YouTube raises monetisation requirements for new creators from 2027

Dubai: YouTube will introduce tougher eligibility requirements for new creators seeking to earn advertising and YouTube Premium revenue through its Partner Programme, with the changes taking effect on 1 February 2027.

Under the updated rules, creators applying to join the YouTube Partner Program (YPP) for ad and Premium revenue sharing must either accumulate 8,000 qualified watch hours over the previous 365 days or 20 million qualified Shorts views within the previous 90 days. 

The new thresholds will apply only to creators joining the programme after the changes come into force and will not affect those already enrolled.

The Google-owned platform said the changes are designed to reward active creators and reflect the continued growth of YouTube, which now records more than 200 billion daily views of Shorts and over one billion hours of television viewing every day.

The update marks the first major revision to the Partner Program's eligibility requirements since 2018.

YouTube also announced that creators will need to maintain at least 10 million Shorts views over a 90-day period to continue earning revenue from the Shorts Creator Revenue Pool.

Channels that fall below the threshold will remain in the Partner Program and continue to earn revenue from long-form videos, with Shorts monetisation resuming once the required viewing threshold is met.

The company said eligibility requirements for Fan Funding and shopping features will remain unchanged and added that it expects to pay creators more in 2027 than it did in 2026.