YouTube Doubles Viewing Thresholds for Ad Monetization
August 11, 2026
YouTube announced on August 10, 2026, that it is raising the viewing thresholds new creators must meet to qualify for ad and Premium revenue sharing under the YouTube Partner Program (YPP).
From February 1, 2027, new creators applying for ad and Premium revenue sharing will need 8,000 qualified watch hours over the past 365 days, or 20 million qualified Shorts views over the past 90 days. Both figures are double the current thresholds.
New Ad Monetization Thresholds From February 2027
According to YouTube’s official blog, the current bar for ad and Premium revenue sharing is 1,000 subscribers plus either 4,000 watch hours in the past year or 10 million Shorts views in the past 90 days. From February 1, 2027, the watch-hour requirement doubles to 8,000 and the Shorts-view requirement doubles to 20 million. The subscriber requirement stays the same.
The higher entry thresholds apply only to new applicants; creators already in YPP are not subject to them. The thresholds for fan funding and shopping features also remain unchanged. YPP also has a lower tier that lets creators start monetizing through fan funding features, and that tier is not part of this change.
Shorts Revenue Conditions and a Global Premium Lite Rollout
YouTube is also introducing a maintenance condition for Shorts revenue sharing: channels will need 10 million qualified Shorts views over a 90-day period to earn from ads and subscriptions on Shorts. Channels below the threshold stay in the program and keep earning on long-form content, with Shorts revenue resuming once they cross the bar again.
YouTube also said it will expand Premium Lite, its lower-priced plan that removes ads on most videos, to all countries where YouTube Premium is available. For Premium and Premium Lite, YouTube sets aside a creator pool — 30% of net subscription revenue for Premium, 60% for Premium Lite — allocated by member watch time and views.
The revenue share applied to each creator’s allocated amount is 55% for long-form videos and 45% for Shorts, and YouTube says partners on average earn more from a Premium subscriber than from ads.
A Platform at 200 Billion Daily Shorts Views — and Rivals Adjusting Too
YouTube framed the higher viewing thresholds as keeping pace with the platform’s growth, citing more than 200 billion daily Shorts views and over a billion hours of daily watch time on TV screens.
TechCrunch notes that the changes make it harder for new creators to qualify for monetization, with Shorts-focused creators facing particular pressure to consistently maintain large audiences. TechCrunch also reports that in August 2026, X said it will replace its Revenue Sharing program with Original Content Rewards, which prioritizes content adding original value, with applications opening September 8. Facebook launched a new creator monetization program in spring 2026.
Within Google, investment in content creation continues as well — DeepMind has announced a research partnership with the studio A24 on AI in filmmaking (related article: Google DeepMind’s research partnership with A24).
What to Watch Next
YouTube has not given country-by-country timing for the Premium Lite expansion. It is also unclear how much the new viewing thresholds will slow the entry of new creators.
The real impact of the Shorts condition on creator earnings will only become clear after the rules take effect on February 1, 2027.
Sources
YouTube Official Blog – New opportunities to earn and changes to the YouTube Partner Program
Google – Google DeepMind and A24 announce research partnership
TechCrunch – YouTube now requires creators to have twice as many watch hours to start earning money
TechCrunch – X replaces ‘misaligned’ Revenue Sharing program with Original Content Rewards
Engadget – YouTube is making it harder for creators to start getting a cut of ad revenue
