notebook_id", [source1, source2, ...]]

# Each source structure:
# Web source:
[null, null, ["url", "title"], null, null, null, null, null, null, null, 2]

# Drive source:
[["document_id", "mime_type", null, "title"], null, null, null, null, null, null, null, null, null, 1]

# Response
# Array of created source objects with source_id, title, metadata
[[source_id, title, metadata, [null, 2]], ...]

Research Flow Summary

1. Start Research
   ├── Fast: Ljjv0c with source_type (1=Web, 2=Drive)
   └── Deep: QA9ei with mode=5 (Web only)

2. Poll Results
   └── e3bVqc → repeat until status=2

3. Import Sources
   └── LBwxtb with selected sources

4. Sources appear in notebook → can query them

Important Notes

Only one active research per notebook: Starting a new research cancels any pending results
Deep Research runs in background: User can navigate away after initiation
Fast Research blocks navigation: Must stay on page until complete
Drive URLs format: https://drive.google.com/a/redhat.com/open?id=<document_id>
Web URLs: Standard HTTP/HTTPS URLs

Studio RPCs (Audio/Video Overviews)

NotebookLM's "Studio" feature generates audio podcasts and video overviews from notebook sources.

`R7cb6c` - Create Studio Content

Creates both Audio and Video Overviews using the same RPC, distinguished by type code.

Audio Overview Request

params = [
    [2],                           # Config
    notebook_id,                   # Notebook UUID
    [
        None, None,
        1,                         # STUDIO_TYPE_AUDIO
        [[[source_id1]], [[source_id2]], ...],  # Source IDs (nested arrays)
        None, None,
        [
            None,
            [
                focus_prompt,      # Focus text (what AI should focus on)
                length_code,       # 1=Short, 2=Default, 3=Long
                None,
                [[source_id1], [source_id2], ...],  # Source IDs (simpler format)
                language_code,     # "en", "es", etc.
                None,
                format_code        # 1=Deep Dive, 2=Brief, 3=Critique, 4=Debate
            ]
        ]
    ]
]

Video Overview Request

params = [
    [2],                           # Config
    notebook_id,                   # Notebook UUID
    [
        None, None,
        3,                         # STUDIO_TYPE_VIDEO
        [[[source_id1]], [[source_id2]], ...],  # Source IDs (nested arrays)
        None, None, None, None,
        [
            None, None,
            [
                [[source_id1], [source_id2], ...],  # Source IDs
                language_code,     # "en", "es", etc.
                focus_prompt,      # Focus text
                None,
                format_code,       # 1=Explainer, 2=Brief
                visual_style_code  # 1=Auto, 2=Custom, 3=Classic, etc.
            ]
        ]
    ]
]

Response Structure

# Returns: [[artifact_id, title, type, sources, status, ...]]
# status: 1 = in_progress, 3 = completed

`gArtLc` - Poll Studio Status

Polls for audio/video generation status.

# Request
params = [[2], notebook_id, 'NOT artifact.status = "ARTIFACT_STATUS_SUGGESTED"']

# Response Structure
[
    [
        # Artifact Data Array
        [
            artifact_id,       # [0] UUID
            "Title",           # [1] Title
            type_code,         # [2] Type (1=Audio, 3=Video, etc)
            [source_ids],      # [3] Source IDs used
            wait_time_sec,     # [4] Est wait time
            None,              # [5] (Previously thought to be prompt)
            [                  # [6] Custom Prompt / Focus Data
                 null,
                 [
                     "Custom Prompt Text",  # [1][0] The actual prompt text
                     audience_level,        # [1][1] (e.g. 2)
                     ...
                 ]
            ],
            None,              # [7]
            [url_data],        # [8] URL for audio/video (nested)
            ...
        ],
        ... # More artifacts
    ],
    ...
]

`V5N4be` - Delete Studio Content

Deletes an audio or video overview artifact permanently.

# Request
params = [[2], "artifact_id"]

# Response
[]  # Empty array on success

WARNING: This action is IRREVERSIBLE. The artifact is permanently deleted.

