In this article we’re going to show you how to add chapters to YouTube videos in 2026.
Yes, YouTube is still wildly popular in 2026, and – even with the rise in short-form content – this video giant is going nowhere soon.
The data shows that long-form content is actually more popular on the platform.
As of April 2025. And, YouTube Shorts is now averaging over 70 billion daily views.
With long-form videos clearly increasing in popularity, viewers need an easy way to navigate the content to make it as useful as possible to them. And that’s where YouTube chapters come in.
What are YouTube chapters?
YouTube video chapters are an optional feature on the platform that allow creators to split their videos up into sections. They’re also sometimes referred to as timestamps.
YouTube chapters are particularly useful for longer videos that cover a variety of topics. The chapters – complete with a timestamp and descriptive title – give users more control over their viewing experience.
Video chapters make it easy to skip to certain parts within a video or even rewatch sections that you found interesting.
Why use YouTube video chapters?
There are a number of reasons why you might want to use YouTube video chapters as a creator, or simply as a business posting videos to the platform.
1. Improve the user experience
Video chapters greatly improve the user experience. They give viewers a quick and easy way to find context within your video.
Chapters are especially important if your video covers a variety of different topics. For example, let’s say your video is about ‘5 tactics to grow your business’ – YouTube chapters make it easy for viewers to skip to the tactic that most appeals to them.
2. Better viewer engagement
It’s common knowledge by now that if you don’t hook your viewers within the first few seconds, you could lose them.
However, video chapters can work to combat this. They allow people to see – at a glance – what is included in the video and whether it might interest them.
So, viewers you might’ve initially lost with your intro could skip ahead and end up watching several minutes worth of content that’s relevant to them.
3. It’s good for visibility
Search engines – even YouTube’s – struggle to index video content. They like words. By including video chapters – complete with descriptive titles – you make it easier for YouTube to rank your content and easier for viewers to find your content.
If a user searches for a keyword that matches one of your YouTube chapter titles, then this gives your video a better chance of being found and clicked on.
4. Looks professional
If you spend any amount of time on YouTube these days then you’ll know that chapters are kind of the norm now! So to not use YouTube chapters could be seen as somewhat unprofessional.
Users are more and more coming to expect this experience on the platform. And chapters can actually encourage people to share your videos with others – thanks to the divided sections, the content becomes easier to navigate and digest.
5. Gain insights
You can use YouTube analytics to identify key moments that spiked attention from viewers. If you find the majority of viewers clicking through to a certain chapter then that gives you a clear indication that the topic is popular. You can then use this information to inform your ongoing video strategy.
How to add chapters to YouTube video
There are two different ways to add chapters to your YouTube videos. Let’s take a look at both to see which is more suitable for your needs.
Add chapters manually
To manually add chapters to your YouTube videos, start off in Creator Studio and find the video you want to use. Then click the pencil icon.
In the description, add each of your video chapters (including timestamps and titles) as follows:
Hit ‘save’ and go to your video. The chapters should already be there – quick as that!
Add chapters automatically
If you have a lot of video content uploaded to YouTube already then adding manual chapters can feel a little tedious. In this case, you can use YouTube’s automatic chapters feature.
Again, start from Creator Studio. This time, click on Settings on the left-hand side:
A pop-up will appear. From here, click Upload Defaults and then Advanced Settings:
Check the automatic chapters box and YouTube will automatically generate chapters for key moments in your videos.
Why are my YouTube chapters not working?
If you’ve followed the above instructions and you can’t see your YouTube chapters when you click on your video, here are some reasons why that might be happening.
– You didn’t save the changes (don’t forget to hit ‘save’ in the top right-hand corner)
– Your timestamps aren’t in order (make sure chapters are listed in ascending order and separated clearly with line breaks and proper spacing)
– Your chapters are too short (the minimum length for a video chapter is 10 seconds)
– You don’t have enough chapters (your video should have at least 3 timestamps)
– Your content is not appropriate (check that you don’t have any existing copyright strike issues and that your video meets YouTube’s guidelines)
How to get the most out of your YouTube chapters
While simply implementing YouTube chapters into your video content is a great step in the right direction, you need to make sure you’re doing everything perfectly to ensure you’re getting the most out of them!
Here are some YouTube chapter best practices:
– Make sure you have a reason (don’t just divide your video up arbitrarily. Consider how chapters can create a better viewing experience for people)
– Let people know about them (when you introduce your video, take a quick second to let viewers know it’s okay to skip ahead)
– Review performance (YouTube chapters can give you an insight into the content your viewers like best)
Final thoughts
YouTube is a competitive landscape, but if you’re in the world of video marketing then you need to have a consistent presence on the platform.
We hope this article was helpful and if you need more help with your YouTube skills, here are some additional articles that can assist you:
