Add timestamps on YouTube

Have you ever come across a video that is divided into chapters? If so, the person who uploaded that video knew how to properly add timestamps on YouTube. Timestamps on YouTube have always been an important way to get people to watch a certain part of a video. Over time, the feature grew to allow users to break up videos, add reference timestamps to comments, and even send URL links to people who link directly to that timestamp in the video.

Add timestamps to a YouTube video

If you’ve watched enough YouTube, you’ve now seen a video divided into several parts. At each of these breakpoints, the subject usually shifts. If it’s a music compilation, there may be a pause to distinguish one song from another.

These are called chapters and they are added via timestamps.

Add chapters to a YouTube video

On the YouTube home screen, click your profile picture in the top right.

Click YouTube studio to go to the YouTube Creator Studio.

In YouTube Studio, click the Contents tab on the left.

Find the video you want to divide into chapters. Move your mouse over the title.

In the options that appear, click on the pencil-shaped Details knob.

Find the Description box. This is where you add the timestamps that divide your video into chapters.

Fill in the description box with the timestamps. Here are some important formatting notes:

• Make sure your first timestamp starts at 0:00.
• To add another timestamp after your first one, press Enter on your keyboard to start a new line. You don’t want two timestamps on the same line as this can confuse the algorithm.
• You must have at least 10 seconds between chapters.
• To title a chapter, add it after the timestamp. For example, “0:00 – Introduction” appears on the video progress bar during playback as Introduction.

When you’re done, click the blue one TO RESCUE button at the top right.

There are a few things to note.

Chapters are not always displayed consistently and it may take a while for the chapters to appear in your video. Some argue that you need at least 1,000 subscribers for chapters to appear consistently in your videos; however, this has not been proven.

After adding chapter timestamps to your video description, wait at least 24 hours and check back to see if the chapters have appeared. Make sure your account is in good standing and that you have added a phone number to your account.

If you’re patient and the chapters still don’t appear, submit a support ticket to YouTube Help.

Add timestamps to YouTube links

Go to the YouTube video for which you want to share a timestamped link. Click the Part button below.

In the Part click the check box that says Start at X:XX. Allows you to create a timestamped link.

You can now add a custom time in the timestamp section. Add the timestamp of where you want the video to start for the person clicking the link. For example, here we add the custom timestamp at 5:53.

Finally, click on the TO COPY button next to the timestamped link.

Add timestamps to YouTube comments

Go to the comments section of the desired video. To add a timestamp, simply add the timestamp of anywhere you want in the video to your comment. For example, here we add a timestamp at 1:23 of the video.

Click REMARK to add your comment.