`rc3d8d` - Rename Studio Artifact

Renames a studio artifact (audio, video, report, etc.).

# Request
params = [["artifact_id", "New Title"], [["title"]]]

# Response
# Returns the updated artifact data on success

Note: This RPC was discovered in v0.2.8. The second array [["title"]] specifies which field(s) to update.

`KmcKPe` - Revise Slide Deck

Revises individual slides in an existing slide deck. Creates a new artifact — the original is not modified.

Request

params = [
    [2],                           # Version/mode indicator (always [2])
    artifact_id,                   # UUID of the existing slide deck
    [
        [                          # Array of slide revision instructions
            [0, "Make the title larger"],   # [0-based slide index, instruction text]
            [2, "Remove the image"],        # Multiple instructions supported
        ]
    ]
]

Response

Returns the same structure as R7cb6c (Create Studio Content):

result[0][0] — New artifact UUID
result[0][2] — Title (original title + " (2)")
result[0][4] — Status code (1 = in_progress, 3 = completed)
result[0][20] — Original artifact UUID

Notes

Slide index is 0-based (slide 1 = index 0)
Multiple slides can be revised in one call
Original deck settings (focus prompt, language, format, length) are preserved
Poll with gArtLc (studio_status) for completion
Only slide decks support revision (no other artifact types)

Audio Options

Option	Values
Formats	1=Deep Dive (conversation), 2=Brief, 3=Critique, 4=Debate
Lengths	1=Short, 2=Default, 3=Long
Languages	BCP-47 codes: "en", "es", "fr", "de", "ja", etc.

Video Options

Option	Values
Formats	1=Explainer (comprehensive), 2=Brief
Visual Styles	1=Auto-select, 2=Custom, 3=Classic, 4=Whiteboard, 5=Kawaii, 6=Anime, 7=Watercolor, 8=Retro print, 9=Heritage, 10=Paper-craft
Languages	BCP-47 codes: "en", "es", "fr", "de", "ja", etc.

Infographic Request

params = [
    [2],                           # Config
    notebook_id,                   # Notebook UUID
    [
        None, None,
        7,                         # STUDIO_TYPE_INFOGRAPHIC
        [[[source_id1]], [[source_id2]], ...],  # Source IDs (nested arrays)
        None, None, None, None, None, None, None, None, None, None,  # 10 nulls
        [[focus_prompt, language, None, orientation_code, detail_level_code, visual_style_code]]  # Options at position 14
    ]
]

Infographic Options

Option	Values
Orientations	1=Landscape (16:9), 2=Portrait (9:16), 3=Square (1:1)
Detail Levels	1=Concise, 2=Standard, 3=Detailed (BETA)
Visual Styles	1=Auto-select, 2=Sketch Note, 3=Professional, 4=Bento Grid, 5=Editorial, 6=Instructional, 7=Bricks, 8=Clay, 9=Anime, 10=Kawaii, 11=Scientific
Languages	BCP-47 codes: "en", "es", "fr", "de", "ja", etc.

Slide Deck Request

params = [
    [2],                           # Config
    notebook_id,                   # Notebook UUID
    [
        None, None,
        8,                         # STUDIO_TYPE_SLIDE_DECK
        [[[source_id1]], [[source_id2]], ...],  # Source IDs (nested arrays)
        None, None, None, None, None, None, None, None, None, None, None, None,  # 12 nulls
        [[focus_prompt, language, format_code, length_code]]  # Options at position 16
    ]
]

Slide Deck Options

Option	Values
Formats	1=Detailed Deck (comprehensive), 2=Presenter Slides (key points)
Lengths	1=Short, 3=Default
Languages	BCP-47 codes: "en", "es", "fr", "de", "ja", etc.

