YouTube how-to
How to add chapters and timestamps to a YouTube video
YouTube turns timestamps in a video's description into chapters: named sections on the progress bar that viewers can jump between. Here is how to add them, the rules YouTube checks, why chapters sometimes don't show, and how to link to a moment in a video.
By ClipSnitch · Reviewed · Check current plans and limits
At a glance
- Where they go
- The video's description, in YouTube Studio
- First timestamp
- 00:00
- How many
- At least 3, in ascending order
- Shortest chapter
- 10 seconds
- Automatic chapters
- On by default for new uploads; your own timestamps override them
- When they may not appear
- Channels with active strikes, or videos that may be inappropriate for some viewers
1. Check that your video can have chapters
YouTube says chapters aren't available while a channel has active strikes, or when a video may be inappropriate for some viewers. Some channels also need access to advanced features first, which you can request in YouTube Studio. Sort those out before anything else: no timestamp format gets around them.
2. Find where each topic starts
Skim the video or read its transcript and note the time each new topic begins: a new question, a new example, a summary. Aim for sections a viewer would want to jump to. In ClipSnitch, a project's Full transcript has a Chapters & show notes card that drafts this list from what is said, with each start on a sentence, so you only check it.
3. Type the timestamps into the description
In YouTube Studio, open the video's details and add one line per chapter to the description: the time, then the title. Start with 00:00, keep the times in ascending order, list at least three, and make every chapter at least 10 seconds long. For a video longer than an hour, include the hour, as in 1:05:30.
4. Give each chapter a clear title
Titles appear on the progress bar and in the chapter list, so keep them short and specific: say what the section covers ("Pricing the first product"), not that it is worth watching. Two to six words usually read best.
5. Save and check your chapters
Click Save, then open the video's watch page: the progress bar should be split into titled sections. If it isn't, check the list again. The first line must be 00:00, there must be at least three timestamps in ascending order, and no chapter can be shorter than 10 seconds. Your own timestamps replace automatic chapters for that video.
6. Link to a moment in the video
To share a video from a specific time on a computer, open Share under the video, tick Start at, enter the time and copy the link. Chapters give viewers their own way in too: each timestamp in the description jumps to its section.
Common questions
Why are my YouTube chapters not showing?
Check the timestamps first: the first must be 00:00, there must be at least three in ascending order, and each chapter must last 10 seconds or more. If the list is right, the channel may have an active strike, the video may be marked as possibly inappropriate for some viewers, or the channel may still need access to advanced features in YouTube Studio.
How do I add timestamps to a YouTube video?
Add them to the description in YouTube Studio, one line per section with the time first: "00:00 Introduction", "02:15 The first question" and so on. Start at 00:00, list at least three in order, and keep every section at least 10 seconds long. YouTube turns the list into chapters when you save.
How do I link to a specific time in a YouTube video?
On a computer, click Share under the video, tick Start at, enter the time you want and copy the link. Whoever opens it starts watching from that moment.
How do I write timestamps for a video over an hour long?
Include the hour: 1:05:30 for one hour, five minutes and thirty seconds. Keep every line in ascending order, and the first one at 00:00.
Can ClipSnitch write the chapters for me?
Yes. Open a project's Full transcript and choose Write chapters in the Chapters & show notes card. You get chapters that follow YouTube's rules, a short summary and key points, and Copy for YouTube puts them in description format. Read them before you post; you can write them again or in another language. It's on every plan, Free included.
Checked on October 19, 2026 against: YouTube Help: video chapters · YouTube Help: share videos
Try the workflow with your recording
Review the output before sharing. See the full workflow or write a description with chapters.