YouTube Description & Chapters Generator
Build a complete YouTube description from ready-made sections: hook, about, chapters, links, socials, credits, hashtags and disclaimer. Paste timestamps in any format and they are cleaned up and checked against YouTube's chapter rules.
Sections
Tick the sections you want, edit the text, and use the arrows to change the order.
Your description
0 / 5,000 characters
About the first 150 characters show before viewers click "…more". Up to 3 hashtags appear next to the title: the first three in your description, unless the title has hashtags of its own.
How to use the YouTube Description & Chapters Generator
- Edit the section templates on the left. Untick any section you don't need and use ▲ ▼ to reorder.
- Paste your timestamps into the Chapters section in any common format. Fix any red warnings shown underneath.
- Add hashtags; the first three are previewed next to your title.
- Check the preview: make sure the first lines (about 150 characters) hook viewers before "…more".
- Press Generate description, then Copy or Download .txt and paste it into YouTube Studio.
YouTube chapter rules, with examples
| Rule | Works | Doesn't work |
|---|---|---|
| First chapter starts at 0:00 | 0:00 Intro | 0:05 Intro |
| At least 3 chapters | 0:00, 1:20, 4:45 | 0:00, 2:00 |
| Each chapter at least 10 seconds | 0:00 → 0:10 | 0:00 → 0:08 |
| Ascending order | 0:00, 1:20, 4:45 | 0:00, 4:45, 1:20 |
| One timestamp per line | 0:00 Intro 1:20 Setup | 0:00 Intro, 1:20 Setup (same line) |
Timestamps work anywhere in the description, but chapters are only created from a list that follows these rules. Videos with good chapters also let YouTube show "key moments" in Google search results.
A description structure that works
- Hook (first 1–2 lines): what the viewer gets, with your main keyword. This is the part visible without clicking "…more" and the text that often appears in search snippets.
- About: two or three short paragraphs or a bullet list summarising the video. Write for people, using the words they would search for.
- Chapters: make long videos easy to navigate and rewatch.
- Links and resources: anything you mention in the video, your newsletter or a related video or playlist.
- Social links and credits: where to follow you, music licences and collaborators.
- Disclosure: say clearly when links are affiliate links or a video is sponsored. In the US the FTC expects clear disclosure, and YouTube has a separate "paid promotion" checkbox in Studio.
- Hashtags: two or three relevant ones are plenty.
Timestamp formats this tool understands
| You paste | Output |
|---|---|
0:00 Intro | 0:00 Intro |
Why phone editing works 0:45 | 0:45 Why phone editing works |
1:30 - Choosing an app | 1:30 Choosing an app |
[3:05] Cutting clips | 3:05 Cutting clips |
01:02:03 – Q&A | 1:02:03 Q&A |
Lines without a timestamp are skipped and listed as a warning, so you can paste notes straight from your editing software and tidy them here.
Frequently asked questions
What are the rules for YouTube chapters?
The first timestamp must be 0:00, there must be at least three timestamps, they must be listed in ascending order, and each chapter must be at least 10 seconds long. Put each timestamp at the start of its own line with a short title. Chapters can also be switched off for a video in YouTube Studio.
Why are my YouTube chapters not showing?
The most common causes are a first timestamp that isn't 0:00, fewer than three chapters, a chapter shorter than 10 seconds, timestamps out of order, or chapters turned off for the video in YouTube Studio. The checker in the Chapters section flags the first four problems.
How long can a YouTube description be?
Up to 5,000 characters. The YouTube Data API measures the limit in bytes, and emoji and accented letters use more than one byte each, so the tool shows both counts. YouTube also rejects descriptions that contain the < or > characters.
How much of the description do viewers see?
Only the first few lines, roughly 100 to 150 characters depending on the device, are visible before viewers click "…more". Put your hook and the most important link or keyword there.
Which hashtags appear above my video title?
YouTube can show up to three hashtags next to the title: by default the first three hashtags in your description, unless your title contains hashtags of its own. If a video has more than 60 hashtags, YouTube ignores all of them.
Do I need to write timestamps in a special format?
No. Paste them the way you noted them, such as "Intro 1:23", "[3:05] Cutting clips" or "1:02:03 - Q&A". The tool moves the time to the front, removes brackets and dashes and outputs YouTube's standard format, for example 1:23 Intro.
Is my description saved?
Your sections, timestamps and hashtags are saved in your browser's local storage on this device so you can come back later. Nothing is uploaded.