Studio Flow Summary

1. Create Studio Content
   ├── Audio: R7cb6c with type=1 and audio options
   ├── Video: R7cb6c with type=3 and video options
   ├── Infographic: R7cb6c with type=7 and infographic options
   └── Slide Deck: R7cb6c with type=8 and slide deck options

2. Returns immediately with artifact_id (status=in_progress)

3. Poll Status
   └── gArtLc → repeat until status=3 (completed)

4. When complete, response includes download URLs

5. Delete (optional)
   └── V5N4be with artifact_id → permanently removes content

Report RPCs

Reports use the same R7cb6c RPC with type code 2 (STUDIO_TYPE_REPORT).

Report Request Structure

params = [
    [2],                           # Config
    notebook_id,                   # Notebook UUID
    [
        None, None,
        2,                         # STUDIO_TYPE_REPORT
        [[[source_id1]], [[source_id2]], ...],  # Source IDs (nested arrays)
        None, None, None,
        [
            None,
            [
                "Briefing Doc",           # Report title/format
                "Key insights and quotes", # Short description
                None,
                [[source_id1], [source_id2], ...],  # Source IDs (simpler format)
                "en",                      # Language code
                "Create a comprehensive...",  # Full prompt/instructions
                None,
                True                       # Unknown flag
            ]
        ]
    ]
]

Standard Report Formats

Format	Description	Prompt Style
Briefing Doc	Key insights and important quotes	Comprehensive briefing with Executive Summary
Study Guide	Short-answer quiz, essay questions, glossary	Educational focus with test prep materials
Blog Post	Insightful takeaways in readable article format	Engaging, accessible writing style
Create Your Own	Custom format with user-defined structure	User provides custom prompt

`ciyUvf` - Get Suggested Report Formats

Returns AI-generated suggested report topics based on notebook sources.

# Request params
params = [[2], notebook_id, [[source_id1], [source_id2], ...]]

# Response: Array of suggested reports with full prompts
[
    [
        "Strategy Briefing",           # Title
        "An analysis of...",           # Description
        None,
        [[source_ids]],                # Sources
        "Synthesize the provided...",  # Full AI prompt
        2                              # Audience level (1=beginner, 2=advanced)
    ],
    # ... more suggestions
]

`VfAZjd` - Get Notebook Summary and Report Suggestions

Returns an AI-generated summary of the notebook and suggested report topics.

# Request params
[notebook_id, [2]]

# Response structure
[
    [
        "The provided documents explore...",  # AI-generated summary (markdown formatted)
    ],
    [
        [
            [
                "How do generative AI tools...",  # Suggested topic question
                "Create a detailed briefing..."   # Full prompt for report
            ],
            # ... more suggested topics
        ]
    ]
]

Summary format: Markdown text with bold keywords highlighting key themes.

Use case: This RPC provides the notebook description shown in the Chat panel when you first open a notebook. Perfect for a notebook_describe tool to give users a high-level overview of what a notebook contains.

`tr032e` - Get Source Guide

Generates an AI summary and keyword chips for a specific source. This is the "Source Guide" feature shown when clicking on a source in the NotebookLM UI.

# Request params
params = [[[["source_id"]]]]
# Source ID in deeply nested arrays

# Example
params = [[[["5d318300-1b66-4bf6-ad3a-072c76f8a8eb"]]]]

# Response structure
[
    [
        null,
        [
            "This facilitator's guide outlines a specialized workshop designed to help **medical residents and fellows** leverage **generative artificial intelligence**..."
            # AI-generated summary with **bold** markdown for keywords
        ],
        [
            ["Medical education", "Generative AI tools", "Resident teaching skills", "Educational content creation", "Ethics and risks"]
            # Array of keyword chips
        ],
        []
    ]
]

Response fields:

[0][1][0]: AI-generated summary (markdown formatted with bold keywords)
[0][2][0]: Array of keyword chip strings

Use case: Perfect for a source_describe tool that provides an AI-generated overview of individual sources, similar to notebook_describe for notebooks.

Flashcard RPCs

Flashcards use the same R7cb6c RPC with type code 4 (STUDIO_TYPE_FLASHCARDS).

