EXPORT · WHOLE NOTEBOOKS
Sync a NotebookLM notebook to a local folder
Short answer
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
- Install NotebookLM Ultra Exporter in desktop Chrome, then refresh any open NotebookLM (Gemini Notebook) tab.
- Connect Pro: open the extension's account panel and sign in with the Google account you bought Pro with.
- 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.
- Choose a local folder in the list of outputs and set any options shown for it.
- 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 |
| an Obsidian vault (.md, YAML) | Free + Pro | Export a whole NotebookLM notebook to an Obsidian vault |
Free or Pro?
Requires Ultra Exporter Pro (annual or one-time). Pro covers the extension only; it does not include a Google subscription or raise NotebookLM's own limits. Current prices are on the pricing page.
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 writes a NotebookLM notebook to a folder on your computer and keeps it current.
A ZIP archive is a one-off snapshot of a NotebookLM notebook in a single file; one full archive is free.
How to export a whole NotebookLM notebook to an Obsidian vault. You get Markdown files with YAML frontmatter and a wiki-link index, organized by sources.
Back up a whole NotebookLM notebook as a ZIP archive. You get one ZIP with folders for sources, notes, reports, chats and Studio files, a README.md index and.
How to export NotebookLM notes to Word. You get an editable .docx with real headings, lists and tables.
How to export NotebookLM notes to PDF. You get a print-ready PDF of the note with its headings, tables and citation references.
How to export NotebookLM notes to Markdown. You get a .md file with headings, lists, tables and links intact, ready for Obsidian, Notion or a Git repository.
How to export NotebookLM notes to LaTeX. You get a .tex file with the note's structure and its equations as LaTeX source.