YouTube raises the bar; new creators now need double the watch hours

YouTube is raising the eligibility bar for new creators seeking advertising and YouTube Premium revenue, doubling the required watch hours and increasing the Shorts-view threshold from February 1, 2027.

Under the updated YouTube Partner Programme (YPP) rules, new applicants will need either:

• 8,000 qualified watch hours in the previous 365 days, or
• 20 million qualified Shorts views in the previous 90 days.
• Previously, creators needed 4,000 watch hours or 10 million Shorts views.
• The requirement of 1,000 subscribers remains unchanged.
• The new criteria will apply to new YPP applicants from February 1, 2027.

Creators who are already part of the YouTube Partner Programme will not be affected by this change to entry requirements.

Shorts creators face another monetisation rule

YouTube is also introducing a separate requirement for Shorts revenue sharing.

From February 1, creators will need 10 million qualified Shorts views within a rolling 90-day period to remain eligible for advertising and subscription revenue sharing on Shorts.

Channels that fall below the threshold will remain part of YPP and can continue earning from eligible long-form videos.

However, Shorts revenue sharing will pause until the channel again reaches the required 10 million views.

YouTube said creators already generating significant Shorts revenue are unlikely to be substantially affected.

Why YouTube is changing the rules

YouTube said the changes come as viewing on the platform continues to grow.

The company said YouTube Shorts now generate around 200 billion views a day, while viewers watch more than one billion hours of YouTube content on televisions every day.

The latest changes mark the first major revision to the Partner Programme since 2018.

The programme currently has more than 3 million creators.

New earning options for smaller channels

Creators who fall below the new Shorts threshold will not lose access to the broader Partner Programme.

YouTube said it plans to introduce additional earning opportunities, including:

• Bonuses linked to YouTube Shopping
• Incentives for brand deals
• Earnings boosts connected to emerging trends

The lower level of the Partner Programme will also remain available for fan-funding and shopping features.

Creators can qualify for this lower tier with 500 subscribers, three public uploads within 90 days, and either 3,000 qualified watch hours or 3 million qualified Shorts views.

YouTube expands Premium Lite

YouTube has also expanded Premium Lite to all countries where YouTube Premium is available.

The subscription provides uninterrupted, offline and background viewing for most content.

In India, Premium Lite has been available since November 2025 and costs ₹89 per month, compared with ₹149 per month for the standard Premium plan.

Under YouTube's revenue model, 30% of net subscription revenue from Premium and 60% from Premium Lite is allocated to separate creator pools after certain operating, promotional and music-partner costs.

The funds are then distributed based on member watch time and views.

Creators receive 55% of the allocated revenue from long-form videos and 45% from Shorts, according to YouTube.

What the changes mean for creators

The higher entry thresholds could make it more difficult for new channels to reach full advertising revenue sharing, particularly creators who rely on long-form videos but have not yet built a large audience.

For Shorts-focused creators, maintaining 10 million qualified views every 90 days will become an additional challenge for continued Shorts revenue sharing.

At the same time, YouTube is retaining lower-tier monetisation tools and expanding alternative revenue opportunities, meaning creators who do not meet the full advertising threshold will still have ways to earn through the platform.

Analysis and explainer

YouTube's changes raise the bar for full monetisation but do not remove all earning opportunities for smaller creators.

The most significant change is the doubling of the long-form watch-hour requirement from 4,000 to 8,000 hours. The Shorts threshold for new applicants also doubles from 10 million to 20 million views.

The separate 10-million-view rule for Shorts means creators will have to maintain a substantial level of audience engagement rather than simply reach the threshold once.

The changes come as competition for viewers and creator revenue intensifies across major social platforms. YouTube's continued expansion of Shorts, Premium and shopping-based tools indicates a broader shift towards multiple revenue streams beyond traditional advertising.

For new creators, the practical impact is clear: building a consistent audience and sustained watch time will become increasingly important before relying on YouTube's main advertising revenue-sharing system.