How to Add Chapters and Timestamps to YouTube Videos

What chapters are

Chapters split the progress bar into labeled segments. Viewers can see the section they're in, preview section titles, and jump straight to the part they need. On longer videos — tutorials, reviews, podcasts, explainers — that makes the video far easier to use.

How to add chapters, step by step

1. Open the video in YouTube Studio and go to its details.
2. In the description, add a list of timestamps with titles, one per line, starting with 0:00.
3. Save. Chapters appear once YouTube processes the change, which can take a little time.

Example:

0:00 Intro
1:12 Why most thumbnails fail
3:40 The one-sentence test
6:05 Designing for small screens
9:30 Testing with Test & Compare

Paste your list into the chapters generator to format it and check it against the rules automatically.

The three rules

Use M:SS for videos under an hour and H:MM:SS for longer ones.

Automatic chapters

YouTube can also create chapters automatically for eligible videos. You can turn this on or off in the video's settings in YouTube Studio. If you add your own timestamps, those are used instead. Writing your own takes a minute and lets you choose clear, searchable titles.

Why your chapters aren't showing

• The list doesn't start at 0:00.
• There are fewer than three timestamps, or they're out of order.
• A chapter is shorter than 10 seconds (often a typo, like 1:05 written as 10:5).
• Automatic chapters are turned off and the description timestamps don't meet the rules.
• YouTube hasn't finished processing the change yet — check again later.

Writing chapter titles that work

• Describe what happens in the section: "Choosing a microphone" rather than "Part 2".
• Use the words people search for. Google can show chapters as "key moments" in search results, linking straight to that part of your video.
• Keep them short so they fit on the progress bar on a phone.
• Be accurate. A chapter that doesn't match its section frustrates viewers.

Do chapters help your channel grow?

Chapters don't boost a video on their own, but they help with two things that matter: viewers who find the part they came for are less likely to leave, and clear sections make the video easier to understand in search. On long videos, that's a meaningful advantage. See YouTube SEO and how to get more watch hours.

Frequently asked questions