Auto-generate timestamp chapters for any video
Get YouTube-ready chapter markers with timestamps and titles, ready to paste into your description.
This free tool auto-generates clean, timestamped chapters for any YouTube video — in the exact format YouTube needs to show chapter markers. Creators get paste-ready chapters for the description box in seconds; viewers get a way to navigate any long video. Paste a URL and copy the result.
How to generate YouTube chapters
- 1Paste the URL — your own video or any public one.
- 2Generate chapters — the tool reads the transcript and detects topic shifts, with timestamps.
- 3Copy to your description — paste the YouTube-ready list (starting at 00:00) into your video.
Why use it
- YouTube-ready format — starts at 00:00 so YouTube renders real chapter markers.
- Saves creators time — no manual scrubbing to mark sections.
- Navigation & SEO — chapters help viewers and can surface key-moment results in search.
- Free — no sign-up.
Frequently asked questions
How do I add chapters to my YouTube video?+
Generate them here, then paste the list into your video's description. YouTube requires the first timestamp to be 00:00 and at least three chapters — this tool formats it correctly.
Is the chapter generator free?+
Yes — free, no account, no sign-up. Generate chapters for as many videos as you need.
Why must chapters start at 00:00?+
It's YouTube's rule for enabling chapter markers. If the first line isn't 00:00, YouTube ignores the chapters — so this tool always starts there.
How many chapters will it create?+
It scales to the video — a short tutorial might get 3–5, a long podcast 10+ — based on where the topics actually shift.
Can I edit the chapter titles?+
Yes — the output is plain text. Tweak any chapter title before pasting it into your description.
Does the video need captions?+
Yes — it detects chapters from the transcript, so the video needs a caption track (auto-generated is fine).
Will chapters help my video's SEO?+
They improve viewer navigation and can make your video eligible for key-moment results in Google and YouTube search — a real, if indirect, discovery boost.
Do I need a Chrome extension?+
No — it's a browser tool. Paste a URL on desktop or mobile; nothing to install.
Can I use it on someone else's video?+
Yes — it works on any public video, which is handy for studying how successful creators structure their content.
Can I add chapters to a whole channel at once?+
This free tool does one video at a time. For analyzing structure across a whole catalog, see veridive (below).