Guide
How do you add chapters and captions to a YouTube video?
Add chapters by listing timestamps and titles in the video description. The first timestamp must be 00:00, there must be at least three, in ascending order, and each chapter must be at least 10 seconds long. Add captions in YouTube Studio under Subtitles, by uploading a caption file or writing them yourself.
YouTube chapters and captions both help a viewer find their way through a product video. Chapters let someone jump to the part they came for, and captions let them follow the film with the sound off. Both are set up in YouTube Studio, and the rules below come from YouTube's own help pages, linked at the end and checked on 24 October 2026.
How do you add chapters to a YouTube video?
Chapters are a list of timestamps and titles in the video description. Each line starts with a time, then the title of that part of the film.
`` 00:00 What the product does 00:42 Setting up a project 02:10 Inviting your team 04:35 Billing and plans ``
YouTube's rules, from its help page:
| Rule | What YouTube says |
|---|---|
| First timestamp | "Make sure that the first timestamp you list starts with 00:00." |
| Number of chapters | "Your video should have at least three timestamps listed in ascending order." |
| Shortest chapter | "The minimum length for video chapters is 10 seconds." |
If a line is missing its time, or the times are out of order, the list does not become chapters. Read the list in order before you publish, and check the last chapter ends before the video does.
How do you add captions in YouTube Studio?
YouTube Studio keeps captions under Subtitles. From the help page:
- Open YouTube Studio and go to Subtitles.
- Select the video and add a language.
- Choose to upload a file, or to write the captions yourself.
- If you upload a file, say whether it includes timing, then select it from your computer.
- Save.
Check the file type first. The help page says to make sure your file type is supported on YouTube and links to a list of supported formats, so look there before you export your captions. Our free SRT subtitle maker turns a script into timed lines you can check.
Should you use automatic captions?
YouTube can create automatic captions when a video has speech. The help page says these are published on the video in its default language, which is the language the video is set to. They are often close, but they struggle with product names, feature names and terms from your field. A caption that says the wrong name of your own product is worse than none.
Use automatic captions as a starting point. Open them, correct every product name, and check the timing against the picture. Our note on captions for muted product videos covers how to write short lines that read at a glance.
What to check before you publish
- The first chapter starts at 00:00, and there are at least three in order.
- Every chapter is at least 10 seconds long.
- The captions match the spoken words, and the product names are spelled as in your brand.
- The captions are on the language the viewer expects.
- You have watched the film once with the sound off, and the chapters make sense from the list alone.
Chapters and captions cost nothing to add, and they make a demo easier to use on YouTube, where people often come back to one part of a film rather than watching it through. For how long a demo should run and how to plan its parts, read our guide to how to make a product demo video.
Frequently asked questions
Why are my YouTube chapters not showing?
Check the timestamps first. The first one must read 00:00, there must be at least three, they must be in ascending order, and each chapter must be at least 10 seconds long. YouTube's help page does not give a delay, so if the rules are met, check the description again after the video has been processed.
Do I need to upload captions if YouTube makes automatic ones?
Automatic captions are often less accurate with product names, feature names and technical terms. YouTube's help page says automatic captions are published in the video's default language only. For a product video, add a caption file you have checked yourself.
Can I add chapters to a short video?
The chapter rules on YouTube's help page do not set a minimum video length, but each chapter must be at least 10 seconds long, so a short video can have only a few chapters. For a 30-second film, a chapter list adds little. Use chapters for longer walkthroughs and tutorials.
Sources
Keep reading
How to caption a product video for muted autoplay
Most feeds start videos muted. Burn short captions into the picture, keep a separate subtitle file, and check the film makes sense with the sound off.
How to make a product demo video for your app
How to make a product demo video yourself: pick one workflow, write the script, set up demo data, record, edit, caption and export it.
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