The short answer
On 10 August 2026, YouTube announced the first big change to its Partner Program since 2018[1]. If your channel is not monetized yet, the road to ad revenue gets twice as long from 1 February 2027: you will need 8,000 qualified watch hours in the last 365 days, or 20 million qualified Shorts views in the last 90 days, on top of 1,000 subscribers[1].
If your channel is already monetized, you stay in. But two things still need your attention: Shorts revenue now has a rolling 10 million view floor[3], and you must accept new terms in YouTube Studio by 31 January 2027[2].
Old rules vs new rules
| Requirement | Until 31 January 2027 | From 1 February 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Subscribers for ad revenue | 1,000 | 1,000 (no change)[1] |
| Long-form route | 4,000 watch hours in 12 months | 8,000 watch hours in 365 days[1] |
| Shorts route | 10 million Shorts views in 90 days | 20 million Shorts views in 90 days[1] |
| Fan funding and Shopping tier | 500 subscribers, 3 uploads in 90 days, 3,000 hours or 3M Shorts views | No change[1] |
| Earning from the Shorts Creator Pool | Any YPP channel with Shorts views | Only months with 10M Shorts views in the last 90 days[3] |
| Who it applies to | Everyone applying | New applicants; current members keep their place[1] |
Who is affected, and how
Find your situation
- Already in YPP with long-form videos: nothing changes for your long-form revenue[1]. Accept the new terms before 31 January 2027[2].
- Already in YPP and mostly Shorts: you earn from the Shorts Creator Pool only in months when your channel has 10 million qualified Shorts views over the last 90 days[3]. If you drop below, Shorts pay pauses but you stay in the program and long-form earnings continue[1].
- Not in YPP yet: from 1 February 2027 you need 8,000 hours or 20 million Shorts views to unlock ads[1]. If you already meet today's 4,000 hours or 10 million Shorts views, apply now.
- Below 1,000 subscribers: the 500-subscriber fan funding tier is unchanged[1], and it is open in India[4].
- Inactive monetized channels: YouTube gives them a 90-day window to reach a lower activity bar of 1,000 watch hours in 365 days or 1 million Shorts views in 90 days[2].
YouTube says smaller Shorts channels below the new floor will get other ways to earn instead, such as bonuses for YouTube Shopping, incentives for brand deals and boosts for starting trends, with details still to come[1].
What 8,000 hours and 20 million views mean in real life
8,000 hours is 4,80,000 minutes of watch time in a year. That is about 60,000 views on videos people watch for 8 minutes, or 1.2 lakh views at 4 minutes. Spread over 12 months, it is roughly 22 hours of watch time every day.
20 million Shorts views in 90 days is about 2.2 lakh views a day, every day, for three months. The ongoing 10 million floor for Shorts pay works out to about 1.1 lakh views a day. For most small channels, long-form video is now the more realistic route into the program.
A 12-week plan before 1 February 2027
- Open YouTube Studio, go to Earn, and write down your current subscribers, public watch hours and Shorts views.
- If you already meet 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 hours (or 10M Shorts views), apply this week. Review can take time, so don't wait for January.
- If you are close, publish 1 or 2 long-form videos a week of 8 to 15 minutes on your best-performing topic.
- Turn your top 10 Shorts into longer explainers and link them with the related video feature.
- Build playlists so one view leads to the next; session time adds up faster than one-off hits.
- If you are already in YPP, accept the updated modules in YouTube Studio before 31 January 2027[2].
- Shorts-heavy channel? Check your 90-day Shorts views now and add long-form so your income doesn't depend on one number.
- Set up your AdSense tax info (W-8BEN) so US-viewer earnings are withheld at the treaty rate, not the default[6].
For creators in the US
The new thresholds apply to every country, so US channels face the same 8,000 hours or 20 million Shorts views for new applications from 1 February 2027[1]. The difference is value per view: US audiences usually earn more per thousand views, so a US channel that crosses the bar tends to reach a meaningful payout faster. If you are an Indian creator with a large US audience, the same applies to you, because pay depends on where the viewer is.
Sources
Every statistic in this article comes from one of these publications. Links open the original source in a new tab.
- 1New opportunities to earn and changes to the YouTube Partner Program New applicants need 8,000 watch hours or 20 million Shorts views from 1 February 2027. Existing members are not affected. Fan funding and Shopping thresholds are unchanged.
- 2YouTube updates its Partner Program (YouTube's message to creators) Updated terms must be accepted in YouTube Studio by 31 January 2027. Inactive channels get 90 days to reach a lower activity bar.
- 3YouTube updates Partner Program terms and Shorts payout rules From 1 February 2027 a channel needs 10 million qualified Shorts views in the last 90 days to earn from the Shorts Creator Pool that month.
- 4Overview of the expanded YouTube Partner Program Join at 500 subscribers, 3 public uploads in 90 days and 3,000 watch hours or 3 million Shorts views. India is on the country list.
- 5Exploring YouTube's impact in India in 2024 (executive summary) Over ₹21,000 crore paid to creators, artists and media companies in India in three years; creators earn 55% of ad and subscription revenue.
- 6U.S. tax requirements for YouTube earnings Only earnings from US viewers are withheld when tax info is submitted. India's treaty rate in YouTube's example is 15%. Without tax info, up to 24% of worldwide earnings can be withheld.
This article is for general information and isn't financial or legal advice. Figures are as published by each source on the date shown.