YouTube Chapters Builder

Turn timestamps and titles into a chapter list ready to paste into YouTube.

One chapter per line
Optional, to check the last chapter

YouTube’s rules

  • Waiting: The first chapter starts at 00:00
  • Waiting: At least 3 chapters
  • Waiting: Times go up, with no repeats
  • Waiting: Each chapter lasts at least 10 seconds
  • Waiting: Fits in a description (5,000 bytes)

For your description

Your chapters appear here.

This writes text for you to paste. It does not make chapters from a video, it changes nothing on YouTube, and YouTube decides whether to show them.

How it works

  1. 1

    Write the list

    One chapter per line, the time and then the title. 3:40 The first chord, or The first chord - 3:40. Both work.

  2. 2

    Fix what is marked

    Each rule is checked as you type, and the line at fault is named.

  3. 3

    Copy the block

    Paste it into the video's description in YouTube Studio and save.

The rules come from YouTube’s help page on chapters, which is the place to check if they change.

Examples

  • You write

    (0:00) Welcome
Tuning - 1:15
3:40 First chord

    You get

    00:00 Welcome
01:15 Tuning
03:40 First chord

    Written three ways, all read. The block comes out in one form.

  • You write

    0:05 Welcome
1:15 Tuning
3:40 First chord

    You get

    Not ready

    The first chapter has to start at 00:00. One press adds that line.

  • You write

    0:00 Cold open
0:06 Welcome
1:15 Tuning

    You get

    Not ready

    The first chapter lasts 6 seconds, and YouTube's shortest is 10.

Questions

What are YouTube's rules for chapters?

YouTube's help page gives three: the first timestamp starts at 00:00, there are at least three timestamps in ascending order, and each chapter lasts at least 10 seconds. A description also has its own limit of 5,000 bytes.

My list passes. Why might YouTube still not show chapters?

YouTube decides. Its help page says the feature is not available if the channel has any active strikes or if the content may be inappropriate to some viewers, and a channel may first need access to advanced features. Passing here means the list follows the written rules, nothing more.

Does this make chapters from my video?

No. It never sees the video. You choose the times and the titles, and it checks them and writes them out.

Does it change anything on YouTube?

No. It writes text and you paste it in yourself. No account, and nothing you type leaves this page.

Do chapters written here replace automatic ones?

YouTube's help page says that adding your own will override automatic chapters.

What about a video over an hour?

Write the hours first, like 1:02:03. Times are kept to the whole second, so 1:02.5 becomes 01:02.

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