The four rules
- The first timestamp must be 0:00.
- You need at least three timestamps.
- Each chapter must be at least 10 seconds long.
- Timestamps must be in ascending order, each on its own line in the description.
If any rule is broken, YouTube shows no chapters at all, without an error message.
How to add them
Write each chapter on its own line in the video description: the time, a space, then a short title. For example:
0:00 Why this strait matters 1:45 The route ships avoid 5:10 What changed in 2024
Paste rough notes in any style into the chapter formatter and it fixes the 0:00 start, the format and the order, and warns about chapters shorter than 10 seconds.
Good chapter titles
- Short and specific: “The 2024 ban” beats “Part 3”.
- Use the words people search for; chapter titles can appear in Google as key moments.
- Don’t give away the payoff in the chapter list if the video builds to a reveal.
Put the chapters in the right place in a full description with the description template builder, and share a single moment with a timestamp link.
Questions
Why are my YouTube chapters not showing?
Usually the first timestamp isn’t 0:00, there are fewer than three, or one chapter is shorter than 10 seconds.
Does YouTube make chapters automatically?
It can suggest automatic chapters for some videos, but your own chapters override them and are usually better.
Do chapters help views?
They help viewers jump to what they want instead of leaving, and can appear as key moments in Google search.
Every edit I deliver comes with chapters, captions and a description ready to paste.