YouTube to tighten monetization requirements in 2027

YouTube is set to raise the bar for creators seeking to monetize their content, announcing stricter audience requirements for its Partner Program (YPP) effective February 1, 2027.

New creators will face significantly higher thresholds to begin earning revenue from advertisements. The platform is doubling the required watch hours for long-form content to 8,000 hours within the last 365 days, up from the current 4,000 hours. For short-form content, the requirement will jump from 10 million views in 90 days to 20 million views in the same period.

The subscriber count remains unchanged at 1,000. YouTube will maintain the current requirements until January 31, 2027, providing a grace period for channels currently in growth phases.

For channels already part of the YPP, maintaining ad revenue will also require meeting updated conditions. While the specifics for long-form content remain the same (1,000 valid public watch hours in 365 days), the criteria for Shorts revenue are more stringent. Channels must achieve 10 million qualified Shorts views in the last 90 days to continue earning ad revenue from Shorts. Failure to meet this target will pause Shorts ad income, though it may not necessarily impact their overall YPP status.