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How to add chapters to a YouTube video

Updated

To add chapters to a YouTube video, paste a list of timestamps and titles into the video's description, starting with 0:00 (YouTube's docs write it 00:00; both work), with at least three chapters, each at least 10 seconds long, in order. YouTube turns that list into chapter markers on the progress bar. Here are the rules, the reasons chapters sometimes don't appear, and how to write chapter titles that help people find the video.

Step by step

  1. Open the video in YouTube Studio → Content → Details.
  2. In the description, add one line per chapter: the timestamp, a space, then the title.
  3. Start with 0:00. List at least three timestamps in ascending order.
  4. Make sure each chapter is at least 10 seconds long.
  5. Save. Chapters can take a little while to appear.
0:00 Why astronauts train in caves
0:19 Managing fear and risk underground
0:34 Teamwork and mission lessons
0:51 Total darkness and artificial light
1:01 Preparing to build a Moon habitat

Why chapters don't show up

  • The first timestamp isn't 0:00.
  • Fewer than three timestamps.
  • A chapter shorter than 10 seconds.
  • Timestamps out of order, or formatted differently (0:10 and 00:10 mixed is fine, 0.10 isn't).
  • Your channel doesn't have access to Advanced features, which chapters require. Apply for it in YouTube Studio settings.
  • Your description list has an error and automatic chapters are turned off for the video. (Manual chapters override automatic ones.)

Writing good chapter titles

  • Use the words people search for. "Lower lunar gravity" beats "Part 4".
  • Keep them short. 2–6 words show fully on phones.
  • Front-load the topic. Chapters appear in Google results for some videos; clear titles help.
  • Write them last. Every change to the cut moves the timestamps, so if you trim the video again, regenerate the chapters.

Writing chapters automatically

19 minutes of interviews became an 87-second YouTube video. Sped up. Phone-size version.

After Novacut cut 19 minutes of interviews into an 87-second video, we asked: "Write a YouTube title, a short description and chapters with timestamps for this video." Novacut wrote the chapters from its own edit, so every timestamp matches the final cut, and it named each one after what she actually talks about. The list above is what we published, after merging the chapters that ran under 10 seconds. Whoever writes your chapters, check the list against YouTube's rules before you publish.

FAQ

How many chapters should a video have?

At least three. For a 10-minute video, 5–8 is typical; one per distinct topic or step works well.

Can I add chapters to a video that's already published?

Yes. Edit the description in YouTube Studio at any time; chapters update without re-uploading.

Do chapters help SEO?

They help viewers jump to what they want, which keeps them watching, and Google sometimes shows "key moments" from chapters in search results.

Can Shorts have chapters?

No. Chapters are for regular long-form videos. Making Shorts →

Sources: YouTube Help, Video chapters. Checked October 2026.

Demo footage: NASA interviews with astronaut Jeanette Epps (public domain). NASA does not endorse Novacut. More on editing YouTube videos.

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