YouTube Timestamps: How to Add Chapters and Link to a Moment

How to add a timestamp on YouTube as chapters

Open the description in YouTube Studio and type a list of timestamps with a title for each, one per line. For example: 00:00 Intro, 01:30 Packing the box, 04:10 Where to order.

YouTube's own page sets the rules: the first timestamp must start at 00:00, you need at least three, they must run in ascending order and each chapter must be at least 10 seconds long.

What chapters do for viewers

Viewers can jump to a part, and the video shows labelled sections along the bar. It helps people find the part they came for, and they stay longer when they can skip what they know.

Link to an exact moment

To share a timestamp, add the start time to the video address, such as ?t=90 for 90 seconds in, or &t=1m30s if the address already has a question mark. In the share box, tick Start at to do it for you.

Write chapter titles that help

Use plain titles that say what happens, not clever ones. Keep them short, because they appear along the player bar.

Sources

• YouTube Help: video chapters