NotebookLM may finally get a customization feature your research docs are begging for

Source: Android Authority

TL;DR

• Google is testing a banner image feature in NotebookLM to help you distinguish between projects at a glance.
• The current interface relies entirely on filenames; these new header graphics will make notebooks instantly recognizable.

Google’s NotebookLM is powerful, but its visual design has been fairly plain. When you juggle multiple notebooks, they can blend together into a sea of identical tiles. A newly spotted, unreleased feature suggests that NotebookLM is preparing to add visual personality, allowing users to tell projects apart without digging through titles.

Recent visual‑less updates

Over the past year, Google has steadily expanded NotebookLM’s capabilities with:

• Audio Overviews – see the coverage here.
• Collaborative notebooks.
• Advanced summarization tools.

Despite these functional upgrades, the UI has remained minimal, which can slow workflow when switching between classes, work projects, or deep‑research topics.

Banner image customization

According to an X post by leaker TestingCatalog, NotebookLM is experimenting with a banner image that users can add to each notebook.

The screenshot shows a header graphic option that could turn a plain research folder into something instantly recognizable—for example:

• A lecture notebook with a course banner.
• A product‑research hub with branding.
• A travel planner with destination imagery.

At the moment, opening NotebookLM feels like looking through a filing cabinet full of manila folders: it works, but you must rely on filenames and memory to locate the right project.

Outlook

These customization features are still in testing, and no release date has been announced. However, NotebookLM has been receiving rapid updates, such as the new option to refine and change slides with a prompt. Visual personalization may arrive soon.