New YouTube Monetization Rules: What You Need to Know
As of February 1, 2027, YouTube will introduce tougher eligibility requirements for new creators seeking to earn advertising and YouTube Premium revenue through its Partner Program. The updated rules require new creators to accumulate either 8,000 qualified watch hours over the previous 365 days or 20 million qualified Shorts views within the previous 90 days to join the program. This change aims to reward active creators and reflect the platform’s significant growth, with over 200 billion daily views of Shorts and more than one billion hours of television viewing every day.
These new thresholds will only apply to creators joining the program after the changes take effect and will not impact those already enrolled. Existing creators in the YouTube Partner Program will continue to earn revenue without needing to meet the new requirements. However, to continue earning revenue from the Shorts Creator Revenue Pool, creators must maintain at least 10 million Shorts views over a 90-day period. If a channel falls below this threshold, it will remain in the Partner Program and can still earn revenue from long-form videos, with Shorts monetization resuming once the required viewing threshold is met.
The eligibility requirements for Fan Funding and shopping features will remain unchanged. YouTube expects to pay creators more in 2027 than it did in 2026, indicating a positive outlook for content creators despite the tightened monetization requirements.
| Monetization Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Watch Hours | 8,000 qualified watch hours over 365 days |
| Shorts Views | 20 million qualified Shorts views over 90 days |
| Ongoing Shorts Monetization | Maintain at least 10 million Shorts views over 90 days |
