A YouTube description generator with a built-in chapter checker
A YouTube description has two audiences: the viewer deciding whether to keep watching, who sees only the first few lines before “…more”, and YouTube, which reads the whole thing to understand the video. This YouTube description generator builds both parts in the right order — a hook, a short summary, chapters, links, social handles, credits and hashtags — from seven templates: tutorial, vlog, product review, podcast, gaming, music and Shorts.
Its chapter checker applies YouTube’s own rules as you type: the first timestamp must be 00:00, there must be at least three, they must go up in order, and every chapter must be at least 10 seconds long. Each line gets a tick or a reason, so you know before publishing whether the chapter bar will appear.
Disclosures for paid promotion, free gifts and affiliate links go straight after the hook, where Indian (ASCI) and US (FTC) guidance expects them — not hidden below “…more”. A meter counts characters and UTF-8 bytes against the 5,000 limit. Everything runs in your browser.
How to write a YouTube description
- Choose a Template and type the Video title. The hook is suggested from the title; press Suggest another for a different one, or write your own.
- Fill in the Summary, Links, Social handles and Credits, or press Fill empty fields with template text and replace the [placeholders].
- Paste your Chapters, one per line (“00:35 Ingredients”), and add the video length. Fix anything marked ✗ in the checker.
- Tick any Disclosures that apply and add the brand name, then add up to a handful of Hashtags.
- Check the preview of what shows before “…more” and the meters, then Copy description into YouTube Studio.
YouTube Description Generator features
Seven templates
Each has its own section order and headings — “🛒 Products mentioned” for reviews, “🎧 Listen everywhere” for podcasts, credits first for music; Shorts keep just a hook, a line and hashtags.
Chapter checker
YouTube’s rules line by line, with the video length used to catch a final chapter under 10 seconds; output is normalised to 00:00 style.
Disclosures where they count
Standard lines for paid promotion, free gifts and affiliate links, placed right after the hook.
Two meters
Characters out of 5,000, plus UTF-8 bytes, because YouTube’s API documents the limit in bytes and Hindi letters take three bytes each.
Above-the-fold preview
Up to three hashtags above the title, then the first three lines as viewers see them before “…more”.
Checks before you paste
Flags the < and > characters YouTube rejects, more than 60 hashtags, duplicates and leftover [placeholders].
YouTube description and chapter rules (checked 14 October 2026)
| Rule | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 5,000 bytes; no < or > characters | YouTube Data API, videos resource (updated 8 Oct 2026); Studio commonly quoted as 5,000 characters |
| First lines | Viewers see the first few lines before “Show more” / “more” | YouTube Help, “Tips for video descriptions” |
| Chapters | First timestamp 00:00; at least 3, ascending; each at least 10 seconds | YouTube Help, “Video chapters” |
| Hashtags | Up to 3 shown by the title; more than 60 and all are ignored | YouTube Help, hashtags page |
| Disclosure (India) | Label such as “Ad”, “Sponsored”, “Collaboration” or “Free gift” upfront — not behind “see more”, not buried in hashtags | ASCI Guidelines for Influencer Advertising on Digital Media (2021) |
| Disclosure (US) | Disclosures that need a click on MORE are likely to be missed; disclose in the video too | FTC, “Disclosures 101 for Social Media Influencers” (2019) |
Worked example: why chapters don’t show
The lines “00:10 Intro” and “00:15 Ingredients” fail twice: the first timestamp is not 00:00, and there are only two. Change the first to 00:00 and add a third line, and the checker turns green. A chapter list of 00:00, 00:09 and 01:00 fails differently — the first chapter is only 9 seconds long.
With a video length of 2:05, a last chapter at 02:00 lasts only 5 seconds and is flagged; at 2:10 it is exactly 10 seconds and passes. For links that jump to a moment, use the YouTube Timestamp Link tool.
Tips for a description that works
- Say the main keyword naturally in the first sentence; it is what search and viewers both read first. Your title from the YouTube Title Generator is a good starting point.
- Write chapter titles people would search for (“Add tea and milk”), not “Part 3”.
- Keep links that matter near the top and label them; a wall of bare URLs gets skipped.
- Use three focused hashtags rather than twenty; build them with the Hashtag Generator.
- Credit music and footage with the licence the owner asks for — it protects you if a claim appears.
YouTube Description Generator FAQ
Why are my YouTube chapters not showing?
Usually one of four reasons: the first timestamp isn’t 00:00, there are fewer than three, they aren’t in ascending order, or a chapter is shorter than 10 seconds. Paste them into this YouTube description generator and the checker marks the line at fault.
How long can a YouTube description be?
5,000 characters in YouTube Studio; YouTube’s API documents the limit as 5,000 bytes. English text is one byte per letter, but Hindi letters take three and emoji four, which is why the byte meter is there.
Where should I put a sponsorship disclosure?
Right at the top, in the first lines viewers see without pressing “more”, and in the video itself. India’s ASCI guidelines and the US FTC both say disclosures hidden below the fold or in a pile of hashtags are not enough. If it is paid, also tick “Includes paid promotion” in YouTube Studio.
Which hashtags appear above the title?
Up to three from your description; YouTube’s help page says it shows the ones it considers most engaging. With more than 60 hashtags, YouTube ignores all of them.
Can Shorts have chapters?
No. The Shorts template keeps a short hook, one line and hashtags, and leaves chapters out.
Is my description stored anywhere?
Only if you press Save, and then only in this browser’s local storage. The description is built by code on this page and is never uploaded.