Flashcard Request Structure

params = [
    [2],                           # Config
    notebook_id,                   # Notebook UUID
    [
        None, None,
        4,                         # STUDIO_TYPE_FLASHCARDS
        [[[source_id1]], [[source_id2]], ...],  # Source IDs (nested arrays)
        None, None, None, None, None,  # 5 nulls (positions 4-8)
        [
            None,
            [
                1,                     # Unknown (possibly default count)
                None, None, None, None, None,
                [difficulty, card_count]  # [difficulty_code, card_count_code]
            ]
        ]
    ]
]

Flashcard Options

Option	Values
Difficulty	`easy` (1), `medium` (2), `hard` (3) - MCP tools accept string names
Card Count	Default count generated by AI

Note: MCP tools (flashcards_create, quiz_create) accept string difficulty names which are mapped to internal codes via constants.CodeMapper.

Quiz RPCs

Quizzes use the same R7cb6c RPC with type code 4 (shared with Flashcards) but with different options structure.

Quiz Request Structure

params = [
    [2],                           # Config
    notebook_id,                   # Notebook UUID
    [
        None, None,
        4,                         # STUDIO_TYPE_FLASHCARDS (shared with Quiz)
        [[[source_id1]], [[source_id2]], ...],  # Source IDs (nested arrays)
        None, None, None, None, None,  # 5 nulls (positions 4-8)
        [
            None,
            [
                2,                     # Format/variant code (distinguishes Quiz from Flashcards)
                None, None, None, None, None, None,
                [question_count, difficulty]  # [questions, difficulty_level]
            ]
        ]
    ]
]

Quiz Options

Option	Values
Question Count	Integer (default: 2)
Difficulty	`easy` (1), `medium` (2), `hard` (3) - MCP tools accept string names

Key Difference from Flashcards: Quiz uses format code 2 at the first position of the options array, while Flashcards use 1.

Data Table RPCs

Data Tables use the R7cb6c RPC with type code 9 (STUDIO_TYPE_DATA_TABLE).

Data Table Request Structure

params = [
    [2],                           # Config
    notebook_id,                   # Notebook UUID
    [
        None, None,
        9,                         # STUDIO_TYPE_DATA_TABLE
        [[[source_id1]], [[source_id2]], ...],  # Source IDs (nested arrays)
        None, None, None, None, None, None, None, None, None, None,  # 10 nulls (positions 4-13)
        None, None, None, None,    # 4 more nulls (positions 14-17)
        [
            None,
            [description, language]  # ["Description of table", "en"]
        ]
    ]
]

Data Table Options

Option	Description
Description	String describing what data to extract (required)
Language	Language code (default: "en")

Note: Data table options appear at position 18 in the content array, requiring 14 nulls after the sources.

Mind Map RPCs

Mind Maps use a two-step process with separate Generate and Save RPCs.

Step 1: `yyryJe` - Generate Mind Map

Generates the mind map JSON from sources.

# Request params
params = [
    [[[source_id1]], [[source_id2]], ...],  # Source IDs (nested arrays)
    None, None, None, None,
    ["interactive_mindmap", [["[CONTEXT]", ""]], ""],  # Type identifier
    None,
    [2, None, [1]]  # Config
]

# Response
[
    json_mind_map_string,  # Hierarchical JSON with name/children structure
    None,
    [generation_id1, generation_id2, generation_number]
]

Step 2: `CYK0Xb` - Save Mind Map

Saves the generated mind map to the notebook.

# Request params
params = [
    notebook_id,
    json_mind_map_string,  # The full JSON structure from step 1
    [2, None, None, 5, [[source_id1], [source_id2], ...]],  # Metadata with sources
    None,
    "Mind Map Title"  # Display title
]

# Response
[
    mind_map_id,           # UUID for the saved mind map
    json_mind_map_string,  # The saved JSON structure
    [2, version_id, [timestamp, nanos], 5, [[source_ids]]],  # Metadata
    None,
    "Generated Title"      # AI-generated title
]

`cFji9` - List Mind Maps

Retrieves all existing mind maps for a notebook.

