YouTube has announced stricter entry thresholds for its Partner Program, requiring new content creators to achieve twice as many watch hours before they can start earning revenue. Starting February 1, aspiring creators will need at least 8,000 qualified watch hours over the past year, up from the previous 4,000 threshold, or 20 million views on Shorts within 90 days.
The Google-owned platform stated that existing participants in the monetization program will remain unaffected by the updates. According to the company, the adjustments reflect the massive overall growth of the service, aiming to maintain quality while raising the bar for newcomers hoping to monetize their channels.
In tandem with these updates, YouTube is expanding its lower-cost Premium Lite subscription globally to boost creator earnings through membership views. This move mirrors broader industry trends, as major social media platforms continuously revise their creator payouts and engagement metrics amid fierce competition.
- Required watch hours doubled to 8,000 for new creators
- Shorts view threshold increased to 20 million over 90 days
- Current program participants are exempt from the new rules
- Global rollout of the affordable Premium Lite subscription tier
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