# Sync a NotebookLM notebook to a local folder

Source: https://nlmexporter.com/guides/export/notebook-to-local-folder  
Section: Export  
Last verified: November 2026  
Plan: Pro

Yes. To sync a NotebookLM notebook to a local folder, open the archive panel, choose folder output and authorize a folder with the browser directory picker. This output is part of Ultra Exporter Pro. You get a folder on your disk that mirrors the archive. Later syncs write only new and changed files, detected by content hash.

## Quick facts

| Item | Detail |
| --- | --- |
| Content | A whole-notebook archive collects the sources, notes, reports, chats and Studio outputs of one notebook into an indexed folder. |
| Output | a local folder (folder) |
| Plan | Pro |
| Where | Archive button at the top of the Studio panel, or the workspace |
| Processing | Converted in your browser. Nothing is uploaded to export. |

## Steps

1. Install [NotebookLM Ultra Exporter](https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/notebooklm-ultra-exporter/afchokljnhhggkhedfbmkcmdagjmjchj) in desktop Chrome, then refresh any open NotebookLM (Gemini Notebook) tab.
2. Connect Pro: open the extension's account panel and sign in with the Google account you bought Pro with.
3. Open the notebook and click the archive button at the top of the Studio panel, or choose the notebook in the workspace Export and archive view.
4. Choose **a local folder** in the list of outputs and set any options shown for it.
5. Open the downloaded file and check it before you rely on it or share it.

## What you get

You get a folder on your disk that mirrors the archive. Later syncs write only new and changed files, detected by content hash.

Sync never deletes local files. If you edited a file locally, a .conflict copy is written instead of overwriting it.

## Limits to know before you export

- An archive can contain failed or skipped items. Check the results and the manifest.json before you rely on it.
- Content that is unreachable, not yet generated or not downloadable is not guaranteed to be saved.
- Restoring is not a server snapshot: audio, video and slide images do not come back as native Studio outputs.

## Can NotebookLM export a whole notebook on its own?

Gemini Notebook has no one-click backup or export of a whole notebook. Google changes these menus often. The item's own menu in your notebook shows what is built in today.

## Other outputs for a whole notebook

| Output | Plan | Guide |
| --- | --- | --- |
| a ZIP archive (.zip) | Free + Pro | [Back up a whole NotebookLM notebook as a ZIP archive](https://nlmexporter.com/guides/export/notebook-to-zip-backup) |
| an Obsidian vault (.md, YAML) | Free + Pro | [Export a whole NotebookLM notebook to an Obsidian vault](https://nlmexporter.com/guides/export/notebook-to-obsidian-vault) |

## Frequently asked questions

### Is it free to sync a NotebookLM notebook to a local folder?

No. This output needs Ultra Exporter Pro, available as an annual plan or a one-time purchase. Remaining free exports cannot unlock it.

### Is folder sync a live two-way sync?

No. It is a one-way archive sync that you run. It does not push local edits back to NotebookLM and does not run after the browser closes.

### What is inside a NotebookLM archive?

Folders for sources, notes, reports, chats and Studio files built from the content that can be read, plus a README.md index and a manifest.json listing every item and its status.

### Can I back up several notebooks at once?

Free includes 1 successful single-notebook archive in total. Pro archives repeatedly and several notebooks at once.

## Related guides

- [Folder sync: keep a NotebookLM notebook current on disk](https://nlmexporter.com/guides/features/folder-sync)
- [ZIP archive vs folder sync for NotebookLM backup](https://nlmexporter.com/guides/compare/zip-archive-vs-folder-sync)
- [Export a whole NotebookLM notebook to an Obsidian vault](https://nlmexporter.com/guides/export/notebook-to-obsidian-vault)
- [Back up a whole NotebookLM notebook as a ZIP archive](https://nlmexporter.com/guides/export/notebook-to-zip-backup)
- [Export NotebookLM notes to Word](https://nlmexporter.com/guides/export/notes-to-word)
- [Export NotebookLM notes to PDF](https://nlmexporter.com/guides/export/notes-to-pdf)