# Request params
[notebook_id]

# Response
[
    [
        [mind_map_id, [
            mind_map_id,
            json_mind_map_string,
            [2, version_id, [timestamp, nanos], 5, [[source_ids]]],
            None,
            "Mind Map Title"
        ]],
        # ... more mind maps
    ],
    [timestamp, nanos]  # Last updated
]

Mind Map JSON Structure

{
  "name": "Root Topic",
  "children": [
    {
      "name": "Category 1",
      "children": [
        { "name": "Subcategory 1.1" },
        { "name": "Subcategory 1.2" }
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "Category 2",
      "children": [
        { "name": "Subcategory 2.1" },
        {
          "name": "Subcategory 2.2",
          "children": [
            { "name": "Leaf Node" }
          ]
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
}

Mind Map Flow Summary

1. Generate Mind Map
   └── yyryJe with source IDs → returns JSON structure

2. Save Mind Map
   └── CYK0Xb with notebook_id, JSON, title → returns saved mind map with ID

3. List Mind Maps (optional)
   └── cFji9 with notebook_id → returns all mind maps

Notes RPCs

Notes are saved AI chat responses that appear in the notebook's left panel. They share the same storage structure as mind maps (both use cFji9 for listing) but are distinguished by their content format.

Key Differences from Mind Maps:

Notes: Plain text content
Mind Maps: JSON structure with "children" or "nodes" keys

`CYK0Xb` - Create Note

Creates a new note in a notebook. Same RPC as Save Mind Map, differs by parameters.

# Request params
params = [
    notebook_id,
    "",           # Empty content (updated separately via UPDATE_NOTE)
    [1],          # Note type identifier
    None,
    "Note Title"  # Display title
]

# Response
[
    [note_id, "Note Title"],  # Note ID and title
]

Note: After creation, use cYAfTb (UPDATE_NOTE) to set the content.

`cFji9` - List Notes and Mind Maps

Retrieves all notes and mind maps for a notebook. Filter by content type to distinguish.

# Request params
[notebook_id]

# Response
[
    [
        # Regular note
        [note_id, [
            note_id,
            "Note content text",
            [metadata],
            None,
            "Note Title"
        ], status],

        # Mind map (has JSON content)
        [mind_map_id, [
            mind_map_id,
            '{"children": [...]}',  # JSON structure
            [metadata],
            None,
            "Mind Map Title"
        ], status],

        # Deleted item (status = 2 or data is None)
        [deleted_id, None, 2],
    ],
    [timestamp, nanos]  # Last updated
]

Item Structure:

[0]: Item ID
[1]: Item data (or None if deleted)
- [0]: Item ID (duplicate)
- [1]: Content (text for notes, JSON for mind maps)
- [2]: Metadata
- [3]: Always None
- [4]: Title
[2]: Status (2 = deleted)

Filtering Notes from Mind Maps:

for item in items:
    if item[1] is None or (len(item) > 2 and item[2] == 2):
        continue  # Skip deleted items

    content = item[1][1]
    try:
        parsed = json.loads(content)
        if "children" in parsed or "nodes" in parsed:
            # It's a mind map
        else:
            # It's a note
    except (json.JSONDecodeError, TypeError):
        # It's a note (plain text)

`cYAfTb` - Update Note

Updates a note's content and/or title.

# Request params
params = [
    notebook_id,
    note_id,
    [[[
        "Updated note content",
        "Updated Title",
        [],  # Unknown field
        0    # Unknown field
    ]]],
]

# Response
null  # Null on success

Important: Both notebook_id and note_id are required.

`AH0mwd` - Delete Note

Soft-deletes a note (clears content, keeps ID). Same RPC as Delete Mind Map.

# Request params
params = [
    notebook_id,
    None,
    [note_id]  # Can delete multiple: [note_id1, note_id2, ...]
]

# Response
null  # Null on success

Note: This is a soft-delete - the item appears in listings with status = 2 or data = None.

