Chapter Tool

Key Features

Chapter Tool streamlines your post-production workflow by parsing FCPXML files. It identifies your project markers and prepares them for YouTube's specific chapter requirements with just a few clicks.

Smart Marker Detection & Conversion

• Beyond Chapters: Unlike other tools, it detects not only official Chapter Markers but also standard FCP markers.
• Flexible Integration: Perfect for beginners or fast-paced edits—choose to include standard markers and "transform" them into chapters automatically.
• Selective Editing: Easily delete unwanted markers while keeping the rest of your timeline perfectly synchronized.
• Merge Function: Select two markers and fuse them into a single chapter with a single command.

Note: Chapter Tool detects markers placed directly on the Primary Storyline. Consistent with Final Cut Pro’s own timeline behavior, markers nested inside Compound Clips or Multicam Sequences are not detected.

YouTube Optimization

• Mandatory Start Check: The app automatically verifies the presence of a 00:00 marker. If missing, it adds one by default to ensure YouTube chapter compatibility. The first chapter must start exactly at 00:00 (or 00:00:00) for YouTube to recognize the segments.
• Smart Time Formatting: Analyzes each marker individually and formats timestamps based on its value. Markers under one hour use MM:SS format (e.g., 59:59), while markers at or above one hour use HH:MM:SS format (e.g., 01:00:01). This allows mixed-format lists for long videos, with early chapters in MM:SS and later ones in HH:MM:SS. Always uses two-digit minutes (00:00) for professional consistency. Automatically removes frame data (e.g., 00:00:00:12) and rounds to the nearest second, as YouTube doesn't recognize frame-level precision.
• Interval Validation: Ensures a minimum duration of 10 seconds between chapters, adhering to YouTube's technical guidelines.
• Minimum Chapter Count: Validates that your project contains at least 3 chapters, as required by YouTube.
• Proper Spacing: Ensures correct spacing between timestamp and title (e.g., "00:00 Start Introduction") for optimal YouTube parsing.
• One-Click Clipboard: Generates a clean text list with each chapter on a separate line (Timecode + Title) and copies it directly to your clipboard, ready to be pasted into your video description.

Professional Performance

• Integrated text editor for chapter titles: Refine your titles directly within the app before exporting.
• Support for projects of any duration: Handles everything from short clips to feature-length documentaries.
• Management of hundreds of chapter markers without slowdowns: Optimized for performance, even with high-density marker projects.