MotionShineShort answer: write the first two lines for the viewer, not for search. Say what the video teaches and who it is for. Then add chapters, the links the video mentions, and one next step. YouTube Help says a description can be 5,000 characters at most, and that people see only the first few lines until they click to read more. Most tutorials need far less than the limit.
The rules below come from YouTube Help pages "Add video descriptions" and "Add chapters to your videos", checked on 26 October 2026. Neither page shows a publish date. The example descriptions are written by us as samples. They are not taken from any real channel, and the names, links and times in them are made up for illustration.
What YouTube Help says about descriptions
| Question | What the page says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| How long can it be? | A maximum of 5,000 characters | YouTube Help, Add video descriptions |
| How much shows first? | The first few lines. Viewers click "Show more" on desktop or "more" on mobile to read the rest. The page gives no exact character count | YouTube Help, Add video descriptions |
| What should the first lines do? | Describe your video | YouTube Help, Add video descriptions |
| Chapters: where do they go? | In the description, in YouTube Studio, then Save | YouTube Help, Add chapters to your videos |
| Chapters: first timestamp | Must start at 00:00 | YouTube Help, Add chapters to your videos |
| Chapters: how many? | At least three timestamps, in ascending order | YouTube Help, Add chapters to your videos |
| Chapters: how long? | Each chapter at least 10 seconds | YouTube Help, Add chapters to your videos |
Blog guides often give a number for how many characters show before "more". Clipchamp's guide says 150. Renderforest's guide says roughly 135 to 160 in search results. YouTube Help gives no number, so treat those as rough and keep your key sentence short enough to fit in the first line or two on a phone.
Your own chapters replace the automatic ones for that video, according to the same Help page.
A simple structure that works for tutorials
This is advice from us, not a YouTube rule. It follows how a person reads a tutorial page.
- Line one: the promise. "In this video you will learn how to [task] in [app]." This is the line most people see.
- Line two: who it is for or what you need. "You need [app and version]. It takes about [time]."
- Chapters. One per step. They let a viewer jump to the part they are stuck on.
- Links the video uses. The file, the template, the app page, the earlier video in a series.
- One next step. Usually the next video in the series, or a subscribe link.
- Credits and contact. Music credit, business email. Last, because few people read this far.
If you have no script yet, a tutorial video script template gives you the steps, and the same steps become your chapters.
Example 1: a software how-to
These are samples. Replace the brackets and times with your own.
In this video you will learn how to set up a shared calendar in [App name], step by step. You need a free [App name] account. The whole setup takes about 6 minutes. 00:00 What you will build 00:25 Create the calendar 01:40 Invite your team 03:10 Set who can edit 04:35 Fix the most common mistake 05:30 Recap Template used in this video: [link] Next video: how to add the calendar to your phone: [link] Questions? Leave a comment and I will answer it.
Why it works: the promise is in the first line, the time cost is in the second, and the chapters match the real steps. The "most common mistake" chapter is also the part most viewers jump to.
Example 2: a Mac how-to
How to record your Mac screen with sound in under 5 minutes. Works on macOS 13 and later. No extra software for the first method. 00:00 The short answer 00:20 Method 1: the built in Screenshot app 01:30 Where the file is saved 02:10 Method 2: a free recorder 03:40 Check the sound before you share Written steps: [link to your blog post] Free tools used: [link] Made on a Mac. Music: [track name and artist].
This example repeats the topic in plain words, because that is what a viewer typed to find it. It also points to the written version for people who prefer to read.
Example 3: a longer course lesson
Lesson 3 of 8: Colors and fonts in [Tool]. In this lesson you style a whole page with two colors and one font. Start with lesson 1 if you are new: [link]. Lesson files: [link]. 00:00 What we are making 00:40 Pick a color palette 04:15 Pick one font 08:00 Apply both to the page 12:30 Common mistakes 14:20 Homework for lesson 4 Full playlist: [link] Next: Lesson 4, Spacing and layout: [link]
For a series, put the lesson number in the first line. A viewer who lands on lesson 5 can see at once that lessons 1 to 4 exist.
Example 4: a quick fix video
Fix: [error message in plain words]. Here is the fix that works in about 90 seconds. If you are on [version], skip to the fix. If not, the first chapter checks it. 00:00 The error 00:15 Check your version 00:40 The fix 01:15 Confirm it worked If this did not fix it, tell me your version in the comments.
For a fix video, put the error text in the first line. People search for the exact words on the screen.
Make the chapters and description faster
Chapters need exact times, and getting them wrong is the usual reason YouTube does not show them. The free YouTube chapters generator formats a list of timestamps in the 00:00 style for you. The free YouTube description generator gives you a first draft to edit. Both run in your browser. A generated draft is a start. Read it against your video and change anything that is not true.
If you record your own screen, note the time of each step while you watch the recording back. Those notes become your chapters. Video editing tips for screen recordings covers cutting a recording so the steps are easier to time.
Mistakes to avoid
- A wall of keywords. The description is for people first. A list of repeated phrases helps nobody. This is our advice, and vidIQ's guide gives the same warning.
- Chapters that break the rules. The first must be 00:00, you need at least three, and each must last 10 seconds or more.
- Burying the promise. If the first line is a sponsor thanks, a viewer on mobile may never see what the video is about.
- Old links. Check every link when you change an app or a site. Wrong links in a tutorial description waste the viewer's time.
- Claims you cannot prove. Do not write "the best" or "the only way" unless you can show it in the video.
Recording the tutorial itself
A description is only as good as the video behind it. If you make tutorials on a Mac, MotionShine is a free Mac screen recorder by the same team that wrote this blog. It records a display, window or area, adds auto zoom on clicks and a smooth cursor, and has an editor with text, pictures, music and voice over. The free version exports up to 720p at 30 fps with no watermark and no time limit, and the paid plans unlock higher resolutions and 60 fps.
It is not a fit if you need to livestream, or if you work on Windows. For the planning side, see how to start a YouTube channel with screen recordings.
FAQ
How long can a YouTube description be?
YouTube Help says a description can be at most 5,000 characters. Most tutorial descriptions are much shorter, and only the first few lines show before the viewer clicks to read more.
How many characters show before "Show more"?
YouTube Help does not give a number. It says viewers see the first few lines. Third-party guides quote about 150 characters, but treat that as a rough figure and put your key sentence first.
What are the rules for chapters in a description?
According to YouTube Help, the first timestamp must be 00:00, you need at least three timestamps in ascending order, and each chapter must be at least 10 seconds long. You add them in the description in YouTube Studio and click Save.
Should I put keywords in the description?
Say what the video is about in plain words, including the topic a viewer would search for, once or twice. Do not stuff repeated phrases. Writing for the viewer first is the safer plan.
Can I use the same description for every video?
Keep the first two lines different for each video, because they are what people see first. A short shared footer with your links and credits is fine.
Do I need a description for a short tutorial?
Yes, a short one. Two lines that name the task and who it is for, plus any link the video mentions, already help a viewer decide if the video is the one they need.
