How to add chapters to a YouTube video
Quick answer: To add chapters to a YouTube video, drop the video or audio, press Make chapters, check the chapters and paste them into the description.
- Drop the video or audio. Any common format works. Or use subtitles you already have (.srt or .vtt) and skip the transcription.
- Press Make chapters. The first time, the speech model downloads (about 77 MB for the Better model). Then the file is transcribed on your device.
- Check the chapters. Edit any title or time. The tool checks YouTube's rules as you type: first chapter at 0:00, at least 3, each 10 seconds or longer.
- Paste them into the description. Copy the chapter lines (and the description if you like) into the video's description on YouTube. Upload the .srt as subtitles.
YouTube's rules for chapters
YouTube shows chapters when the description lists timestamps that start at 0:00, has at least three of them in order, and each chapter lasts at least 10 seconds. Each line is a timestamp like 1:23 followed by the title. The generator only gives you chapters that meet these rules.
How the chapters are found
The transcript is split where the words change most: when you move from cooking rice to packing for a flight, the vocabulary changes, and that's where a chapter starts. Pauses count a little too. Titles are the phrases that stand out in each part.
AI titles: what's sent
By default nothing leaves your device. If you tick "Write titles with AI (sends the transcript text)", the text of each chapter (not the audio or video) goes to our server and on to Google Gemini, which writes the titles. We don't store it. If the AI is busy, you keep the titles made on your device.
Frequently asked questions
Does my video get uploaded?
No. The transcription runs in your browser with Whisper. Only the speech model is downloaded, once. With AI titles switched on, only the transcript text is sent, to write the titles.
Why does YouTube not show my chapters?
The first timestamp must be 0:00, there must be at least three, in order, and each chapter at least 10 seconds long. Chapters also don't show on some videos, such as those YouTube flags as unsuitable for chapters. The tool checks the rules you control.
Which languages work?
Whisper understands about 100 languages and detects the language itself. The titles made on the device work best for English; AI titles follow the language of the video.
How long can the video be?
Free for files up to 10 minutes, one at a time. Creator Pro handles files up to 2 hours and several files in a row.
Can I use subtitles I already have?
Yes. Open "Already have subtitles?" and choose your .srt or .vtt file. The chapters and description are made from it, with no transcription.