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YouTube Chapter Maker

Press "Add chapter" as the video plays to build a timestamp list you can paste into your description. YouTube's chapter rules are checked automatically.

Last updated: 2026/10/16 Video Feedback & bug reports

Video (optional)

Load a video to use the playback position as the chapter time. Links from the YouTube Studio editor work too. You can also skip this and type the times yourself.

Chapters

Enter times as "1:23", "1:02:03", "83" (seconds) or "1m23s". Rows are sorted by time when you finish editing, and drafts are saved automatically in this browser.

Chapter rule check

  • First chapter at 0:00
  • At least 3 chapters
  • Each chapter 10s or longer
  • No duplicate times
  • Every chapter has a title
  • Within the video length

Based on the requirements in YouTube Help (start at 00:00, at least three timestamps in ascending order, each chapter 10 seconds or longer). Even when every rule is met, chapters may not appear depending on your channel's status and other factors.

Text for your description

A description can be up to 5,000 characters in total.

Import existing chapters

Paste a description (for example from a published video) and press "Import chapters" to turn every line with a timestamp into a chapter. Formats such as "0:00 Title", "Title 0:00", "[01:23] Title", "1:02:03 - Title" and "01:23 | Title" are supported, and lines without a timestamp are ignored.

Your current chapters will be replaced (you can undo right after).

Keyboard shortcuts
MAdd a chapter (at the current position when a video is loaded)
SpacePlay / pause
← / →Back / forward 5 seconds
EnterFinish editing a time or title
EscCancel editing and leave the field

Shortcuts work when the cursor isn't in a text field. Right after you click inside the video, keys go to the YouTube player instead (M mutes it), so click an empty part of the page first.

How to Use

1

Load the video (optional)

Enter the URL or ID of the video you want to add chapters to and press "Load". Links from the YouTube Studio editor work as is. You can also skip this and type the times yourself.

2

Add a chapter at each break

Play the video and, wherever a new section starts, press "Add chapter" (or the M key), type a title and press Enter. Fine-tune times with the ±1s buttons or by typing.

3

Check the rules and copy

When every item under "Chapter rule check" is green, press "Copy", then paste the text into the video's description in YouTube Studio and save.

About YouTube Chapter Maker

YouTube chapters split a video into labeled sections when you list timestamps and titles—like "0:00 Intro"—in the description. But they only appear when every rule is met: start at 0:00, at least three chapters, each 10 seconds or longer. Copying times by hand makes that tedious to check. This tool records each break with one click while the video plays, checks the rules every time you edit, and outputs text you can paste straight into your description. Videos play in YouTube's official embedded player, and your chapters are never sent to a server.

To replay a scene until you find the exact break, try the A-B loop in YouTube Repeat Player. To put the video on a blog or website, YouTube Embed Code Generator creates embed code with a start time. Check how your thumbnail looks with YouTube Thumbnail Preview. And to check the length of your whole description, use the Character Counter.

Features

  • One-click capture while you watchThe playback position becomes the chapter time. Add with the M key, fine-tune with ±1s or "Set to current position", and play from any chapter to double-check.
  • Six automatic rule checksStart at 0:00, 3+ chapters, 10+ seconds each, no duplicate times, no missing titles and within the video length—checked as you type, with the reason shown on any problem row.
  • Import from existing descriptionsParses many common formats—"0:00 Title", "[01:23] Title", "Title 0:00" and more—into chapters you can edit.
  • Auto-saved drafts, fully in your browserDrafts are saved per video in this browser, and your chapters are never sent to a server.

Use Cases

  • Add a table of contents to tutorials and lectures so viewers can jump to what they need
  • Mark the highlights in gaming videos and livestream archives
  • Split review and comparison videos by product or topic
  • Import a published video's chapters, fix times that are off and paste them back
  • Build a tracklist for music or study-playlist videos

FAQ

What are the requirements for YouTube chapters?
According to YouTube Help, the timestamps in your description must start with 00:00, include at least three timestamps in ascending order, and each chapter must be at least 10 seconds long. This tool also checks for duplicate times, missing titles and times beyond the video's length, and it always sorts the output by time.
Why don't my chapters show up even though the rules are met?
First, make sure you saved the description and that each timestamp is on its own line, as in "0:00 Title". According to YouTube Help, chapters aren't available if the channel has active strikes or if the content may be inappropriate for some viewers. Changes can also take a little while to appear, so wait a moment and reload the page.
Where do I paste the chapters in YouTube Studio?
Sign in to YouTube Studio, choose Content in the left menu, select the video, paste the text into the Description field on the details page and click Save. Keeping the chapter list near the top of the description makes it easy for viewers to find. Note that adding chapters with timestamps in the description turns off automatic chapters.
Can I change chapters after publishing?
Yes. You can add, change or remove chapters at any time by editing the description. Paste the current description into "Import existing chapters" here to load the chapters, fix the times or titles, then copy and replace them. To remove chapters, delete the timestamps from the description.
Should I write "0:00" or "00:00"?
Both are generally recognized. YouTube Help uses "00:00", so choose "Leading zeros" under Time format if you want to match it. For videos longer than an hour, include the hour, as in "1:02:03". With the Auto setting, every line switches to the "0:00:00" style when any time is an hour or more.
What if the video won't load or play?
Private videos and videos whose owner has turned off embedding may not play in the player on this page. For a video you haven't published yet, setting it to Unlisted may let it play. You can also create and check chapters without loading the video by typing the times yourself.
Is anything I enter sent anywhere?
No. Creating, checking and importing chapters all happen in your browser, and nothing you enter is sent to a server. Drafts are saved per video in this browser's local storage, so clearing your browsing data removes them. Only when you load a video does the page connect to YouTube's embedded player to play it.

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Related Guides

How to Add Chapters to YouTube Videos: Timestamp Rules and Fixes Add chapters to your YouTube videos the right way: timestamp rules for your description (start at 0:00, at least three, 10+ seconds each), YouTube Studio steps, a fix-it checklist, and title tips. How to Embed YouTube Videos on a Website or Blog: Options and Fixes Embed YouTube videos on your site or blog: get the official iframe code, add it to WordPress, use start, end, autoplay, and loop options, make it responsive, and fix Error 153 and other playback issues.