YouTube is raising the bar for new creators seeking to earn money from advertising and YouTube Premium revenue, doubling the required watch time or Shorts views under an upcoming update to the YouTube Partner Program (YPP).
Starting February 1, 2027, new creators will need 1,000 subscribers and either 8,000 qualified public watch hours in the previous 365 days or 20 million qualified Shorts views within 90 days to qualify for ad and Premium revenue sharing. The current thresholds are 4,000 watch hours or 10 million Shorts views, meaning both requirements will effectively double.
The subscriber requirement remains unchanged at 1,000 subscribers. YouTube says the changes are aimed at improving the quality and sustainability of its creator ecosystem as the platform deals with an increasing volume of low-quality and mass-produced content.
Importantly, the update does not eliminate YouTube’s lower YPP entry tier. Creators can still qualify for earlier access to features such as Channel Memberships, Super Chat, Super Thanks and YouTube Shopping with 500 subscribers and either 3,000 public watch hours or 3 million Shorts views, alongside the other eligibility requirements.
The major change is therefore focused on the point at which creators become eligible for advertising and YouTube Premium revenue sharing. Creators who are already members of the YPP will not be required to requalify under the higher thresholds when the changes take effect.
YouTube is also introducing changes to its Shorts monetization system. From the same date, creators will need to maintain 10 million qualified Shorts views over a rolling 90-day period to receive monthly payouts from the Shorts Creator Pool.
The changes represent a significant shift for aspiring creators. Reaching 4,000 watch hours is already a major hurdle for many new channels, while achieving 8,000 hours or 20 million Shorts views in 90 days will require creators to build considerably larger and more consistent audiences before accessing YouTube’s main advertising revenue stream.
For musicians, labels and independent content creators, the update makes long-term audience development and consistent content output even more important. Rather than relying on occasional viral videos, creators will increasingly need sustainable strategies capable of generating significant watch time or repeated Shorts engagement.
YouTube’s new requirements are scheduled to take effect on February 1, 2027, giving creators currently working toward monetization time to reach the existing thresholds before the new rules come into force.