Notes Workflow

1. Create Note
   └── CYK0Xb with notebook_id, title → returns note_id

2. Update Content
   └── cYAfTb with notebook_id, note_id, content, title → returns null

3. List Notes
   └── cFji9 with notebook_id → filter by content type (text vs JSON)

4. Delete Note
   └── AH0mwd with notebook_id, note_id → returns null

Studio Type Codes Summary

Type Code	Feature	RPC
1	Audio Overview	`R7cb6c`
2	Report	`R7cb6c`
3	Video Overview	`R7cb6c`
4	Flashcards	`R7cb6c`
5	Quiz	`R7cb6c` (not yet documented)
6	Data Table	`R7cb6c` (not yet documented)
7	Infographic	`R7cb6c`
8	Slide Deck	`R7cb6c`
N/A	Mind Map	`yyryJe` + `CYK0Xb` (separate RPCs)

Key Findings

Filtering is client-side: The wXbhsf RPC returns ALL notebooks. "My notebooks" vs "Shared with me" filtering happens in the browser.
Unified source RPC: All source types (URL, text, Drive) use the same izAoDd RPC with different param structures.
Query is streaming: The query endpoint streams the AI's thinking process before the final answer.
Conversation support: Pass a conversation_id for multi-turn conversations (follow-up questions).
Rate limits: Free tier has ~50 queries/day limit.
Research uses same RPC for Web and Drive: The Ljjv0c RPC handles both Web (source_type=1) and Drive (source_type=2) Fast Research. Only the source_type parameter differs.
Deep Research is Web-only: The QA9ei RPC only supports Web sources (source_type=1). Google Drive does not have a Deep Research equivalent.

Drive Source Sync

Problem

NotebookLM doesn't auto-update Google Drive sources when the underlying document changes. Users must manually click each source > "Check freshness" > "Click to sync with Google Drive".

Solution

The source_list_drive and source_sync_drive tools automate this process.

Source Metadata Structure (from `rLM1Ne` response)

Each source in the notebook response has this structure:

[
  [source_id],           # UUID for the source
  "Source Title",        # Display title
  [                      # Metadata array
    drive_doc_info,      # [0] null OR [doc_id, version_hash] for Drive/Gemini sources
    byte_count,          # [1] content size (0 for Drive, actual size for pasted text)
    [timestamp, nanos],  # [2] creation timestamp
    [version_uuid, [timestamp, nanos]],  # [3] last sync info
    source_type,         # [4] KEY FIELD: 1=Google Docs, 2=Slides/Sheets, 4=Pasted Text
    null,                # [5]
    null,                # [6]
    null,                # [7]
    content_bytes        # [8] actual byte count (for Drive sources after sync)
  ],
  [null, 2]              # Footer constant
]

Source Types (metadata position 4)

Type	Meaning	Drive Doc Info	Can Sync
1	Google Docs (Documents, including Gemini Notes)	`[doc_id, version_hash]`	Yes
2	Google Slides/Sheets (Presentations & Spreadsheets)	`[doc_id, version_hash]`	Yes
4	Pasted text	`null`	No

How We Discovered This

Method: Network Traffic Analysis

Used Chrome DevTools MCP to automate browser interactions
Captured network requests during each action
Decoded f.req body (URL-encoded JSON)
Analyzed response structures
Tested parameter variations

Discovery Session Examples

Creating a notebook:

Clicked "Create notebook" button via Chrome DevTools
Captured POST to batchexecute with rpcids=CCqFvf
Decoded params: ["", null, null, [2], [1,null,...,[1]]]
Response contained new notebook UUID at index 2

Adding Drive source:

Opened Add source > Drive picker
Double-clicked on a document
Captured POST with rpcids=izAoDd
Decoded: [[[[doc_id, mime_type, 1, title], null,...,1]]]
Different from URL/text which use different array positions

Querying:

Typed question in query box, clicked Submit
Found NEW endpoint: GenerateFreeFormStreamed (not batchexecute!)
Streaming response with thinking steps + final answer
Includes citations with source passage references

Essential Cookies

The MCP needs these cookies (automatically filtered from the full cookie header):

Cookie	Purpose
`SID`, `HSID`, `SSID`, `APISID`, `SAPISID`	Core auth (required)
`__Secure-1PSID`, `__Secure-3PSID`	Secure session variants
`__Secure-1PAPISID`, `__Secure-3PAPISID`	Secure API variants
`OSID`, `__Secure-OSID`	Origin-bound session
`__Secure-1PSIDTS`, `__Secure-3PSIDTS`	Timestamp tokens
`SIDCC`, `__Secure-1PSIDCC`, `__Secure-3PSIDCC`	Session cookies

Important: Some cookies (PSIDTS, SIDCC, PSIDCC) rotate frequently. Always get fresh cookies from an active Chrome session.

