Free YouTube Chapter Generator Online

What this page does

This page builds YouTube chapter timestamps from a list of titles and start times. You add a row for each chapter, type the hour, minute and second, and the tool formats the list for the video description. It runs in the browser and does not upload a video or connect to your YouTube account.

The output is plain text. You can copy it, download it as youtube-chapters.txt, or paste it into the description editor. The tool starts with three sample rows so you can see the format immediately.

How the generator works

Each row has an hour, minute and second field plus a title. Change a value and the output updates as you type. Add a row with the Add Chapter button, remove one with the close button, or clear the whole list and start again.

The panel shows the number of chapters and the character count. That helps you keep the description tidy, although YouTube does not publish a simple character limit for the chapter block itself.

YouTube chapter rules

YouTube needs the first chapter to start at 0:00. It also needs at least three chapters before the chapter feature appears. The timestamps must be in ascending order, and each chapter should last at least ten seconds. Put the list in the video description, one chapter per line.

This tool warns about the first timestamp and about duplicate or overlapping times. It does not know the video duration, so it cannot check whether the last chapter runs past the end. It also cannot guarantee that YouTube will accept the list; the platform makes the final decision.

Timestamp formats

Compact format writes 0:00 for the first chapter and 1:05:30 when hours are present. Full format always writes three parts, such as 0:00:00. Both are readable; compact is shorter and is the common style for short videos.

Use the same format throughout the list. Mixing compact and full timestamps is confusing to read and may not parse the way you expect.

Separators and titles

Choose a space, dash, pipe, tab or a custom separator between the timestamp and the title. A space is the cleanest default. A dash is easy to scan; a pipe suits a house style. Whatever you choose, keep it consistent across every row.

Write titles that describe the moment rather than repeating the chapter number. Short titles read better in the description and in the chapter menu. Avoid starting a title with a timestamp, because the parser may treat it as another time code.

Attribution tag

The optional attribution checkbox adds a small line at the end. It is plain text, not a YouTube feature. Remove it if you want a clean description or if your client does not want the credit.

Copy and download

The Copy button copies the current output to the clipboard. The Download button saves a text file named youtube-chapters.txt. Nothing is published automatically; you still paste the list into YouTube and save the description.

If the output is empty, add at least one chapter with a title. If timestamps conflict, the output clears and the tool marks the rows that need fixing.

Common mistakes

The most common mistake is starting the first chapter at 0:01 instead of 0:00. Another is using fewer than three chapters, which means YouTube will not show the chapter menu. Duplicate times and out-of-order rows also break the list.

A fourth mistake is placing the chapters after a long block of links or text where they are hard to find. Keep the list near the top of the description. A fifth is using a title that is only a number; it may be valid text, but it gives the viewer no reason to jump to that point.

What this tool does not do

It does not download a video, read its duration, detect scenes or create chapters automatically. It does not log in to YouTube, upload a description or save your list to an account. It does not check whether each chapter is at least ten seconds long; you have to space the times yourself.

It also does not validate that a title is unique or that the final chapter is within the video. Treat the output as a formatting helper, then review it before publishing.

Chapter ideas by video type

A tutorial can use chapters for setup, each major step, the final result and troubleshooting. A podcast can mark the introduction, each topic, a guest segment and the closing notes. A livestream can mark the real start, each demo and the question-and-answer block.

For a music mix, mark each track or each major transition. For a lecture, mark the syllabus, each concept and the summary. The goal is to help a viewer jump to the part they need, not to list every small edit.

Writing titles that work

Keep titles short and specific. Prefer "Install the package" over "Part 2", and "Why the test failed" over "More". A viewer scanning the description should understand the value of each jump without watching the video first.

Avoid all caps, repetitive numbering and vague words such as "stuff" or "things". If the chapter is a demonstration, say what is demonstrated. If it is a result, say what the viewer will see.

Reviewing before publishing

Read the generated list from top to bottom. Check that the first item is 0:00, that every time increases, and that the titles match the moments in the video. Watch the first few seconds of each chapter to confirm the cut is where you intended.

Paste the list into the description, save, and open the video on another device. The chapter menu should appear under the player. If it does not, check the three-chapter minimum, the order and the first timestamp first.

Keep a copy of the final timestamp list outside YouTube. If you edit the description later, the saved list is easier to restore than retyping every line.

If you manage several videos, keep a reusable chapter template so the first timestamp and separator stay consistent across episodes.

Please always save the text file with the video name for later reuse.

Editing the list: row order and unusual values

The generator does not sort chapters. The output follows the order of the rows on screen, and each row is checked against the one above it. That has a few practical effects:

• A new row starts at 0:00:00. Add Chapter always appends a row at the bottom with a zero time, so the list shows an overlap error and the output goes blank until you type that row's start time.
• There is no insert or drag-to-reorder. To add a chapter between two existing ones, add a row at the bottom and then retype the times and titles of the rows below the gap, or clear the list and enter it again in order.
• Minutes and seconds should stay below 60. The fields suggest a 0 to 59 range, but a typed value such as 75 seconds is not corrected. It would be written as 0:75, which is not a valid timestamp. Convert it yourself to 1:15.
• A blank title becomes (untitled). Fill every title before copying; an untitled row is a sign that a line was missed.
• An empty custom separator joins the time and title with nothing between them. Choose Space if you are unsure.

Check the attribution box before you copy

The attribution option is ticked when the page loads. It adds blank lines and then the text <chapter generated-by="newisty.com" /> to the end of the output, and that line is included in the character count and in the downloaded file. It looks like markup but is plain text, not a YouTube feature. Some description editors do not accept angle brackets, so if a save is refused or you want a clean description, untick the box and copy again.

Frequently Asked Questions