Google Docs can now use Gemini Notebook sources in AI drafts
By Automate Basics, written with AI from Google's original
Google says Gemini in Google Docs can now use an existing Gemini Notebook as a source for drafts and include inline citations. The feature is available to users on eligible Workspace, education and consumer plans.
What changed in Google Docs
Google says people writing in Google Docs can now bring an existing Gemini Notebook into an AI prompt as a source. Gemini then uses material from that notebook to inform its response and adds inline citations so the writer can check the result against the research.
The change is aimed at work that starts with a collection of sources and ends as a document, such as a proposal or whitepaper. Google says a writer can type @ in the Docs side panel or bottom bar to reference a notebook. That lets someone use research they have already organized without moving text between the two tools.
Who can use Gemini Notebook sources in Docs?
Google says the feature is available now for both Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains. The listed Workspace plans are Business Standard and Plus, and Enterprise Standard and Plus. Google also lists Education Plus, Google AI Pro and Ultra for consumers, and the Google AI Pro for Education, Teaching and Learning, and AI Expanded Access add-ons.
Access depends on existing settings as well as an eligible plan. Google says the feature is available by default when an administrator has enabled Gemini for Workspace in Drive. Individual users must have Workspace smart features enabled. The announcement does not give a separate price for using notebooks in Docs or say whether the feature is available on plans outside those listed.
How do I try it on a work document?
A draft that needs to reflect research already collected in Gemini Notebook is a sensible first task. Google gives a project proposal or technical whitepaper as examples. In Google Docs, its stated method is to type @ in the side panel or bottom bar and reference an existing notebook before asking Gemini to help with the draft.
Check the inline citations before relying on the result. Compare important claims with the sources in the notebook, and make sure the draft uses those sources for the points you intended. Citations can make review easier, but they do not replace checking whether a claim is accurate and relevant to the document.
Frequently asked questions
Can Google Docs use a Gemini Notebook I already have?
Yes. Google says you can reference an existing Gemini Notebook while using Gemini in Google Docs. Type @ in the side panel or bottom bar to select a notebook as a source. Gemini uses its material to inform the response and provides inline citations.
Do I need to change any settings to use this?
Google says users need Workspace smart features enabled. For organizations, the feature is available by default if an administrator has enabled Gemini for Workspace in Drive. You also need an eligible plan; the announcement does not say it is available to every Docs user.
Does Google charge extra for using Notebook sources in Docs?
Google lists the plans and add-ons that include access, but its announcement does not state a separate price for this feature. If you are unsure whether your account qualifies, check your plan and the relevant Workspace settings rather than assuming access is included.
Related reading
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Written with AI from Google's original and published after automatic checks: every figure here appears in the original, and no sentence is copied from it. The picture is AI-generated. The original is the authority.
Source: Ground AI prompts in Google Docs on existing sources from Gemini Notebook, Google, 23 Sept 2026.