Studio: what to make, and how.
Studio is the right-hand panel in Gemini Notebook. It turns the sources you ticked into reports, audio, video, visuals and study aids. For each output below: when to use it at work, how to customise it, a prompt to start from, the steps, and what to check before you share.
The same five steps for every output
- Tick sourcesStudio starts from the sources ticked in the Sources panel. Leave out drafts and old versions.
- Click the tileIts settings window opens: format, length, language, a Sources picker and a prompt box, depending on the output.
- CustomiseChoose the format, length and language, then type a prompt: who it is for and what to focus on.
- Generate nowIt builds in the background, from seconds to many minutes. The AI Usage bar shows what it will use; Generate later queues it instead.
- Check, then shareEvery output is a draft. Check the claims against the sources before it leaves the notebook.
A prompt that works for any tile:
Focus on [topics]. Keep it [short / detailed], in [tone or style].
Use only facts from the sources. Mark anything not in them as “not documented”.
To see the prompt behind any finished output, open its ⋮ menu in Studio and choose View custom prompt. That is the quickest way to reuse a good one.
Which output for which job?
| You need to… | Use | Example from the Learning Hub project |
|---|---|---|
| Brief a decision-maker | Reports | Steering committee briefing on budget, approvals and risks |
| Compare items side by side | Data Table | Proposal vs approved charter: item, proposal, charter, conflict |
| Track actions or risks | Data Table | Actions from the minutes with owner, deadline and status |
| Onboard a new team member | Report Flashcards | “What a new Learning Hub team member needs to know” |
| Update a busy sponsor | Audio Overview (Brief) | Two-minute status update to listen to on the way to a meeting |
| Stress-test a proposal | Audio Overview (Critique or Debate) | The Meridian proposal, critiqued against the charter |
| Explain to a wide audience | Video Overview, Infographic | A one-page “Learning Hub pilot at a glance” for all staff |
| See the whole picture | Mind Map | All workstreams, risks and decisions in one map |
| Present at a meeting | Slide Deck (presenter slides) | Five slides for the next steering meeting |
| Check people understood | Quiz | A ten-question check after the pilot briefing |
Reports
A report built from your sources: Interactive (new: a report with Studio content embedded) or Document (a structured, text-only document).
Use it for
- Steering committee or management briefings
- An onboarding pack for new staff
- A meeting pack, policy summary or handover note in your own format
Customise
- Format: Interactive (the default) or Document
- Template: click its pencil to rewrite it in your own words
- Say the audience, the headings you want and the length
Write a one-page steering committee briefing on the Learning Hub pilot. Headings: budget, approvals, open risks, decisions needed. Use a table for the risks with owner and response. Use only facts from the sources and mark anything missing as "not documented".
Steps
- Tick the approved documents only
- Studio → Reports
- Click the pencil on the template, paste your prompt → Generate now
- ⋮ → Export to Docs to edit; tables can go to Sheets
Check before you share
Open the citations for every number, date and name. Look for “approved” where the source only says “proposed”.
Data Table
A table with the rows and columns you describe, each cell traceable to its source. Exports to Google Sheets.
Use it for
- Comparing a proposal, quote or contract with what was approved
- Action logs: action, owner, deadline, status
- Risk or issue registers pulled from several documents
Customise
- Describe the rows and columns in “Describe the data table you want to create”
- Choose the language and the sources
- Ask for a column that flags gaps, for example “conflict?” or “owner missing”
One row per action from the steering committee minutes. Columns: action, owner, deadline, status today, source. Write "not assigned" when no owner is given and "not documented" when a status is missing.
Steps
- Tick the minutes and the status report
- Studio → Data Table
- Describe the rows and columns → Generate now
- ⋮ → Export to Sheets: the table goes on the first tab, citations on the second
Check before you share
Spot-check three rows against the source. Empty cells are useful: they show who to ask.
Audio Overview
A spoken discussion of your sources. Listen while you travel or between meetings, in 80+ languages including Malay.
Formats
- Deep Dive (default): two hosts discuss and connect the topics
- Brief: one speaker, the key points in under two minutes
- Critique: two hosts give constructive feedback on a document
- Debate: two hosts argue different sides
Use it for
- A two-minute update for a busy sponsor (Brief)
- Testing a proposal or draft before a review (The Critique)
- Hearing both sides of a decision (The Debate)
- Length: Short, Default or Long
Critique the Meridian supplier proposal against the approved project charter. The listener is the project sponsor, who must decide whether to sign. Focus on price, start date, what is excluded and what has not been approved yet.
Steps
- Tick the documents to discuss
- Studio → Audio Overview → format, language, length and sources
- Under “What should the AI hosts focus on?”, type your prompt or add a suggested topic → Generate now (a few minutes)
- Play in Studio, download, or share; in English you can choose Interactive mode and join in to ask the hosts questions
Check before you share
Hosts sound confident even when they are wrong. Listen for numbers and commitments, then check them in the sources.
