On the latest versions of ChromeOS, NotebookLM comes pre-installed. However, if you don’t see it on your device for some reason, don’t worry — you can easily install it yourself.
Google’s NotebookLM is one of the most powerful AI tools for organizing research, summarizing documents, and generating insights from the sources you upload. The best part? Since NotebookLM runs on the web, you can use it directly from your web browser on a Chromebook and even install it like an app through Chrome’s PWA (Progressive Web App) feature.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to do to open NotebookLM, install it as an app, and make it easily accessible from your shelf, just like any other ChromeOS app.
How to Install NotebookLM on Chromebook
One of the best ChromeOS features is the ability to install websites as apps. This gives you a clean windowed interface, taskbar shortcut, and app-like behavior.
To get NotebookLM running smoothly on your Chromebook, you only need a few basics. You should have a Chromebook running the latest version of ChromeOS and if it’s not updated, you can update it easily, along with a stable internet connection to download it. Here’s how.
On the latest version of ChromeOS, we get a new app store that allows us to download and install Chromebook-optimized applications. You can use it to install Android and PWA apps. Here are the steps to install NotebookLM using it.
1. Open the new App Store on your Chromebook.
2. Search for NotebookLM and select it from the search results.
3. Click on Install from Web to install it on your Chromebook.
Google hasn’t released NotebookLM as a standalone Play Store app yet. Instead, it works as a web app, and the browser experience is fully supported.
How to Use NotebookLM on Chrome Browser
If you’re still not able to install the PWA version of NotebookLM, you can directly use it in your Chrome browser. Here’s how:
1. Open the Chrome browser on your Chromebook.
2. In the address bar, type: https://notebooklm.google
3. Press Enter, and sign in using your Google account if prompted.
4. Once the page loads, you’ll see the NotebookLM dashboard with your notebooks and document options.
You can also install the PWA version of NotebookLM from the Chrome browser. In the address bar, you’ll see the Install icon — click on it to install the app. After that, NotebookLM will open in a standalone app window. Now it feels like a native Chromebook app rather than just another browser tab.
How to Pin NotebookLM to Your Chromebook Shelf
To access NotebookLM faster, you can pin it to your shelf:
1. Right-click on the NotebookLM app icon.
2. Select Pin to shelf from the context menu.
Now NotebookLM will stay in place even when you close the window. It’s practically a desktop app at this point.
Wrapping Up
Installing NotebookLM on your Chromebook is incredibly simple thanks to ChromeOS’s built-in PWA support. Within a few clicks, you turn the web version of NotebookLM into a full, standalone app that’s always within reach.
Whether you’re researching for school, managing a long project, or organizing content for your blog, having NotebookLM pinned to your shelf helps you get to your ideas faster and stay more organized.
