{"id":14025,"date":"2023-06-29T12:36:38","date_gmt":"2023-06-29T18:36:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/viralyft.com\/blog\/?p=14025"},"modified":"2026-05-25T02:00:03","modified_gmt":"2026-05-25T08:00:03","slug":"how-to-add-timestamps-to-youtube","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/viralyft.com\/blog\/how-to-add-timestamps-to-youtube","title":{"rendered":"How To Set Timestamps in YouTube Videos (2026)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Watching a YouTube video is like watching a story unfold.\u00a0 <\/span>No matter what kind of video it is \u2013 a how-to, a review, a vlog \u2013 it has distinct chapters like a beginning, middle, and end.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Sometimes a viewer may come to your video looking for a specific \u201cchapter\u201d that they want to watch. Maybe they\u2019re rewatching a segment they particularly enjoyed. Or maybe they\u2019re searching for specific information and don\u2019t need to view the rest of your content.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

You can make it easier for them to find what they\u2019re looking for \u2013 and simultaneously make your YouTube video look more cohesive and organized \u2013 by adding chapters to your video. To add chapters, you must set timestamps.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In this article, we\u2019ll explain what timestamps are, their benefits, and how to set timestamps in YouTube videos.<\/span><\/p>\n

What Is a Timestamp in a YouTube Video?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

A timestamp is a link in your video description box to a specific time in your YouTube video. By clicking on it, viewers are instantly transported to the exact minute and second of your video that they want to start watching.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Timestamps indicate chapters. Like chapters in a book, chapters in a YouTube video indicate the start of a new segment. They are also labeled, so that viewers know which timestamp to click on to get to the chapter they want to watch.<\/span><\/p>\n

For example, some YouTubers set a timestamp for the first few seconds or minutes of their video and label this segment as the <\/span>Intro <\/b>of their video. In how-to\u2019s, they often set a separate timestamp for each step in the tutorial. Even vlogs can have different chapters; you may, for example, want to add a chapter to mark the start of a new day.<\/span><\/p>\n

The possibilities for creating chapters with timestamps are endless.<\/span><\/p>\n

How To Add Timestamps in YouTube Videos Using YouTube Studio<\/strong><\/h2>\n

There are two ways you can set timestamps in your YouTube videos: manually and automatically.<\/span><\/p>\n

Here\u2019s <\/span>how to set timestamps<\/span><\/a> in your YouTube video <\/span>manually <\/b>using YouTube Studio on your desktop.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Setting Timestamps Manually<\/b><\/h3>\n
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Step #1:<\/b> Open your preferred web browser and log into your YouTube Studio account at <\/span>studio.youtube.com<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"YouTube<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

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Step #2: <\/b>Select <\/span>Content <\/b>from the left-hand menu on the YouTube Studio homepage.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Content\"<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

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Step #3: <\/b>Select the video you want to add timestamps to.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Select<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

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Step #4: <\/b>Type the timestamps and chapter titles in the <\/span>Description <\/b>box.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Type<\/p>\n

When setting timestamps, follow these rules from YouTube.<\/span><\/p>\n