How to Make Timecodes in YouTube Videos: Step-by-Step Instructions

Adding timecodes to your YouTube videos greatly improves the viewer experience, letting people jump straight to the moments they care about. Follow this guide to highlight key segments and automatically break your video into chapters.

Adding Timecodes Manually

Step 1: Upload or Edit Your Video

Open YouTube Studio and upload a new video, or click into an existing one to begin editing.

Step 2: Add Timestamps to the Description

On the Video Details page, find the Description field and enter your timestamps along with episode titles. Use a colon to separate hours, minutes, and seconds — for example, 0:00 or 1:23:45.

List timestamps in the order they appear in the video, then save your changes.

Before YouTube activates your chapters, a few requirements must be met:

• The first episode must start at 0:00

• Each episode must be at least 10 seconds long

• You need a minimum of three episodes

  
  

Automatic Splitting into Episodes

YouTube can also split your video into chapters automatically. This option is enabled by default for all videos unless you turn it off. Here's how to manage it:

Step 1: Open YouTube Studio

Log in to YouTube Studio and select Content from the left-hand menu.

Step 2: Select a Video

Find the video you want to configure, then click Edit at the top of the page.

Step 3: Enable or Disable Automatic Splitting

In the editing panel, click Automatic split into episodes and toggle it to Enable or Disable.

You can apply this setting to multiple videos at once, which saves a lot of time.

Why Use Timecodes and Automatic Splitting?

Better Viewer Experience

Timecodes let viewers jump directly to what they're looking for, making your content far more satisfying to watch and easier to revisit.

Longer Watch Time

When viewers can quickly find the section they want, they're much more likely to stick around and keep watching — boosting your overall watch time metrics.

Higher Search Visibility

Videos with timecodes and chapters can rank better in both YouTube and Google search results, giving your content more exposure.