Short answer
- Start at 0:00, list at least 3 chapters in order, and make each one 10 seconds or longer.
- Put the list in the description, one chapter per line.
- Google can use the same timestamps as key moments in search results.
- Times worked out from a script are estimates. Check them against your final edit.
What are YouTube's rules for chapters?
Three rules decide whether chapters show. YouTube does not warn you when one fails. The video just plays with a plain progress bar.
| Rule | What YouTube says | If you break it |
|---|---|---|
| The first timestamp is 0:00 | YouTube: "Make sure that the first timestamp you list starts with 00:00." | No chapters show at all |
| At least 3 timestamps, in order | YouTube: "at least three timestamps listed in ascending order." | No chapters show at all |
| Each chapter is 10 seconds or longer | YouTube: "The minimum length for video chapters is 10 seconds." | No chapters show at all |
| Your chapters replace automatic ones | Adding your own chapters overrides the automatic chapters YouTube may create. | Nothing breaks |
| Some videos are not eligible | Automatic chapters are off for channels with active strikes and for content that may be inappropriate for some viewers. | Depends on the channel |
Source: YouTube Help, video chapters, checked on 12 November 2026.
How do you add chapters to a YouTube video?
- Write each chapter on its own line: the start time, a space, then the name.
- Make the first line 0:00. It is often the hook or the intro.
- Check you have at least 3 lines, in order, with 10 seconds or more between each.
- Paste the list into the description in YouTube Studio and save.
- Open the video and hover over the progress bar. You should see each chapter name.
The list can go anywhere in the description. Most creators put it below the first few lines, so the part people see in search still sells the video. The description generator guide covers what goes in those first lines.
What chapters look like for a real script
On 6 November 2026 I gave the OutlierKit Chapters tool a 311-word draft for a video about paying off $40,000 of student debt in 18 months. It returned three chapters:
0:00 My $40,000 Student Debt 0:44 Budget Cuts and Loan Payments 1:38 Avoid This Repayment Mistake
Each name says what the section gives the viewer: the starting point, the method and the warning. The times are estimates at 150 words per minute. They pass all three rules, which you can confirm with the Good list button in the checker above.
Three is the minimum, and it suits a two-minute video. A 15-minute video usually needs more, so each chapter covers one step the viewer might want to jump to.
How should you name YouTube chapters?
- Name the payoff, not the format. "Budget cuts and loan payments" beats "Part 2".
- Keep names short. The progress bar shows one name at a time, in small text.
- Use the words people search for when a section answers a common question.
- Skip "Intro" when you can. Name the first chapter after the promise instead.
- Do not tease a section that is not there. Viewers jump to it and leave when it is missing.
Do chapters help your video show up in Google?
They can. Google's video guidelines say that for a YouTube video you can set the timestamps and labels in the description, and that Google will prefer key moments you set yourself. Key moments let a search result link straight to one part of your video.
Google can also pick key moments on its own, and it does not promise to show them. So write chapters for viewers first. Clear names help both.
Source: Google Search Central, video structured data.
Timestamp links are a different thing
Many people searching for a "YouTube timestamp generator" want a link that starts a video at one moment, not chapters. That is a ?t= link, like youtu.be/VIDEO_ID?t=83 for 1:23. The Timestamp link mode above builds one from any YouTube link, including Shorts.
A time typed into a description or comment, like 4:12, also becomes a jump link. It only counts as a chapter when the whole list follows the three rules.
What about automatic chapters?
YouTube can add chapters for you on eligible videos. They are on by default for new uploads. Not every eligible video gets them, and you cannot control the names. To turn them off, open the video in YouTube Studio, click Show more and uncheck Allow automatic chapters. Adding your own list also replaces them.
Where this fits: the 4-step packaging and script loop
I ran one video idea through every packaging and script tool in OutlierKit on 6 November 2026. The idea was "How I paid off $40,000 of student debt in 18 months on a teacher's salary". Each step below shows what the app returned.
Step 1
Study a breakout
Video Analysis, 10 credits
"How I Paid Off $70k In 18 Months" by David Why got 48,577 views on a 533-subscriber channel, 339 times its usual. First fix in the report: mention the $70k figure immediately.
Study a breakout →Step 2
Pick the title
Title, 2 credits
Sixteen titles ranked against 12 real breakout videos. The top one scored 90: "How I Paid Off $40,000 of Student Debt in 18 Months as a Teacher".
Pick the title →Step 3
Fix the script before filming
Script review, 10 credits
The draft scored 7.6 with a Hook of 5.0. The Blocker: it opened with a channel greeting instead of the debt-payoff result.
Fix the script before filming →Step 4 (this page)
Finish the packaging
Description & hashtags, Chapters, 4 credits
A 142-character opening for the visible part of the description, 3 + 10 hashtags, and 3 chapters starting at 0:00.
Three tools reached the same verdict on their own: lead with the specific result. The whole loop fits inside the free trial, which is 30 credits on signup, no card, for 3 days. See every output in the full workflow.
YouTube chapters FAQ
Is this YouTube chapters generator free?+
Yes. All three modes run in your browser with no account: check a chapter list, estimate chapters from a script, and make a timestamp link. Nothing you paste is sent anywhere.
Why are my YouTube chapters not showing?+
Almost always one of three rules. The first timestamp must be 0:00. You need at least 3 timestamps in ascending order. Each chapter must last at least 10 seconds. Paste your list into the checker above and it names the line that breaks a rule. Also check that the timestamps are in the description, each on its own line.
What is the difference between a timestamp and a chapter?+
A timestamp is any time written in a description or comment, like 4:12. YouTube turns it into a link that jumps to that moment. Chapters are a list of timestamps that follow YouTube's three rules. Then YouTube splits the progress bar into named sections.
How do I make a YouTube link that starts at a certain time?+
Add ?t= and the number of seconds to a youtu.be link, like youtu.be/VIDEO_ID?t=83 for 1:23. The Timestamp link mode above builds it for you from any YouTube link. YouTube's own Share button has a Start at box that does the same.
Do YouTube chapters help with SEO?+
They can help in Google. Google's video guidelines say that for YouTube videos you can set key moments with timestamps and labels in the description, and that Google will prefer key moments you set yourself. Key moments let a search result jump straight to one part of the video. Google does not promise to show them.
How accurate are the times estimated from a script?+
They are estimates. The tool counts the words in each section and assumes a speaking pace, 150 words per minute by default. Pauses, B-roll and edits move the real times. Use the estimate to plan, then check each time against your final edit before you publish.
Can I turn off automatic chapters?+
Yes. In YouTube Studio, open the video, click Show more and uncheck Allow automatic chapters. To turn them off for all new uploads, go to Settings, then Upload defaults, then Advanced settings. Adding your own chapters also overrides the automatic ones.
Related packaging guides
YouTube description generator
Write the 150 characters people see, then the rest, with hashtags.
YouTube hashtag generator
How many hashtags to use, where they show, and which ones to pick.
The packaging workflow
One video idea taken from breakout to title, script, description and chapters.
YouTube script checker
Find the Blocker in your draft before you record it.