Token Extraction

Three ways to get CSRF token and session ID:

From network request (fastest):
- Extracted directly from get_network_request() data
- No page fetch required
- Saves to cache for reuse
From page fetch (slower first time):
- Client fetches notebooklm.google.com using cookies
- Extracts SNlM0e (CSRF) and FdrFJe (session ID) from HTML
- Saves to cache for reuse
- ~1-2 seconds one-time delay
From cache (instant):
- Subsequent requests reuse cached tokens
- No fetching needed
- Cache updates automatically when tokens are refreshed

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NotebookLM MCP API Reference

Python Usage Examples

List Notebooks

Create and Query

Configure Chat Settings

Get AI Summaries

Get Raw Source Content

Batch, Cross-Notebook, Pipelines & Tags

Sync Stale Drive Sources

Delete Sources

Research and Import Sources

Generate Audio/Video Overviews

Base Endpoint

Request Format

URL Query Parameters

Response Format

Known RPC IDs

s0tc2d - Notebook Update RPC

Rename Notebook

Configure Chat Settings

Goal/Style Codes

Response Length Codes

Source Types (via izAoDd RPC)

URL/YouTube Source

Regular Website URL

YouTube URL

Pasted Text Source

Google Drive Source

Query Endpoint (Streaming)

Query Request Structure

Query Response

Research RPCs (Source Discovery)

Source Types

Research Modes

Ljjv0c - Start Fast Research

QA9ei - Start Deep Research (Web Only)

e3bVqc - Poll Research Results

LBwxtb - Import Research Sources

Research Flow Summary

Important Notes

Studio RPCs (Audio/Video Overviews)

R7cb6c - Create Studio Content

Audio Overview Request

Video Overview Request

Response Structure

gArtLc - Poll Studio Status

V5N4be - Delete Studio Content

rc3d8d - Rename Studio Artifact

KmcKPe - Revise Slide Deck

Request

Response

Notes

Audio Options

Video Options

Infographic Request

Infographic Options

Slide Deck Request

Slide Deck Options

Studio Flow Summary

Report RPCs

Report Request Structure

Standard Report Formats

ciyUvf - Get Suggested Report Formats

VfAZjd - Get Notebook Summary and Report Suggestions

tr032e - Get Source Guide

Flashcard RPCs

Flashcard Request Structure

Flashcard Options

Quiz RPCs

Quiz Request Structure

Quiz Options

Data Table RPCs

Data Table Request Structure

Data Table Options

`s0tc2d` - Notebook Update RPC

Source Types (via `izAoDd` RPC)

`Ljjv0c` - Start Fast Research

`QA9ei` - Start Deep Research (Web Only)

`e3bVqc` - Poll Research Results

`LBwxtb` - Import Research Sources

`R7cb6c` - Create Studio Content

`gArtLc` - Poll Studio Status

`V5N4be` - Delete Studio Content

`rc3d8d` - Rename Studio Artifact

`KmcKPe` - Revise Slide Deck

`ciyUvf` - Get Suggested Report Formats

`VfAZjd` - Get Notebook Summary and Report Suggestions

`tr032e` - Get Source Guide

Step 1: `yyryJe` - Generate Mind Map

Step 2: `CYK0Xb` - Save Mind Map

`cFji9` - List Mind Maps

`CYK0Xb` - Create Note

`cFji9` - List Notes and Mind Maps

`cYAfTb` - Update Note

`AH0mwd` - Delete Note

Source Metadata Structure (from `rLM1Ne` response)