Building a stable income on YouTube has never been easy, and starting next year, creators will face higher hurdles. YouTube has announced major changes to its Partner Program (YPP), specifically raising the eligibility requirements for new creators to earn ad revenue share and Premium membership revenue share. Both core requirements will be significantly increased.
YouTube raises the threshold for creators to earn ad revenue, doubling the required watch time.
The current rules require creators to have at least 1,000 subscribers and accumulate 4,000 hours of valid public watch time within 12 months, or reach 10 million valid Shorts views within 90 days. Starting next year, the subscriber threshold will remain unchanged, but both view-based pathways will double. Under the new requirements, creators must reach 8,000 hours of qualifying public watch time in the past 365 days, or accumulate 20 million qualifying Shorts views within 90 days, to qualify for ad and Premium revenue sharing.
YouTube stated that this is the first large-scale adjustment to the Partner Program since 2018. Currently, YPP has over 3 million creators, and the platform hopes that by raising the threshold, it can ensure revenue distribution is more quality-oriented and stable. Notably, other monetization methods such as fan sponsorships and shopping features are not affected; creators can still earn through these channels without having to meet the new higher threshold.
Beyond the eligibility adjustments for new creators, existing creators will also face new Shorts revenue rules. Starting February 1, 2026, creators must reach 10 million qualified Shorts views in the past 90 days to continue earning a share of Shorts ad and subscription revenue. If views fall below the threshold, creators will not be removed from YPP, nor will it affect their long-form video income; as long as the channel meets the threshold again, the Shorts revenue share will automatically resume.
Additionally, creators must still maintain at least 1,000 hours of long-form video watch time or reach 1 million Shorts views annually to keep their channel active and in good standing. YouTube also emphasized that regularly publishing content remains the best way to maintain channel health. If a channel does not upload any content for six consecutive months, it may be removed from the Partner Program.
In addition to revenue system adjustments, YouTube also announced that it is expanding Premium Lite to all countries and regions where YouTube Premium is available, allowing more users to enjoy an ad-free viewing experience at a lower price. The platform also rolled out a series of creator incentives centered on shopping, brand partnerships, and content trends, aiming to raise the bar while offering more opportunities for growth and monetization.
Despite the new regulations increasing pressure on creators, YouTube still expects its total payouts to creators in 2027 to be higher than in 2026. The platform hopes that clearer eligibility criteria and better incentive mechanisms will foster a healthier creator ecosystem and improve the overall experience for both viewers and creators.
Source: KOCPC Chinese