YouTube Raises Monetisation Thresholds: New Creators Will Need 8,000 Watch Hours or 20 Million Shorts Views
YouTube has announced a major update to its Partner Program eligibility rules, requiring aspiring creators to meet significantly higher viewing metrics before they can start earning money from advertisements and subscriptions.
What Happened
Starting February 1, creators applying for monetisation on YouTube must have accumulated at least 8,000 qualified watch hours over the previous 12 months, or reached 20 million qualified Shorts views within the previous 90 days. These figures double the current baseline requirement of 4,000 watch hours or 10 million Shorts views alongside 1,000 subscribers.
The Google-owned video platform confirmed that existing members of the YouTube Partner Program will not be affected by the raised entry barriers. However, a new ongoing threshold will apply to Shorts revenue: creators will need to maintain 10 million Shorts views over a rolling 90-day window to earn from the Shorts Creators Pool. Channels that fall below this benchmark will remain within the partner program and continue earning revenue from long-form videos, with Shorts payouts resuming once the 10-million-view mark is crossed again.
Key Highlights
- Doubled Entry Requirements: New applicants require 8,000 watch hours in the past year or 20 million Shorts views over 90 days.
- Effective Date: The new eligibility criteria will take effect on February 1.
- Existing Creators Protected: Channels already enrolled in the YouTube Partner Program will not lose their partner status due to the entry changes.
- Shorts Pool Maintenance: Creators must maintain 10 million Shorts views every 90 days to receive payouts from the Shorts pool.
- Premium Lite Expansion: YouTube is expanding its lower-cost Premium Lite tier to all markets where YouTube Premium operates, offering ad-free viewing on most videos, offline downloads, and background playback.
- Subscription Revenue Splits: YouTube allocates 55% of subscription revenue to long-form video creators and 45% to Shorts creators based on viewing time and volume.
Why This Matters
YouTube stated that the rule changes are designed to match the platform’s expansion, which currently records more than 200 billion daily Shorts views and over one billion daily hours of television watch time. By increasing the qualification standards, the platform raises the bar for new creators, requiring consistent, large-scale audience reach before unlocking ad revenue.
Alongside the monetisation shifts, YouTube is broadening access to its Premium Lite plan. The company indicated that creators typically earn higher payouts when a viewer subscribes to Premium compared to standard ad views, potentially increasing creator earnings from subscriber watch time.
What to Watch Next
The revised eligibility criteria will officially take effect on February 1. Industry-wide adjustments to creator remuneration also continue across competitor platforms, including recent payout revisions by X focusing on original content, alongside ongoing creator monetisation programs launched by Facebook.
Frequently Asked Questions
When do the new YouTube Partner Program rules take effect?
The updated eligibility requirements will come into effect starting February 1.
Will existing monetised channels lose their Partner status?
No. YouTube stated that creators who are already enrolled in the YouTube Partner Program will not be impacted by the new entry thresholds.
What happens if a creator falls below 10 million Shorts views?
Channels falling below 10 million Shorts views over a 90-day period will temporarily stop earning from the Shorts Creators Pool, but they will stay in the partner program, continue monetising long-form videos, and resume Shorts payouts once they hit 10 million views again.
Source: YouTube Partner Program announcement via TechCrunch.