YouTube Chapters Validator
Paste your timestamps and find out instantly whether YouTube will turn them into chapters — and exactly which rule is broken if it won't. Free, no login.
YouTube will show 5 chapters.
- Add your video's total length to check the final chapter is at least 10 seconds.
| Start | Chapter | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 0:00 | Intro | 45s |
| 0:45 | Why chapters matter | 105s |
| 2:30 | Setting them up | 160s |
| 5:10 | Common mistakes | 170s |
| 8:00 | Recap | — |
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YouTube chapters fail silently. Get one rule wrong and your timestamps just stay as plain text — no error, no warning, no chapters. This validator applies YouTube's exact rules to your description and tells you precisely what's wrong, so you're not guessing why the progress bar won't segment.
The rules chapters must pass
The first chapter has to start at 0:00; you need at least 3 timestamps; they must be in ascending order. YouTube also states each chapter should be at least 10 secondslong; a shorter one doesn't always hide the list, so this tool warns rather than fails. It parses your timestamps the same way YouTube does — reading lines that begin or end with a time — and flags the first rule that fails.
Once your chapters work
Chapters are one piece of a video's metadata. Make sure the rest is pulling its weight with the Video SEO Checker, and keep your title inside the visible limit with the Title Length Checker. Still writing the video rather than publishing it? The script length calculator turns a word count into the runtime your chapters will have to span. Chapters live in the description, not the caption track — if it's subtitles you're wrangling, the SRT to VTT converter is the one you want.
Frequently asked questions
Why aren't my YouTube chapters showing up?+
Chapters only appear when your description meets YouTube's core rules: the first timestamp is 0:00, there are at least three timestamps, and they're in ascending order. Break any one and YouTube silently shows no chapters at all. YouTube also states a 10-second minimum per chapter; a shorter chapter doesn't always hide the list, but it's worth fixing. Paste your description above and this tool tells you exactly which rule is failing.
What are the rules for YouTube chapters?+
Three hard ones: (1) the first chapter must start at 0:00; (2) at least 3 chapters; (3) timestamps listed in ascending order. YouTube also asks for each chapter to run at least 10 seconds, which this tool flags as a warning because a shorter chapter doesn't always stop the list from showing. Each timestamp goes on its own line, before or after the chapter title.
What's the correct format for chapter timestamps?+
One per line, with the timestamp before or after the title — for example “0:00 Intro”, “2:30 The setup” or “Demo 5:10”. Use m:ss or h:mm:ss. A separator like a dash after the time is fine; this tool reads the same formats YouTube does.
Do I need to enter my video length?+
Only to check the final chapter. Every rule except the last chapter's minimum length can be checked from the timestamps alone; add your total video length and the validator also confirms the last chapter is at least 10 seconds.
Do chapters help my video rank?+
They help viewers and can earn 'key moments' links in search, which improves the experience and click-through. They're one signal, not a ranking cheat code — the bigger win is covering the topic better than the videos already ranking, which is what the full VidHalo analysis maps out.
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