YOUTUBE MONETIZATION NEW RULES WATCH TIME 8000 HOURS

 

Yes, the news is entirely accurate. On August 10, 2026, YouTube announced a massive update to the YouTube Partner Program (YPP), officially doubling the entry requirements for new creators wanting to earn ad revenue.

These new rules will take effect on February 1, 2027.

The New Monetization Thresholds

To qualify for full ad and YouTube Premium revenue sharing starting in February 2027, a new channel will need 1,000 subscribers PLUS one of the following two performance metrics:

Metric	Current Rule (Ends Jan 31, 2027)	New Rule (Starts Feb 1, 2027)
Long-form Video Route	4,000 public watch hours (in 12 months)	8,000 public watch hours (in 12 months)
Shorts Route	10 million public Shorts views (in 90 days)	20 million public Shorts views (in 90 days)

Note: You do not need both the watch hours and the Shorts views; you only need to hit one of those performance thresholds alongside the 1,000 subscribers.

What this means for creators

• Existing Monetized Channels: If you are already fully monetized in the YPP, you are grandfathered in. You will not be kicked out of the long-form ad revenue program.
  
  
• The "Catch" for Existing Shorts Creators: There is a new rule specifically for Shorts earnings that impacts everyone. Starting February 1, 2027, all creators (even existing YPP members) must maintain a rolling threshold of 10 million qualified Shorts views every 90 days to remain eligible for revenue sharing on Shorts. If your views dip below this mark, your long-form earnings stay intact, but your Shorts revenue will pause until you cross 10 million views again.
  
  
• The "Fan Funding" Tier Remains Unchanged: The lower tier of the YPP—which unlocks features like Super Chats, Super Thanks, and Channel Memberships—is not changing. You can still apply for this tier with 500 subscribers and 3,000 watch hours (or 3 million Shorts views).
  
  

This is the first major change to the YPP entry requirements since 2018. YouTube has stated that raising the barrier to entry is intended to reward consistently active creators and keep the partner program sustainable as the platform continues to grow.