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YouTube Chapter Generator

Social MediaYouTube Tools
Chapter list for your description —
Chapters
—
Shortest chapter
—
Meets YouTube rules
—

Paste your timestamp notes, one chapter per line, and the generator sorts them, tidies the titles and writes a list ready for the video description. It checks YouTube's three rules: the first chapter at 0:00, at least three chapters, and each one 10 seconds or longer. For example, 0:00, 1:30 and 5:00 passes with a shortest chapter of 90 seconds.

About this tool

Chapters split a video's progress bar into named sections, but YouTube only creates them when the description list follows strict rules, and a single mistake makes the whole list plain text. Creators usually jot timestamps while editing, out of order and in mixed styles such as 1:30 – Setup or Setup (01:30). This generator reads those lines, pulls out the time wherever it sits on the line, sorts everything, and prints a clean list in m:ss form, or h:mm:ss once a chapter starts past the hour. The table shows each chapter's length so a rushed five-second segment stands out. It cannot watch your video: the times and titles come from you, and the last chapter's length is unknown because the video's end is not entered.

How to use it

  1. Paste your notes

    Put one chapter per line with a time like 0:00, 4:15 or 1:02:30 anywhere on the line, or open a .txt file.

  2. Choose the intro option

    Leave the checkbox on to add a 0:00 Intro line when your first note starts later.

  3. Check the verdict

    Meets YouTube rules shows Yes or No, and the warnings say which rule failed.

  4. Copy the list

    Copy the chapter list and paste it into the video description on its own lines.

Examples

A short tutorial

Timestamps and titles
0:00 Intro 1:30 Setup 5:00 Demo
Add a 0:00 Intro chapter when missing
No

Result Chapter list for your description: 0:00 Intro
1:30 Setup
5:00 Demo
Chapters: 3
Shortest chapter: 1 min 30 s
Meets YouTube rules: Yes

  1. Found 3 timestamped line(s) and sorted them by time.
  2. Times written as m:ss.
  3. Checked: first at 0:00, at least 3 chapters, each at least 10 seconds long.

Three chapters starting at 0:00, the shortest 90 seconds long, so the list can go straight into the description.

Notes typed out of order

Timestamps and titles
2:00 Tips 0:45 Gear
Add a 0:00 Intro chapter when missing
Yes

Result Chapter list for your description: 0:00 Intro
0:45 Gear
2:00 Tips
Chapters: 3
Shortest chapter: 45 s
Meets YouTube rules: Yes

  1. Found 2 timestamped line(s) and sorted them by time.
  2. Times written as m:ss.
  3. Checked: first at 0:00, at least 3 chapters, each at least 10 seconds long.

The two lines are sorted by time and a 0:00 Intro is added, which brings the list to the three chapters YouTube asks for.

A five-second chapter in a long stream

Timestamps and titles
0:00 Start 0:05 Hook 1:05:00 Q&A
Add a 0:00 Intro chapter when missing
No

Result Chapter list for your description: 0:00:00 Start
0:00:05 Hook
1:05:00 Q&A
Chapters: 3
Shortest chapter: 5 s
Meets YouTube rules: No

  1. Found 3 timestamped line(s) and sorted them by time.
  2. Times written as h:mm:ss because the last chapter starts after one hour.
  3. Checked: first at 0:00, at least 3 chapters, each at least 10 seconds long.

The Start chapter lasts only 5 seconds, under the 10-second minimum, and times switch to h:mm:ss because one chapter starts after an hour.

How it is calculated

chapter length = next start − this start; valid when first start = 0:00, chapters ≥ 3 and every length ≥ 10 s

start
the timestamp found on each line, converted to seconds
10 s
YouTube's minimum chapter length
3
the minimum number of chapters YouTube accepts

Each line is scanned for a time in m:ss or h:mm:ss form; the rest of the line, minus dashes, pipes and brackets, becomes the title. Lines with no time are skipped and counted in a warning. The chapters are sorted by start time and each length is the gap to the next start. The list is then tested against the three rules in YouTube Help. If any start reaches one hour, every time is written as h:mm:ss so the column lines up.

When not to use it

  • It does not find chapter points in a video; you supply every time.
  • It cannot confirm the last chapter is 10 seconds long, since the video length is not entered.
  • Videos flagged as made for kids may not show chapters even with a valid list.

Common mistakes

  • Starting the list at 0:01 or 0:05 instead of 0:00, which turns chapters off.
  • Leaving a quick transition as its own chapter shorter than 10 seconds.
  • Pasting the list in the middle of a paragraph instead of on separate lines.

Frequently asked questions

Why are my chapters not showing on YouTube?

The usual causes are a first timestamp other than 0:00, fewer than three timestamps, or a chapter under 10 seconds. The verdict line here tests all three. YouTube can also take a short while to process an edited description.

Can the time come after the title on a line?

Yes. The generator finds the time wherever it appears, so Setup – 1:30 and (1:30) Setup both become 1:30 Setup. Brackets, dashes and pipes around the time are removed from the title.

When does the list switch to hours?

As soon as any chapter starts at one hour or later, every time is written as h:mm:ss, for example 0:04:15 and 1:05:00, so all lines share one style. Shorter videos keep m:ss such as 4:15.

What happens to lines without a timestamp?

They are skipped, and a warning tells you how many were left out, so a heading or blank note in your paste does not become a broken chapter.

Does the intro checkbox change my titles?

No. It only adds one line, 0:00 Intro, when your earliest note starts after zero. Turn it off if you prefer to rename or move your own first chapter to 0:00.

Why does the last chapter say to end?

Its length depends on where the video finishes, which is not entered here. Check in the editor that the final chapter runs at least 10 seconds.

Cite this tool

Using this tool in an assignment, article or report? Copy a citation, or a link for your website.

APA

Tools Directory Editorial Team. (2026, October 10). YouTube Chapter Generator. Tools Directory. Retrieved October 26, 2026, from https://tools.milunir.com/social-media/youtube-tools/youtube-chapter-generator/

MLA

Tools Directory Editorial Team. “YouTube Chapter Generator.” Tools Directory, 10 Oct. 2026, https://tools.milunir.com/social-media/youtube-tools/youtube-chapter-generator/. Accessed 26 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Tools Directory Editorial Team. “YouTube Chapter Generator.” Tools Directory. Last modified October 10, 2026. Accessed October 26, 2026. https://tools.milunir.com/social-media/youtube-tools/youtube-chapter-generator/.

Link<a href="https://tools.milunir.com/social-media/youtube-tools/youtube-chapter-generator/">YouTube Chapter Generator – Tools Directory</a>