Video Overview
A narrated video that explains your sources with visuals, pulling in images, diagrams and figures from them.
Formats
- Cinematic: story-led and immersive (18+, English only)
- Short (new): about 60 seconds on the key ideas
- Explainer: a structured overview that connects the main points
Customise
- Pick a suggested focus topic, or write a Custom topic
- Choose the sources the video may use
- Explainer videos can also offer a visual style and narration language
A 60-second introduction to the Learning Hub pilot for all staff: what it is, when it starts, and what they will be asked to do. Friendly tone. Do not mention the supplier price.
Steps
- Tick the sources
- Studio → Video Overview → format and sources
- Pick a focus topic or type a Custom topic → Generate now. It can take more than 30 minutes, so carry on working
- Play, download or share from Studio
Check before you share
Watch it through once. Pause on every figure and date shown on screen and check it against the sources.
Mind Map
A branching diagram of the main topics in your sources and how they connect.
Use it for
- Getting the big picture of a large document set quickly
- Finding links between documents you might miss
- Planning workshops and kick-off meetings
Customise
- Choose the language and the sources
- “What should the topic be?”: restrict it to one source or one theme
- Once built, click any node to ask Chat about that topic
Steps
- Tick the sources
- Studio → Mind Map → language, sources, topic → Generate now
- Expand and collapse branches; click a node to ask a question
- Download it as an image
Check before you share
A map shows topics, not facts. For any claim it suggests, click the node and check the cited answer in Chat.
Slide Deck 18+
A presentation built from your sources. Present it in Gemini Notebook, or download it as PDF or PowerPoint.
Formats
- Detailed deck: full text, made to be read or emailed
- Presenter slides: clean visuals and talking points for when you speak
- Length: Short or Default; choose the language and sources
Use it for
- A first draft of a meeting or briefing deck
- A read-ahead pack for people who missed a meeting
- Retelling material in a new style, such as a graphic novel for new staff
Five presenter slides for the next steering committee meeting on the Learning Hub pilot: status, budget against the cap, open risks, and the two decisions needed. Clean, professional style. Put every number on a slide with its source.
Steps
- Tick the sources
- Studio → Slide Deck → format, language, length and sources
- Describe the deck you want → Generate now (several minutes)
- To fix slides, click Revise, note your changes on each slide, then Generate revised deck. Revisions do not re-read the sources
- ⋮ → download as PDF or PowerPoint
Check before you share
Check every number and date on every slide. After a revision, check again: revised slides are not checked against the sources.
Infographic 18+
A single visual page that summarises the main points, data or relationships in your sources.
Use it for
- A one-page “at a glance” for a noticeboard, email or intranet
- Showing a timeline, a process or key figures visually
- A cover page for a longer report
Customise
- Orientation: Landscape, Portrait or Square; language
- Visual style: Auto-select, Kawaii, Clay, Sketch Note, Anime and more
- Level of detail: Concise, Standard or Detailed (beta); sources; a prompt for the focus and colours
A one-page "Learning Hub pilot at a glance" for all staff: start date, who it is for, the three things staff need to do, and who to contact. Simple and friendly. No budget figures.
Steps
- Tick the sources
- Studio → Infographic → orientation, visual style, level of detail, sources
- Describe the infographic → Generate now
- ⋮ → download as PNG, or share
Check before you share
Image text can be misspelt or wrong. Read every word and figure on it, and check them against the sources.
Flashcards & Quiz
Interactive study aids made from your sources. Explain gives a cited explanation of any card or answer.
Use it for
- Onboarding: key terms, contacts, dates and rules
- Checking understanding after a briefing or a policy change
- Preparing for an exam, audit or certification
Customise
- Number of cards or questions: Fewer, Standard or More
- Level of difficulty: Easy, Medium or Hard
- Language, sources, and “What should the topic be?” (or a suggested topic)
Ten questions for a new Learning Hub team member: the start date, the budget cap, who owns which action, and which risks are still open. Medium difficulty. Explain each answer with its source.
Steps
- Tick the sources
- Studio → Flashcards or Quiz
- Set the number and difficulty, type the topic → Generate now
- Work through it; share a study set with a link
Check before you share
Take the quiz yourself first. A wrong “correct answer” teaches the wrong thing to everyone who takes it.
Export and share safely
Export
- Reports → Export to Docs; tables → Export to Sheets
- Audio and video → download; slide decks → PDF or PowerPoint; infographics and mind maps → image
- Edits in an exported file do not flow back to the notebook
Share
- Sharing permissions do not carry over to exported files: set them again in Docs or Sheets
- Notebook access: Viewer for readers, Editor only for people who maintain the sources
- Public links are for consumer accounts only, and never for work documents
Based on Google’s Gemini Notebook help pages, checked October 2026. Options vary by plan, account type and age (Slide Deck, Infographic, visual styles and Cinematic video need 18+). Usage limits refresh every five hours. Every Studio output is AI-generated and can contain errors.