YouTube Chapter Timestamp Formatter
Paste your video outline or notes — in any timestamp format — and get a clean, YouTube-ready chapter list in seconds. The tool catches every rule YouTube enforces (first chapter at 0:00, at least 3 chapters, ascending order) before you paste.
Accepted input formats (one chapter per line):
0:00 Intro 0:00 - Intro Intro - 0:00 1h23m45s Chapter Name Timestamps can lead or trail the chapter title. Colon format (M:SS, H:MM:SS) and verbose shorthands (1m30s) both work.
YouTube chapter rules — what this validates
YouTube silently ignores your chapters if any of these rules are broken. The formatter checks all of them before you paste:
| Rule | Requirement | What happens if broken |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum chapters | At least 3 | YouTube shows no chapter bar at all — the list is silently ignored |
| First chapter | Must start at exactly 0:00 | Same — YouTube ignores all chapters even if the rest are valid |
| Ordering | Timestamps must be ascending | YouTube ignores chapters or shows them in the wrong order |
| Chapter duration | At least 10 seconds each | Very short chapters may be skipped in the chapter bar |
Example inputs and formatted output
How the formatter handles common chapter list formats:
| Input format | Chapters parsed | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Standard format (0:00 Title) | 5 | ✓ Valid — ready to paste |
| Title-first format (Title - 0:00) | 4 | ✓ Valid — ready to paste |
| With dash separator (0:00 - Title) | 4 | ✓ Valid — ready to paste |
| Too few chapters (only 2) | 2 | ✗ YouTube requires at least 3 chapters — you have 2. |
| First chapter not at 0:00 | 3 | ✗ First chapter must start at 0:00 — yours starts at 0:30. |
How to add chapters to a YouTube video
- Write your chapter list above — one chapter per line with a timestamp and title
- Click Format Chapters and fix any errors the validator flags
- Click Copy and paste the output into your video description in YouTube Studio → Content → Description
- Save the description — YouTube usually picks up the chapters within a few minutes
Chapters help viewers navigate longer videos and improve watch time by letting people jump to the part they need. They also appear as rich results in Google search for some videos, making your content more visible.
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Frequently asked questions
What timestamp formats does this tool accept?
The formatter understands most common formats: M:SS (1:30), H:MM:SS (1:23:45), and verbose shorthands like 1m30s or 1h. It works whether your timestamp comes at the start of the line (0:00 Intro) or the end (Intro - 0:00). Lines without a recognisable timestamp are skipped and counted.
What are YouTube's requirements for video chapters?
YouTube requires at least 3 chapters, the first chapter must start at exactly 0:00, timestamps must be in ascending order, and each chapter should be at least 10 seconds long. If any of these rules are broken, YouTube silently ignores the chapters and no chapter list appears on your video.
Why aren't chapters showing on my YouTube video?
YouTube silently drops chapters if any rule is violated — and the most common causes are: the first chapter is not at 0:00, fewer than 3 chapters are listed, or the timestamps are not in ascending order. Paste your chapter list above and the validator will flag exactly which rule is broken.
How do I add the formatted output to my YouTube video?
Copy the formatted output and paste it into your YouTube video description (in YouTube Studio → Content → the video → Description). It can go anywhere in the description — YouTube will auto-detect the chapter markers as long as the first one is at 0:00 and there are at least 3 total.
How many chapters can a YouTube video have?
YouTube does not publish a hard cap, but the practical limit is around 100 chapters. For most videos 5–15 chapters is the sweet spot — enough to be useful to viewers without making the chapter list overwhelming.
Is my data sent anywhere?
No. All parsing and formatting runs entirely in your browser — your transcript or chapter list never leaves your device. There is no server, no account, and no upload.
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