YouTube has raised the bar for new creators who want to earn money from advertising on the platform, as the company is set to double the amount of watch time or Shorts views required to qualify
This announcement, which was released on their official blog post, comes at a time when major social media companies are revising their creator reward programmes, with Elon Musk’s X recently changing its payout guidelines to reward only original content, while Facebook also launched a new monetisation programme earlier this year to attract creators from TikTok and YouTube.
Under the new rules, creators applying to the YouTube Partner Programme from February 1, 2027, will need 1,000 subscribers and either 8,000 qualified watch hours in the previous 12 months or 20 million qualified Shorts views in 90 days.
The current requirement is 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours in 12 months, or 10 million Shorts views in 90 days.
However, this will not affect creators already enrolled in the YouTube Partner Programme.
YouTube said the changes are intended to align its monetisation system with the platform’s continued growth, noting that users now watch more than 200 billion Shorts daily and over one billion hours of content on television screens each day.
The company is also tightening eligibility for Shorts revenue sharing, stating that creators will need at least 10 million qualified Shorts views within a 90-day period to earn a share of advertising and subscription revenue from Shorts content.
Creators who fall below the threshold will remain in the Partner Programme and will still be able to earn from long-form videos, with Shorts monetisation resuming automatically once they meet the required view count again.
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Alongside the stricter requirements, YouTube said it is introducing new ways for smaller creators to generate income, including incentives tied to YouTube Shopping, brand partnerships, and content that drives platform-wide trends.
They also announced the global expansion of Premium Lite, a lower-cost subscription tier that offers ad-free viewing for most content, along with offline downloads and background playback.
Additionally, Creators will receive a share of revenue from Premium Lite subscriptions, as YouTube said 60% of net Premium Lite revenue will be added to a creator pool, while 30% of net revenue from standard YouTube Premium subscriptions will also be distributed to creators.
Revenue from these pools will be allocated based on watch time and views, with creators earning 55% from long-form content and 45% from Shorts. YouTube said some creators may earn more from Premium subscribers than from advertising-supported views.
The company said the overall changes are aimed at reducing creators’ dependence on advertising revenue and broadening monetisation options across the platform.
The updated YPP requirements for ads and Premium revenue will only apply to new applicants, while existing eligibility rules for Fan Funding and shopping features will remain unchanged.
YouTube said creators will be able to review and accept the updated terms through YouTube Studio before they take effect on February 1, 2027.
About the Author
Cecilia Attah is a tech analyst with a degree from Benue State University. She covers tech news and startups at TechRegard with a focus on how technology is transforming Africa and shaping the global landscape.
