NotebookLM has seen plenty of changes since Google’s first wide release of the AI app back in 2023. Since then, the app has taken on less of a note-taking appearance and become a bit more of a catch-all for research, whether you’re a student, researcher, author, or just need to be able to access specific information in a large pool of data. Google has even released its own AI-generated notebooks so users can test how the system works before importing their own work.
Google has steadily been updating NotebookLM, adding new features like Video Overviews and more. The app has become one of my preferred tools for going through large swaths of content and some of its features have been key to its usability, including the ability to easily create FAQs and Timelines. With the latest update, though, some noticed that Google had made it slightly harder to create FAQs and Timelines, removing the original prompts that have been easily findable in the app for ages.
While it’s more difficult to start creating FAQs and Timelines now, it’s not impossible. Google has even gone out of its way to highlight just how easy it is in a new thread on X — including giving users the exact prompt they need to generate FAQs.
How to create FAQs and Timelines in NotebookLM
To create FAQs and Timelines using NotebookLM after the latest update, you’ll actually need to use the Create Report option. Once you’ve selected it, choose your language, and then copy and paste one of the following prompts from Google into the prompt box (without the quotations).
To create an FAQ, use this prompt:
- “Create a comprehensive FAQ with detailed and thorough answers that best captures the main themes and ideas in the sources. It should have a helpful tone designed to address reader inquiries.”
Use this prompt to create a Timeline:
- “Create a detailed timeline of the main events covered in these sources, followed by a cast of characters listing the principle people mentioned in the sources, with brief bios for each.”
Google says you can also “upgrade” these prompts with any “twists” that might help make them more impactful for your own usage. While it certainly is annoying that users can’t just hit the prompt suggestion anymore, the fact Google has gone out of its way to share a new prompt to offer similar results to older prompt suggestions is a nice touch. If you aren’t interested in using NotebookLM for your research, though, you can also use one of its best features in Google Docs.
