YouTube Timestamp Link Generator

Paste a YouTube URL above to load the player

Set timestamp

Hours

:

Minutes

:

Seconds

Total: 0 seconds

Share link (youtu.be)

Full link (youtube.com)

Test It

Paste a YouTube URL above to load the player

Chapter label

Chapters

Play the video, type a label, and click "Add Chapter" at each key moment. The first chapter must start at 0:00.

No chapters added yet. Play the video and add your first chapter.

Generated chapter timestamps

How to Add a Timestamp to a YouTube Link

Create a YouTube link with timestamp in three steps. Works with any public video.

1

Paste the YouTube URL

Copy any YouTube video link and paste it in the input field above. We support all URL formats: watch?v=, youtu.be/, /shorts/, /embed/, and more.

2

Set the start time

Enter hours, minutes, and seconds manually, or play the embedded video and click "Set Timestamp to Current Position" when you reach the right moment.

3

Copy and share

Copy the short or full link, test it in a new tab, or generate a QR code for presentations and printed materials.

YouTube Timestamp Format Explained

YouTube supports several URL formats for starting a video at a specific time. The timestamp is always specified in seconds. Here's how each format works:

Format	Example	When to use
`?t=` parameter	`youtu.be/VIDEO_ID?t=90`	Short share links (youtu.be). Most common for sharing on social media and messaging apps.
`&t=` parameter	`youtube.com/watch?v=VIDEO_ID&t=90`	Full YouTube URLs. Use `&t=` because `?v=` is already the first parameter.
`#t=` fragment	`youtube.com/watch?v=VIDEO_ID#t=90`	Hash-based timestamp. Works but less reliable. Not recommended for sharing.
`?start=` parameter	`youtube.com/embed/VIDEO_ID?start=90`	Embed URLs only. Used when embedding a video on a website with a specific start time.

Time value format

The t= value is always in seconds. To link to 1 minute 30 seconds, use t=90 (not t=1m30s). YouTube used to support the 1h2m3s format but the seconds-only format is the most reliable and widely supported.

This tool converts your hours:minutes:seconds input into seconds automatically and generates both URL formats.

How to Add Chapters to YouTube Videos

YouTube chapters (also called video timestamps) are clickable segments in the video progress bar. They help viewers jump to specific sections. Here's how they work:

Requirements for YouTube chapters

The first timestamp must be 0:00
You need at least 3 chapters
Each chapter must be at least 10 seconds long
Format each line as 0:00 Chapter Title
Put them in the video description

Example chapter format

0:00 Intro

0:45 What you'll need

2:15 Step 1: Setup

5:30 Step 2: Configuration

8:12 Step 3: Testing

11:00 Final thoughts

Pro tips for YouTube chapters

Use descriptive labels. "Setup" is better than "Part 2." Viewers scan chapter titles to decide whether to watch.

Front-load the value. If one section is the reason people watch, make its chapter title obvious so viewers can jump straight to it.

Keep it under 10 chapters. Too many chapters overwhelm the progress bar. Focus on the major sections.

Chapters help SEO. YouTube uses chapter titles to understand video content. They can appear as "key moments" in Google search results.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I share a YouTube video at a specific time?

Add ?t=SECONDS to a youtu.be link, or &t=SECONDS to a youtube.com/watch link. For example, to start at 1 minute 30 seconds, add ?t=90 or &t=90.

Or just use this tool: paste the URL, set the time, and copy the generated link. No math required.

Does the timestamp work on mobile?

Yes. Timestamped YouTube links work on all devices: desktop browsers, iOS, Android, YouTube app, and embedded players. The video will start playing at the specified time on all platforms.

One exception: if someone opens the link in the YouTube mobile app, the timestamp works in most cases but occasionally the app may ignore it if there's an ad playing first.

Can I use timestamps with YouTube Shorts?

YouTube Shorts don't support timestamps in the same way regular videos do. The Shorts player doesn't have a seekable progress bar in the mobile app. However, if you convert a Shorts URL to a regular watch URL (which this tool does), the timestamp will work in desktop browsers.

What's the difference between ?t= and &t= in a YouTube URL?

It depends on whether t is the first query parameter or not. In a short URL like youtu.be/ID?t=90, use ?t= because there are no other parameters before it.

In a full URL like youtube.com/watch?v=ID&t=90, use &t= because v= is already the first parameter. This tool generates both formats correctly.

How many chapters can a YouTube video have?

YouTube doesn't set a hard limit on chapters, but there are practical constraints. You need a minimum of 3 chapters, and each must be at least 10 seconds long. Most creators use between 5 and 15 chapters.

Too many chapters make the progress bar hard to use. Keep chapters focused on major sections rather than every minor topic change.

Do I need to install anything?

No. Everything runs in your browser. No extension, no account, no email. Paste a URL, set your timestamp, copy the link. We don't store any URLs or data on our servers.

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