YouTube doubles Partner Program entry, updates Shorts payout rules

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YouTube announced significant global changes to its Partner Program (YPP) and Shorts monetization rules, effective Feb. 1, 2027, substantially increasing entry requirements for new creators and introducing new activity and earning minimums for existing partners.

The updates will double the thresholds for new channels seeking to monetize content, while current YPP members must accept revised terms to maintain earnings from specific features.

New creators wishing to join the YouTube Partner Program will need 1,000 subscribers and either 8,000 qualified watch hours over the past year or 20 million qualified Shorts views within the preceding 90 days, according to YouTube.

These new requirements represent a doubling of the current entry criteria for the platform’s monetization program.

Existing YPP partners must accept new terms for Watch Page, Shorts, and Commerce Product Modules by Jan. 31, 2027, or risk losing monetization capabilities from those features, YouTube stated.

Beginning Feb. 1, 2027, channels will need to accumulate 10 million qualified Shorts views over the previous 90 days to earn from the Shorts Creator Pool each month.

Channels falling below this specific Shorts view threshold will continue to earn revenue from their long-form videos, the company clarified.

New activity rules will also apply to existing YPP channels starting Feb. 1, 2027. These channels must maintain at least 1,000 qualified watch hours over the past year, or 1 million qualified Shorts views in the last 90 days.

Alternatively, existing partners can meet the activity requirement by uploading two long-form videos or five Shorts every 90 days.

YouTube also indicated it will introduce a direct payout option for narrowly targeted advertisements. Eligible creators could earn a 45 percent revenue share from these ads, in addition to their regular Creator Pool earnings, for ads targeting five or fewer channels.

Source: Search Engine Journal