Google’s Gemini Notebook is one of those AI tools that becomes more useful the longer you use it. At first, it may seem like a smart place to upload PDFs and ask questions. But that is only the starting point. The real difference comes from telling Gemini Notebook exactly how you want it to work. I have found that detailed prompts can make its answers, presentations and audio much more useful. Some of these prompts are inspired by ideas I came across online, while others are prompts I have tested and refined myself. Here are five prompts that can help you get more from Gemini Notebook.
Slide Deck is one of the features available on Gemini Notebook that will be able to make your sources in the notebook into a presentation. There are two options available, which include Detailed Deck and Presenter Slides. The former works well in cases where you need more details, and the latter is suitable for points that are to be presented during the process.
However, by simply asking Gemini Notebook to present your presentation, you may end up with something that lacks direction. I have found that giving Gemini Notebook a clear structure before it creates the deck makes a big difference. You can tell it who the presentation is for, what each slide should contain and even what the overall design should look like.
Here is the prompt I use:
“I have attached a script for a [X-minute] presentation given to [audience type], entitled “[Presentation Title].”
Please produce an outline of the slides for this script. Include the following information for each slide:
Slide Title: Relevant and catchy title for the audience.
Visual Description: Detailed instructions about the image, diagram, or screenshot to be placed in the slide. (Make sure to include placeholders for any interactive content, like QR codes).
Text on the Slide: Not more than 3-5 bullet points. Make it minimal. Do not copy the entire script here. Use keywords related to the topic.
Design Style: [Choose from e.g., dark mode, minimalist, futuristic]
Optional Information about the Key Sections: You can add your headings if you want to, but make sure to include:
Introduction / Hook
Problem / Challenge
Solution / Approach
Interactive Element / Example
Key Concept / Terminology
Conclusion / Takeaways”
Keep in mind that when using this prompt, one should make sure that we have provided Gemini Notebook with detailed instructions so that it doesn’t make up things or take decisions on its own.
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One of my favourite ways to use Gemini Notebook is to stop asking it one question at a time.
If you have uploaded several reports, articles or research papers, it can be difficult to know which questions are actually worth asking. You may end up asking several small questions and still miss the bigger picture.
A useful approach is to ask Gemini Notebook to create the questions for you. I picked up the idea for this prompt from Reddit and have found it especially useful when dealing with a large amount of information.
The prompt I use is:
“1.) Analyse all inputs and generate 5 essential questions that, when answered, capture the main points and core meaning of all inputs.
2.) While you are developing questions for your study:
a. Try to identify the main topic (or topics) or the main idea (or ideas).
b. Find supporting ideas
c. Point out important facts or evidence
d. Understand the author’s point of view
e. Understand the implications or conclusions.
3.) Answer all of your generated questions one-by-one in detail.”
What I like about this approach is that it changes the way you interact with your sources. Instead of simply looking for answers, you first ask Gemini Notebook to decide what deserves your attention.
This can be particularly useful when you are dealing with a long research document or several sources covering the same subject.
Gemini Notebook’s Audio Overview is one of its most interesting features. It can turn your sources into a podcast-style conversation, which makes it easy to learn while travelling, walking or doing something else.
However, the one thing I noted is that the more Audio Overviews you create, the more similar they can start to feel. But that’s where custom prompts come in. Rather than accepting the default style every time, you can tell Gemini Notebook how you want the information explained.
The prompt I always come back to is the one involving the Feynman Technique, where the emphasis is put on explaining complex things in simple words.
The prompt goes like this:
“Explain the basic notions in the source in a way you would explain it to an intelligent 12-year-old. Use analogies for all complex notions. In case there is some abstract notion, provide an example from the physical world. Explain the importance, rather than the definition.”
This kind of prompt becomes very useful when the sources contain many difficult notions and concepts that may be hard to comprehend at first glance.
When you prompt Gemini Notebook to provide a real-world example, then it becomes especially helpful, as the main idea is not just to give another definition of the notion but rather to connect it to the physical world. That makes the audio easier to follow, and I personally feel it’s much easier to remember.
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If you have uploaded meeting notes, business documents or project updates, you may not have time to listen to a long discussion between two hosts like a podcast. Sometimes you simply want to know what happened, what needs to happen next and what the important numbers are.
For that, you can use the below-mentioned prompt that ensures that Gemini Notebook gets straight to the point:
“You are briefing a busy CEO. Do not use fluff or banter. Go straight to the bottom line: What is the problem, what is the solution, and what are the financial implications? If there are action items in the text, list them clearly. Keep the tone professional, crisp, and urgent.”
The difference can be quite noticeable. Instead of asking Gemini Notebook to simply discuss the sources, you give it a clear role and tell it what information matters most.
I find this useful for meeting notes because important details can easily get buried inside a long conversation. Asking Gemini Notebook to focus on the problem, solution, money and action items gives the final output a much clearer purpose.
You can also adapt the same idea for project updates, business reports or planning documents.
The previous prompt is all about keeping things serious. This one is the complete opposite.
Sometimes you do not want another serious summary. You want something entertaining that still helps you understand the source material.
I found this idea on Reddit and polished it over time. It asks Gemini Notebook to turn its Audio Overview into a chaotic conversation between two hosts who clearly cannot stand each other.
Here is the prompt:
“Hosts: Person 1 and Person 2.
Relation: Person 1 and Person 2 do not like each other, and they hate discussing the topics that they are obligated to cover in their dialogue.
Dialogue: Make it dry, witty, sarcastic and humorous. They always find ways to criticise and mock each other. Their jabs should be clever and indirect rather than stupid and straightforward. Their bitterness, cynicism, and disrespect towards each other should be obvious.
Backstory: Generate some small details regarding their life stories, personal relationships, habits and history. Use them for embarrassment and bringing up old scores. Allow several bigger stories or disputes to develop gradually during the discussion.
Escalation: Begin with light jokes and slowly escalate into stronger insults. When they become more angry, allow them to stop being polite and start yelling at each other.
Ending: Right when the argument reaches its peak and completely gets out of control, allow one of the hosts to tell a very silly joke that would break everything up and make them laugh madly.”
This is obviously not the prompt I would use for a work meeting or a serious research project. But that is also the point, as Gemini Notebook does not have to be used in the same predictable way every time. Changing the tone can make familiar material feel fresh. If you are trying to learn something that you normally find boring, an unusual format can make it easier to stay interested.