How to Add YouTube Timestamps to Your Videos

Want to make your YouTube videos easier to navigate and more viewer-friendly? Adding YouTube timestamps to your video description lets people jump to the exact moment they care about, just like chapters in a book. These clickable markers appear on the video progress bar and allow viewers to skip ahead, revisit important sections, or share a YouTube timestamp link.

In this guide, you'll learn how to generate YouTube timestamps manually or with AI tools.

‍

Benefits of Adding YouTube Timestamps

For viewers, timestamps act like a table of contents for the entire video. With a simple, clickable link, they can jump to the exact moment they’re looking for—a tutorial step, a product review, or a key insight. Viewers can also copy and share a timestamp link generator output or use YouTube’s share feature to highlight a specific moment.

For creators, adding YouTube timestamps to your video description improves viewer experience and increases watch time. Clear timestamps help your audience stay engaged, come back to rewatch, or share important segments with others. They're also great for SEO. Each timestamp adds context and structure to your YouTube video to help search engines better understand and rank your content.

‍

Preparing Your Video Content for Timestamps

Before you generate YouTube timestamps, it’s important to plan ahead. A well-structured video makes it easier to add timestamps and guide viewers through your content.

1. Review your entire video.

Watch your YouTube video from beginning to end. Take notes on the pacing, transitions, and where each main topic starts. Understanding your video flow will help you identify where to place each YouTube timestamp.

2. Identify key moments.

Mark key points that would be useful as navigation markers. Focus on sections like:

• Introduction – Set the stage and hook the viewer.
• Main points – Teach, explain, or entertain.
• Transitions – Shifts between topics or guest speakers.
• Conclusion – Wrap up or call to action.

3. Write down the exact time codes.

Record the exact moment each section begins using the format HH:MM:SS. These codes will become clickable links when you add them to the YouTube description. For example:

4. Stay organized for easy timestamps.

A clear structure in your video content helps you create clean, helpful timestamps that your viewers (and YouTube’s algorithm) will love. It also speeds up the process if you're using a timestamp link generator or an AI timestamp tool later on.

‍

How to Add Timestamps Directly on YouTube

There are two main ways to implement YouTube timestamps: after uploading your video or during the upload process. Both methods allow you to turn moments in your video into clickable links using the video description.

Option 1: Add timestamps to an existing YouTube video

1. Open YouTube Creator Studio

Go to YouTube Studio and sign in to your YouTube channel.

2. ‍Click “Content” in the left-hand menu.

Find the video you want to edit and click the title or thumbnail to open the details.

3. ‍Scroll to the Description Box.

In the video description, type your timestamps using the following format:

00:00 Introduction

01:15 Key Features  

04:30 Final Tips

Tip: To activate YouTube chapters, make sure the first timestamp starts at 00:00, and you include at least three timestamps, each on a new line.

4. ‍Click “Save.”

Open the YouTube link to test if the timestamp links appear correctly under the video progress bar.

Option 2: Add timestamps on YouTube videos during upload

1. Go to YouTube Studio.

Click your profile photo and select YouTube Studio.

2. ‍Click “Create” → “Upload Videos”.

In the top-right corner, click Create, then choose Upload Videos.

3. ‍Upload Your File.

Select your video file and start the upload process.

4. ‍Add Timestamps in the Description.

In the description box, type your timestamps using this format:

00:00 Intro  

01:25 Demo  

03:55 Summary

This helps you instantly create YouTube chapters and add value to your YouTube URL from the start.

5. ‍Complete Video Settings.

Continue filling out your title, thumbnail, tags, and visibility options.

6. ‍Click “Publish” or “Schedule.”

Once everything’s ready, hit Publish. Your YouTube timestamp entries will appear in the video description as clickable links.

‍

Best Practices for Creating Effective Timestamps

Follow these tips to make your timestamp links genuinely valuable.

1. Use clear, concise labels.

Keep each label short and specific. Viewers should immediately understand what to expect when clicking.

Good:

01:23 Set Up Your Camera

Avoid:

01:23 Here’s where I show you how I set up my camera for the shoot

2. Keep a consistent format.

Always use the same format across videos—00:00 Topic Title—to make your content easy to navigate and to activate YouTube chapters.

3. Focus on value, not volume.

Don’t overload your video description with too many timestamps. For a 10-minute YouTube video, 3-7 well-placed timestamps are usually enough.

4. Highlight key parts of the video.

Use timestamps to mark major segments like:

• Product demos
• Tutorials
• Announcements
• Action steps
• Recaps

These help viewers jump to the exact moment they care about and can boost YouTube SEO.

5. Adjust based on feedback.

Check your comments section. If viewers mention certain sections they found useful or hard to find, update your timestamps accordingly. This keeps your content creation process viewer-centered and relevant.

6. Try AI tools to save time.

If you publish content often, consider using an AI timestamp generator to speed up your workflow. Tools like Tactiq can automatically generate YouTube timestamps from your video content and reduce manual work.

‍

How to Use Tactiq as a YouTube Timestamp Generator

Want to skip the manual work? Tactiq makes it easy to generate YouTube timestamps automatically using AI. You can upload your video or audio file, and Tactiq will create a full transcript with time-coded highlights—perfect for pasting into your YouTube description.

Here’s how:

1. Visit Tactiq and sign in with your Google account.
2. From the dashboard, click Upload Transcript or Recording, then choose your video or audio file.
3. Once the file is uploaded, Tactiq will generate a full YouTube transcript with timestamps for each section.
4. Review the transcript. You’ll see each section time-stamped and organized, like a ready-made timestamp link generator output.
5. Copy the key timestamps and paste them directly into your YouTube video description to create clickable YouTube chapters.

If you’re trying to figure out how to get a YouTube transcript, Tactiq also offers a free YouTube transcript generator. Just paste the YouTube video links, and it gives you a full transcript with timestamps you can copy and use in your description—no need for uploads!

Tactiq also works with live meetings on Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams, capturing real-time AI timestamps—ideal for repurposing meeting recordings into YouTube content.

Download the free Tactiq Chrome Extension today!

{{rt_cta_ai-convenience}}

‍

Wrapping Up

Adding YouTube timestamps to your videos improves navigation, boosts engagement, and helps viewers find the exact moment they care about. Whether you create them manually or use a tool like Tactiq to generate YouTube timestamps automatically, the result is a better viewing experience and a more discoverable video.

Start using timestamps to make your YouTube channel more accessible, organized, and impactful.