How to add chapters to a YouTube video
A YouTube chapter generator reads a video's transcript and turns it into a list of timestamps and titles — the YouTube chapters that appear as clickable segments on the progress bar. Paste a link, and this free tool gives you a ready-to-paste chapters block plus a clickable list, so you can add chapters to any video in seconds instead of scrubbing the timeline by hand.
How to add chapters to a YouTube video
- Copy the video URL from the address bar or the Share button.
- Paste it into the chapter generator at the top of this page and press Generate chapters.
- Press Copy chapters to grab the ready-to-paste block of timestamps and titles.
- Open the video in YouTube Studio → Content → Details and paste the block into the description.
- Save. YouTube turns the timestamps into clickable chapters within a few minutes.
What are YouTube's rules for chapters?
YouTube only shows chapters when your description meets three requirements, and this tool formats the block to satisfy all of them:
- The first timestamp must be 0:00.
- There must be at least three timestamps, listed in ascending order.
- Each chapter must be at least 10 seconds long.
Do chapters help with SEO and discovery?
YouTube chapters improve the viewing experience — people can skip to the part they want, which tends to lift watch time and retention. They also give search engines more to work with: YouTube and Google can surface an individual chapter as a key moment in results, so a single video can rank for several different queries.
Is there a limit?
This free tool is meant for occasional use and runs on a shared queue, so chapters can take a minute or two and there's a small daily cap. If you publish often — or want to chapter a whole channel or playlist at once, instantly — the Claras Chrome extension removes the wait and the limits, and generates chapters right on the YouTube page.



