Gemini Notebook’s built-in audio recorder is now widely rolling out on Android and iOS, according to 9to5Google, which has it live. Your recordings become notebook sources, so you can chat with them and cite them like any other document. Google first announced the recorder in a September 15 post about study tools.
How the Gemini Notebook audio recorder works
A new microphone icon sits between the camera and the Create New button, 9to5Google reports. Recording from the homepage starts a new notebook. Tapping the mic from a notebook’s Sources tab saves the recording into that notebook instead.
- Controls: a pause button, plus a checkmark that finishes the recording and starts the upload.
- Background use: recording continues with the app in the background or the screen locked.
- Length: each capture is capped at one hour.
- Not showing? Force-stop the app and open it again.
9to5Google also spotted a smaller change. Tapping Create New now opens a new notebook right away, rather than the Add a source panel.
Who it’s for
Google pitched the recorder at students who want to capture lectures and voice notes on the go. The same September post promoted a free year of Google AI Pro for US college students, which we covered in our student offer story. It also announced real-time voice conversations with notebooks, which is a separate feature. The app itself is on Google Play for Android users.
Recordings upload to Google as notebook sources once you finish. Recording rules vary by place and by school, so check whether you need permission before recording a lecture or another person. If you use Gemini Notebook often, its recent slide and video controls pair well with recorded lecture notes.
Source: Google, 9to5Google
