How to download a NotebookLM Audio Overview — and make it a podcast

NotebookLM was renamed Gemini Notebook in July 2026; audio download is unchanged under both names.

The native download

1. Generate the Audio Overview in the Studio panel (free tier: 3 a day).
2. Open the three-dot (⋮) menu on the audio tile.
3. Choose Download. The file saves as WAV — uncompressed, so a 20-minute episode can be well over 100 MB.

WAV is the wrong format for a phone

WAV is uncompressed audio: great fidelity, terrible size. For a spoken-word podcast the quality difference against MP3 is inaudible, and the size difference is roughly ten to one. Before moving it to a phone, convert it — any audio converter, or a one-line ffmpeg command:

ffmpeg -i overview.wav -b:a 96k overview.mp3

96 kbps is plenty for two voices talking. The file drops from 100+ MB to around 15, and every podcast app and car stereo plays MP3 without complaint.

The better way: a podcast feed

Downloading, converting and side-loading each episode gets old fast if you generate audio regularly. The exporter extension turns your notebooks into a private podcast RSS feed: generate an Audio Overview, and it appears in the feed automatically. Subscribe once in Apple Podcasts, Pocket Casts, Overcast or any app that takes an RSS URL, and new episodes arrive like any other show — downloaded for offline, position remembered, playback speed controls and all. No file management at all.

Once it's a file

• Study on the commute — the classic use; a lecture's worth of reading as a 15-minute conversation.
• Share with a study group or team — one generated summary, everyone listens.
• Archive the version you liked — audio is regenerated fresh each time, so the download is the only way to keep a specific take.

People also ask

What format does NotebookLM audio download in?

WAV — uncompressed and large. Convert it to MP3 for phones and podcast apps; the quality difference for spoken audio is inaudible and the file shrinks about tenfold.

Can I subscribe to NotebookLM audio as a podcast?

Not natively, but the exporter extension publishes your notebooks as a private RSS feed. Subscribe in any podcast app and new Audio Overviews arrive automatically — no downloading or converting.

How do I get the audio onto my iPhone?

Download the WAV on desktop, convert to MP3, and transfer it — or use the podcast-feed route, which delivers episodes straight to your podcast app with nothing to side-load.