YouTube chapter generator A time and title for each topic, ready for the description.
To generate YouTube chapters, paste the video link or pick the file, create your account and upload it. We read the whole speech, split the video by topic and give you the list with each chapter's time and title, ready to paste into the description. The trial lasts 3 days or 1 hour of media.
Free on the 3-day trialVideos, Shorts, live streams and youtu.be links. Private or age-restricted videos can't be imported.
- Chapters by topic, with titles and timestamps
- A list to copy into the YouTube description
- A summary and key topics for each chapter
- The full transcript with speakers
- Works with a YouTube link, a video or audio
You create the account, start the trial and upload this file in the upload area. The trial lasts 3 days or 1 hour of media and needs a card; cancel before it ends and you pay nothing.
You create the account, start the trial and paste this link in the upload area. The trial lasts 3 days or 1 hour of media and needs a card; cancel before it ends and you pay nothing.
How to generate chapters for YouTube
- 01
Paste a link or pick a file
Use the link to a published video or the final file before you upload it. We show the video thumbnail, or the file's name and length.
- 02
Create an account and upload
Create your account, start the trial and upload the same link or file. We transcribe it and split the video by topic.
- 03
Copy it into the description
On the Chapters page, use Export timestamps to copy the list. Check that the first time is 0:00 and paste it into the video description.
What are YouTube's rules for chapters to show up?
YouTube reads chapters from the video description: one line per chapter, with the time and the title. The list only works when it follows four rules: the first time is 0:00, there are at least three chapters, each chapter lasts 10 seconds or more and the times are in ascending order. If any rule fails, the progress bar stays undivided and there's no warning.
Even with a correct list, YouTube doesn't show chapters when the channel has an active strike or when the content may be inappropriate for some viewers. Otherwise, saving the description is enough: the player bar gets its divisions and each part's title shows when you hover over it.
| YouTube rule | In our list |
|---|---|
| First time at 0:00 | Check it; the list starts at the first speech |
| At least 3 chapters | Usually 3 or more; check short videos |
| Each 10 s or longer | By topic, usually much longer |
| Times in ascending order | In order, start to finish |
How the video chapters are generated
We read the whole transcript and split where the subject changes, not every few minutes. Titles say what each part is about, instead of Part 1 or Introduction. The number follows the length and range of the content: usually 3 to 5 chapters under 10 minutes, 8 to 15 between half an hour and an hour, and up to 20 for videos over two hours.
The list starts at the first speech. If the video opens with a few seconds of intro or music, change the first time to 0:00 before pasting. Besides the list, each chapter comes with a two or three sentence summary, its key topics and its mood, and can be downloaded as audio, text or a clip.
- Welcome and this week's notices 0:00
- Opening worship 4:12
- Reading Romans 8 22:45
- Nothing separates us from God's love 27:30
- Altar call and closing prayer 1:06:40
Already have markers in Premiere or DaVinci?
If you marked chapters while editing, you don't need an account: the free Markers to YouTube chapters tool reads markers exported from Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve or Final Cut, builds the list and checks the four rules, including moving the first time to 0:00.
The generator on this page is for when there are no markers at all: the full recorded sermon, the ninety-minute podcast episode, the lecture that became a video, the interview that aired unedited. In those cases, finding every change of subject by hand takes almost as long as the video; here it comes from the speech itself.
- With markers: Markers to YouTube chapters, free and with no account.
- Without markers: this generator, from the link or the file.
- Both give you the same time and title list for the description.
What's included in the free trial
The trial lasts 3 days or 1 hour of video or audio, whichever ends first, and needs a card. Cancel before it ends and you aren't charged; if you don't cancel, the plan you picked starts on its own. Chapters are on every plan and are made automatically for every file, without asking.
A video longer than the trial hour is processed up to that hour, and the chapters cover that part; the rest is kept for after you subscribe. Along with the chapters you get the full transcript and, for video, suggested clips.
- Chapters with times, titles, summaries and key topics.
- A list for the YouTube description and a TXT with everything.
- A transcript with timestamps and speakers.
More than a chapter list. Every chapter becomes text, audio or a clip.
Frequently asked questions
How do I add chapters to a YouTube video?
Write one line per chapter in the video description, with the time and the title, starting at 0:00. You need at least three chapters, each 10 seconds or longer, in ascending order. Save the description and YouTube splits the player bar on its own. The generator gives you that list ready-made from the speech.
Why aren't my chapters showing on YouTube?
Almost always one of the four rules failed: the first time isn't 0:00, there are fewer than three chapters, one is shorter than 10 seconds or the times are out of order. YouTube also hides chapters on channels with an active strike and on content that may be inappropriate for some viewers.
How many chapters does the generator create?
It depends on the length and how many subjects the video covers: usually 3 to 5 for videos under 10 minutes, 8 to 15 between half an hour and an hour, and at most 20 for the longest. A conversation that stays on one subject gets fewer chapters than a lecture with many topics.
Can I change the titles before publishing?
Yes. The list is plain text: copy it, paste it into the description and edit any title right there before saving. That works for shortening a title, swapping a word or merging two chapters. Just don't change the time format or leave a chapter under 10 seconds.
Does it work with live streams and videos over an hour?
Yes. A live stream goes in once the replay is out; if you paste the link before that, the file waits and we try again on our own every 90 minutes, for about 18 hours. Long videos get more chapters, up to 20, and the times include hours, like 1:06:40.
Can I generate chapters before publishing the video?
Yes. Upload the final file, the same one going to YouTube, and the times will match the published video. If you cut or add something afterwards, the times change: generate the list from the final version so you don't have to fix it by hand.
Get chapters for your video. Without watching it all to note the times.
Paste a YouTube link or upload the file. We split the video by topic and you copy the list, ready for the description. Trial of 3 days or 1 hour of media.
See the result on your own recording before adding a card.