YouTube announced that from February 1, 2027, creators who are applying for advertising and YouTube Premium revenue sharing will need to meet higher thresholds. New entrants must now accumulate 8,000 qualified watch hours in the previous 365 days or 20 million qualified Shorts views in the previous 90 days.
These new limits effectively double the current thresholds of 4,000 watch hours and 10 million Shorts views. YouTube says the update is part of a broader overhaul of its Partner Program (YPP) and is designed to reward creators who are consistently active on the platform.
The announcement has already sparked concern on X, where creators have debated whether smaller channels will find it harder to earn ad‑based revenue. Many worry that a larger audience will be required before they can unlock the main monetisation tier.
Existing YPP members will not be affected by the new entry thresholds. However, they will need to accept updated terms by January 31, 2027, to keep earning. For those already in YPP, a new rule will require 10 million qualified Shorts views over the past 90 days to stay eligible for Shorts advertising and subscription revenue sharing.
Not all income options will be locked behind the higher bar. The eligibility rules for Fan Funding and Shopping remain unchanged, so creators can still access those monetisation tools.
YouTube plans to introduce incentive programmes for creators who fall below the 10 million Shorts view threshold. These will include bonuses tied to YouTube Shopping, brand‑deal incentives, and earnings boosts for creators who launch and grow new trends.
The platform is also expanding Premium Lite to all countries where YouTube Premium is available. Sixty percent of the subscription revenue from Premium Lite will be pooled for creators, with a 55‑percent share for long‑form videos and 45‑percent for Shorts.
YouTube expects to pay creators more in 2027 than in 2026 and wants to diversify income sources beyond advertising. The company highlights that it sees over 200 billion daily Shorts views and more than one billion hours of TV watch time each day.
In short, while the new thresholds make it tougher for new creators to access ad revenue, YouTube is offering alternative pathways and new incentives to help creators grow and earn on the platform.