--- title: "AI Quick Tips 321: Do you want to organize your sources in NotebookLM?" description: Discover how to organize sources in NotebookLM with the new auto-label feature, enhancing your productivity and source management. image: https://thoughtsbrewing.com/hubfs/AI%20Quick%20Tips-1.jpg --- [![Thoughts Brewing Logo](https://thoughtsbrewing.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Thoughts%20Brewing%20Logo_Round_Final_Light%20Blue_Transparent%20Background-1.png?width=200&height=600&name=Thoughts%20Brewing%20Logo_Round_Final_Light%20Blue_Transparent%20Background-1.png "Thoughts Brewing Logo")](https://www.thoughtsbrewing.com/) Search toggle - [Home](https://thoughtsbrewing.com/en-us/home) - [About](https://thoughtsbrewing.com/en-us/about) About - [About Us](https://thoughtsbrewing.com/en-us/about) - [FAQs](https://thoughtsbrewing.com/en-us/faqs) - [Blog](https://thoughtsbrewing.com/blog) Blog - [Blog Subscription](https://thoughtsbrewing.com/en-us/blog-subscription) - [Ask A Question](https://thoughtsbrewing.com/en-us/ask-us-anything-business-tech) - 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[Home](https://thoughtsbrewing.com/en-us/home) - [About](https://thoughtsbrewing.com/en-us/about) About - [About Us](https://thoughtsbrewing.com/en-us/about) - [FAQs](https://thoughtsbrewing.com/en-us/faqs) - [Blog](https://thoughtsbrewing.com/blog) Blog - [Blog Subscription](https://thoughtsbrewing.com/en-us/blog-subscription) - [Ask A Question](https://thoughtsbrewing.com/en-us/ask-us-anything-business-tech) - [Blog Home](https://thoughtsbrewing.com/blog) - [AI Articles](https://thoughtsbrewing.com/blog/tag/ai) - [Articles by Damien](https://thoughtsbrewing.com/blog/author/damien) - [Articles by Danielle](https://thoughtsbrewing.com/blog/author/danielle) - [AI Training/Courses](https://thoughtsbrewing.com/en-us/courses) AI Training/Courses - [Next-Level AI Workshops](https://thoughtsbrewing.com/en-us/next-level-ai-workshops) - [Free ChatGPT Email Course](https://thoughtsbrewing.com/en-us/chatgpt-kickstarter-email-course) - [Request a YouTube Video](https://thoughtsbrewing.com/en-us/youtube-video-request-page) - [AI Quick Tips](https://thoughtsbrewing.com/blog/tag/ai-quick-tips) - [Writing Style Guide Template](https://thoughtsbrewing.com/en-us/writing-style-guide-template) - [Human + AI Playbook Template](https://thoughtsbrewing.com/en-us/human-ai-playbook) - [NotebookLM Masterclass](https://maven.com/thoughts-brewing-llc/learn-notebooklm-in-a-weekend-2-cohort) - [Fractional COO/CTO Services](https://thoughtsbrewing.com/en-us/fractional-coo/cto-services) - [Contact](https://thoughtsbrewing.com/en-us/contact) What are you looking for? # AI Quick Tips 321: Do you want to organize your sources in NotebookLM? May 2, 2026 ![Picture of Damien Griffin](https://app.hubspot.com/settings/avatar/20cb51297a34e5d5d7c3362ec1fae755) [Damien Griffin](https://thoughtsbrewing.com/blog/author/damien) ![A graphic title card on a dark blue background. On the left is an orange robot head with a speech bubble containing the text 'AI'. To the right is a light blue circle containing the words 'Quick Tips'.](https://thoughtsbrewing.com/hubfs/AI%20Quick%20Tips-1.jpg) Yeah, so do I. This new feature doesn’t work exactly the way that I would like (*yet*), but it is better than nothing and a step in the right direction (I think). Basically, once you add five or more sources, you will have an option to have NotebookLM auto-label your sources. The “auto” is what some people aren’t liking about it. So far, it’s worked well for me, but it would be nice to manually move some things around. Since NotebookLM is still technically a Google Labs project (meaning that they could get rid of it at any time or drastically change it), I will accept this update.   Anyway, once you add 5 or more sources, you get this icon right above your sources - ![A close-up, high-contrast icon showing a stylized folder shape with a four-pointed sparkle icon in the top-left corner, representing the new AI-powered "Source Folders" feature in NotebookLM. ima](https://thoughtsbrewing.com/hs-fs/hubfs/undefined-May-02-2026-01-54-06-1706-PM.png?width=84&height=64&name=undefined-May-02-2026-01-54-06-1706-PM.png)   This is what it looks like with some sources underneath it![A screenshot of the NotebookLM "Sources" sidebar. Below the "Add sources" and "Fast Research" search bars is an unorganized list of five PDF files related to DaVinci Resolve, Fusion 8 scripting, and Gemini prompting. All files are selected with checkmarks.](https://thoughtsbrewing.com/hs-fs/hubfs/undefined-May-02-2026-01-54-06-8467-PM.png?width=465&height=505&name=undefined-May-02-2026-01-54-06-8467-PM.png)   The icon is there because this feature is optional. You don’t have to organize and label your sources. If you choose to, click on the icon and have it organize your sources.   After a short time, it will do something like this![A screenshot of the NotebookLM "Sources" sidebar showing files organized into collapsed folders. Three folders are visible: "AI Prompting," "Software Scripting," and "Video Editing," each with a right-facing arrow and a checkmark indicating all contents are selected.](https://thoughtsbrewing.com/hs-fs/hubfs/undefined-May-02-2026-01-54-06-6388-PM.png?width=483&height=422&name=undefined-May-02-2026-01-54-06-6388-PM.png)   The categories can also expand if clicked![A screenshot of the NotebookLM "Sources" sidebar with all folders expanded. "AI Prompting" contains two PDFs, "Software Scripting" contains one, and "Video Editing" contains two. The interface demonstrates how folder organization clarifies the relationship between different technical guides and research papers.](https://thoughtsbrewing.com/hs-fs/hubfs/undefined-May-02-2026-01-54-06-3562-PM.png?width=463&height=622&name=undefined-May-02-2026-01-54-06-3562-PM.png)   This example only has 5 sources, but imagine if you have 50, 100, or 500 sources (if your plan supports that many). This can really help to clean things up. You also gain the ability to select or de-select by category. So if you want to exclude 100 sources from a chat it can be much easier.   #### Two things to note from my experiences with this so far - 1. It didn’t work on existing notebooks. I had to create a new notebook and add sources before the icon appeared 2. It only works on my free account right now 3. I also have a Pro account (tied to Google Workspace) and a Plus account. Neither of them have the feature yet. 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