From February 1, 2027, new creators who want YouTube ad and Premium revenue sharing will need 8,000 qualified watch hours in the last year, or 20 million qualified Shorts views in 90 days. Existing Partner Program members keep their place. Shorts revenue sharing for current partners will need 10 million qualified Shorts views over 90 days.
YouTube announced the updates on its official blog on August 10, 2026. The company framed the change as a way to keep pace with platform growth, citing more than 200 billion daily Shorts views. Fan funding and shopping entry thresholds stay the same.
The practical effect is clear for people still climbing. Discovery on YouTube remains strong, but the gate to ad sharing for new applicants is higher than the long-standing 4,000 watch-hour path. Creators who rely only on Shorts income also face a rolling view floor.
That is why many creators treat platform pay as one stream, not the whole business. A list of readers you control, and a copy of the work somewhere you own, still matter when a threshold or a rule changes. The video can stay on YouTube. The backup should not live only there.YouTube raises the Partner Program bar for new creators in 2027
From February 1, 2027, new creators who want YouTube ad and Premium revenue sharing will need 8,000 qualified watch hours in the last year, or 20 million qualified Shorts views in 90 days. Existing Partner Program members keep their place. Shorts revenue sharing for current partners will need 10 million qualified Shorts views over 90 days.
YouTube announced the updates on its official blog on August 10, 2026. The company framed the change as a way to keep pace with platform growth, citing more than 200 billion daily Shorts views. Fan funding and shopping entry thresholds stay the same.
The practical effect is clear for people still climbing. Discovery on YouTube remains strong, but the gate to ad sharing for new applicants is higher than the long-standing 4,000 watch-hour path. Creators who rely only on Shorts income also face a rolling view floor.
That is why many creators treat platform pay as one stream, not the whole business. A list of readers you control, and a copy of the work somewhere you own, still matter when a threshold or a rule changes. The video can stay on YouTube. The backup should not live only there.
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