YouTube is raising the requirements for creators who want to start making money from ads and subscriptions on the platform.
The new rules will require creators to build a larger audience and generate significantly more views or watch time before they can qualify for monetization.
Starting February 1, new creators will need at least 8,000 qualified watch hours during the previous 12 months or 20 million qualified Shorts views within 90 days to become eligible for YouTube’s monetization program. The current requirements are 1,000 subscribers along with 4,000 watch hours over the past year, or 1,000 subscribers and 10 million Shorts views over 90 days.
YouTube says the changes will not affect creators who are already part of the YouTube Partner Program. However, the company is also introducing a new requirement for creators who earn money through the Shorts Creators Pool.
Creators will need to maintain at least 10 million Shorts views within a 90-day period to continue earning revenue from the Shorts pool. Channels that fall below that number will remain in the YouTube Partner Program and can continue earning from long-form videos. Shorts revenue will become available again once the channel reaches the 10 million-view requirement.
YouTube says the changes are being made as the platform continues to grow. The company says YouTube now receives more than 200 billion Shorts views every day, while viewers watch more than a billion hours of YouTube content on TVs each day.
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The higher requirements could make it harder for new creators, particularly Shorts-focused channels, to start earning money. Creators will need to consistently attract large audiences before they can qualify for monetization, potentially making it more difficult for smaller channels to enter the program.
