ZapKit

YouTube Chapter Timestamp Formatter

Paste timestamps in any format, get clean chapters for your description, and find out why chapters aren't showing on a video.

What is a YouTube chapter formatter?

A chapter formatter cleans up a list of timestamps so YouTube turns it into video chapters, and tells you exactly why chapters aren't appearing when they don't.

YouTube only creates chapters if the first timestamp is 0:00, there are at least three, they're in ascending order, and each chapter lasts at least 10 seconds. Break any rule and no chapters appear at all, which is why one typo can hide them. Paste times and titles in almost any format, a whole description, or load a published video's description. The tool lists each problem with its line, then writes the chapters in a consistent format ready to paste back. Adding the video length lets it check the final chapter too.

How to use the Chapter Timestamp Formatter

  1. 1.Paste the timestamps

    Paste a list of times and titles, a whole description, or load the description of a published video.

  2. 2.Fix any problems

    Each rule YouTube checks is listed with the line it applies to, so you know exactly what to change.

  3. 3.Copy the chapters

    Pick a format and copy the cleaned-up list into your video's description.

Example: a list YouTube would reject

Pasting these four lines reports two problems.

Line 1
0:05 Intro: first timestamp isn't 0:00
Line 2
1:20 Setup
Line 3
1:25 Tools: only 5 seconds after Setup
Line 4
4:10 Results

Changing the first time to 0:00 and moving Tools to 1:30 or later gives four valid chapters.

YouTube's chapter rules

YouTube only turns timestamps into chapters when the first one is 0:00, there are at least three, they're in ascending order and every chapter is at least 10 seconds long. If any rule is broken, no chapters appear at all, which is why one typo can hide them.

The formatter reads times like 1:05, 01:05, [1:05] or 1:02:05 at the start or end of a line, and ignores lines without one. It writes every time the way YouTube's player shows it, with a consistent separator.

Frequently asked questions

Why aren't my YouTube chapters showing?

Usually because the first timestamp isn't 0:00, there are fewer than three, two are less than 10 seconds apart, or they're out of order. Paste them here and each problem is listed with its line.

How do I add chapters to a YouTube video?

Add a list of timestamps and titles to the video's description, starting with 0:00, one per line. YouTube creates the chapters when you save.

What timestamp formats does it read?

Minutes and seconds (1:05 or 01:05), hours (1:02:05), times in brackets ([1:05] or (1:05)), and times at the end of a line (Intro - 0:00). List markers like 1. or - are ignored.

Do I need to enter the video length?

It's optional. With it, the tool also checks that no chapter starts after the video ends and that the last chapter is at least 10 seconds long.

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