The YouTube Partner Program is about to get harder to join. On August 10, YouTube announced its first major overhaul of the program since 2018. It will double entry requirements for new creators. It also adds a 10 million-view floor for Shorts revenue sharing. The changes take effect February 1, 2027.
Entry bar doubles for new creators
Right now, a channel needs 1,000 subscribers for monetization review. It also needs 4,000 qualified public watch hours in 12 months or 10 million qualified Shorts views in 90 days. The official YPP eligibility rules set those thresholds. Starting February 1, the hour and view thresholds double. New applicants will need 8,000 qualified watch hours over 365 days. Alternatively, they need 20 million qualified Shorts views in 90 days. The 1,000-subscriber requirement stays put.
In addition, the lower fan funding tier remains unchanged. That tier still requires 500 subscribers with 3,000 watch hours or 3 million Shorts views. YouTube VP of Creator Product Amjad Hanif confirmed that in a companion Creator Insider interview. So memberships, Super Thanks, and shopping access keep their current door.
A 10 million-view floor for Shorts earnings
However, the bigger squeeze targets Shorts income. Beginning February 1, partners need 10 million qualified Shorts views in 90 days. That is the threshold for ads and subscription revenue sharing on Shorts. Channels below the line stay in the program. They also keep earning on long-form videos. Shorts sharing resumes automatically once they cross 10 million again.
For smaller channels, YouTube says new incentive programs will replace some lost ad money. Specifically, it is testing milestone bonuses for YouTube Shopping tagging. It is also testing incentives for landing brand deals. Another program would boost creators who start or grow trends. The company framed the shift as rewarding “creators who drive conversation and engagement.” It is moving away from payouts of cents for a few thousand views.
Premium Lite goes global
Meanwhile, YouTube is expanding Premium Lite to every country where it sells YouTube Premium. The cheaper tier removes ads from most videos. It skips music streaming and downloads. As compensation, creators draw from a dedicated revenue pool. Full Premium contributes 30% of net subscription revenue. Lite contributes 60%. Both pools are distributed by watch time and views. From that distribution, creators receive 55% on long-form videos and 45% on Shorts. YouTube claims partners earn more, on average, when viewers sign up for Premium than when they watch ads.
What existing partners should watch
The blog stresses that the new entry thresholds do not touch creators already in the program. However, Engadget reports that current partners face maintenance rules next year. Those rules are 1,000 watch hours per year or 1 million Shorts views. A waiver applies to creators who post two long-form videos or five Shorts every 90 days. YouTube’s announcement does not detail those figures. Therefore, creators should read the new terms in YouTube Studio before February 1. Notably, the current rules already let YouTube remove monetization from channels inactive for six months or more.
Why YouTube is tightening the gate
YouTube points to raw scale. Shorts receives over 200 billion daily views. Viewers also watch more than a billion hours of YouTube on TV every day. The program includes 3 million creators. The company says it expects to pay creators more in 2027 than in 2026. Still, that earnings claim deserves scrutiny. YouTube does not disclose subscriber counts per tier. Engadget’s 125 million paid-users figure blends both plans together. Whether Premium Lite growth offsets the stricter math remains unproven.
Regardless, the platform keeps stacking creator-facing changes. YouTube recently gave Shorts 2x playback and a cleaner view. It now labels AI-generated videos automatically. For new creators, the message is clear: build an audience first, then earn.
