YouTube raises requirements for creators to earn money
YouTube is significantly increasing the criteria for creators to join its Partner Program and monetize their content. The new rules, effective February 2027, raise the bar for both long-form and short-form video creators.
YouTube will implement stricter requirements for creators seeking to monetize their channels through the YouTube Partner Program (YPP), starting February 1st, 2027.
Under the new policy, creators will need to reach at least 1,000 subscribers and accumulate either 8,000 qualified watch hours over the past year, or 20 million qualified Shorts views within the last 90 days. This represents a substantial increase from the current thresholds of 1,000 subscribers with 4,000 watch hours or 10 million Shorts views.
For creators focusing on short-form content, earning from the Shorts Creator Pool will also require maintaining 10 million Shorts views in the last 90 days. However, failure to meet this Shorts-specific metric will not result in immediate removal from the YPP.
The platform has not elaborated on the specific reasons for these adjustments, but they signal a shift towards higher engagement metrics and potentially a stronger focus on short-form content monetization within YouTube's ecosystem.