Creator guide

YouTube Tutorial Description Template with Chapters and Resources

A useful tutorial description tells viewers what they will make, what they need and where to find each step. Copy this structure, replace the placeholders with details from your finished video, and remove sections that do not apply.

Last updated: September 20, 2026

Blank reusable tutorial description template

The opening should make sense on its own. Add chapter times only after checking the final edit; the times below are placeholders, not a list ready to publish. Keep each resource beside a short explanation of its purpose.

Blank YouTube tutorial description

[Learn to do WHAT, using WHICH method or tools. Say who this tutorial is for and what the finished result will be.]

BEFORE YOU START
- [Materials, app/version or account needed]
- [Skill, setup or file needed; delete if none]

CHAPTERS
00:00 [Opening chapter title]
[mm:ss] [First useful step]
[mm:ss] [Next useful step]
[mm:ss] [Finished result or check]

RESOURCES
- [Resource name — what it helps with]: [full URL]
- [File or reference used in the tutorial]: [full URL]

CREDITS / DISCLOSURE
[Credit assets or collaborators where needed. Clearly describe any relevant sponsor, affiliate or other commercial relationship. Remove this placeholder.]

NEXT STEP
[One useful action: try the exercise, ask a specific question or watch a relevant follow-up.]

Copy this text into your own document to edit it.

Complete original example: a paper video shot list

This description accompanies an invented 4-minute-20-second tutorial about making a paper shot list. It includes everything needed to publish the example text: a specific summary, materials, chapter titles, real relevant resource URLs, credits and one next step. It is a teaching example, not a claim that this video or sponsorship exists.

Completed tutorial description

Make a paper shot list for a short desk tutorial. We turn one video idea into an opening shot, close-ups and a final result shot, then check the list before recording.

BEFORE YOU START
- One sheet of paper and a pen
- A simple tutorial idea you can demonstrate at your desk
- No app, account or previous filming experience needed

CHAPTERS
00:00 The finished shot list
00:25 Write the viewer outcome
01:05 Divide the page into audio and visuals
02:00 Add close-ups for each action
03:10 Check the list against the script
03:55 Recap and recording preparation

RESOURCES
- Plan supporting shots with the B-roll guide: https://creatorplantools.com/guides/how-to-plan-b-roll-for-videos
- Arrange the video’s opening, steps and ending: https://creatorplantools.com/tools/video-script-outline-builder

CREDITS / DISCLOSURE
The demonstration and drawings in this example tutorial are original. No music or third-party footage is used. This example has no sponsor or affiliate links.

NEXT STEP
Draft a five-shot list for your own tutorial. Which action needs the closest view?

Copy this text into your own document to edit it.

Which sections are optional?

These section choices are CreatorPlanTools writing recommendations. YouTube does not require this particular description layout. A disclosure paragraph is not a substitute for checking any applicable platform settings or obligations.

Summary: keep a specific opening in this template. Name the task, the approach and the result rather than starting with unrelated channel information.
Prerequisites: useful when viewers need materials, a file, an account or prior knowledge. Remove the section when there is nothing to prepare.
Chapters: optional. Include them when viewers can usefully jump between parts of the tutorial. Use the actual section boundaries from the finished video.
Resources: optional if there are no supporting files or references. Link only to resources you have checked and that help with the demonstrated task.
Credits and disclosures: conditional, not something to omit when an asset, relationship or applicable obligation calls for them. Replace the example wording with accurate information and complete relevant upload settings separately.
CTA: optional. One practical next step is enough; a tutorial can also end without asking the viewer to do anything.

Official YouTube limits and chapter rules

YouTube allows up to 5,000 characters in a description. Its guidance encourages creators to explain the video in the opening lines; this does not establish a fixed 150-character search excerpt.

Source: YouTube Help — tips for video descriptions (checked September 20, 2026).

Check the chapter list against the actual edit

For manual chapters, YouTube documents a 00:00 start, at least three timestamps in ascending order, and chapters at least 10 seconds long. Include a title with each timestamp. Access and eligibility also matter, so correct text alone does not ensure chapters appear.

In the worked example, the last chapter starts at 03:55 and the video ends at 04:20, leaving 25 seconds. Every earlier interval also exceeds 10 seconds. The section names describe what the viewer can do at that point.

Source: YouTube Help — video chapters (checked September 20, 2026).

Final description check before publishing

Replace all placeholders and delete unused headings. Check that the opening matches what the tutorial actually teaches.
Confirm prerequisites against the demonstrated materials or software version.
Play the final upload and compare every chapter time with its section. Recheck after any edit that changes timing.
Open each resource URL and confirm the correct destination and access. Add accurate credits and relevant disclosures.
Check the total character count, then review the description on the video page. Counting text does not check chapter availability or writing quality.

Check the completed description

Paste your full draft into the checker to see the character count and remaining space.

Check description length

Frequently asked questions

Can I reuse the same description for every tutorial?

Reuse the structure, but replace the summary, prerequisites, chapter times and resources for each video. Check credits and disclosures again rather than copying them automatically.

Do I need chapters in a short tutorial?

No. Use them when the sections help viewers navigate. If you choose manual chapters, follow YouTube’s documented timestamp and chapter-length rules.

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