YouTube Monetization Requirements in 2027: 8,000 Hours or 20 Million Shorts Views
Starting February 1, 2027, new channels need 1,000 subscribers plus 8,000 watch hours in a year, or 20 million Shorts views in 90 days, to earn from ads. Channels already in the Partner Program stay in, but they have to accept the new terms.
- Starts
- FEB 1, 2027
- Watch hours
- 8,000
- Shorts
- 20M VIEWS
- Subscribers
- 1,000
From February 1, 2027, a new channel needs 1,000 subscribers plus either 8,000 qualified public watch hours in the last 365 days or 20 million qualified public Shorts views in the last 90 days to join the YouTube Partner Program and earn from ads and Premium. That’s double today’s numbers. Channels already in the program stay in, but they have to accept the new terms in YouTube Studio by January 31, 2027. YouTube
Quick answer: if your channel gets into the program before February 1, 2027, it does so under today’s thresholds; after that, under double.
What changes on February 1, 2027
| Requirement to earn from ads | Until January 31, 2027 | From February 1, 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Subscribers | 1,000 | 1,000 |
| Long-form route | 4,000 hours in 12 months | 8,000 hours in 365 days |
| Shorts route | 10 million views in 90 days | 20 million views in 90 days |
The 500-subscriber entry tier, which unlocks fan funding (memberships, Super Chat, Super Thanks) and some Shopping features, stays the same: 500 subscribers, three public uploads in 90 days, and 3,000 hours in a year or 3 million Shorts views in 90 days. vidIQ
Shorts watch time doesn’t count toward the 8,000 hours: they’re two separate routes, and you only need to meet one. vidIQ
If you’re already in the Partner Program
YouTube says the new thresholds don’t affect existing partners. What you do need to do is accept the updated terms in YouTube Studio by January 31, 2027; otherwise, on February 1 you stop earning from the affected features until you accept them. Search Engine Journal
The new terms add an activity requirement. According to Search Engine Journal and vidIQ, which attribute it to YouTube’s help pages, a channel counts as active if it meets one of three conditions: 1,000 qualified watch hours in the past year, 1 million qualified Shorts views in 90 days, or two long-form uploads or five Shorts every 90 days. A channel that meets none gets an extra 90 days to get back to the hours or views. Search Engine Journal vidIQ
Earning from Shorts will take 10 million views in 90 days
From the same date, earning the ads and subscription share on Shorts requires 10 million qualified Shorts views in the last 90 days. Below that, the channel stays in the program and keeps earning on long-form videos; only Shorts earnings pause, and they resume automatically once the channel crosses 10 million again. YouTube says creators who already earn significant Shorts revenue are unlikely to be affected. YouTube
What YouTube offers in return
YouTube is expanding Premium Lite to every country where Premium is available and pays creators 55% of what their long-form videos generate in that pool and 45% on Shorts. For channels under the Shorts threshold, it’s announcing Shopping bonuses, brand deal incentives and boosts for starting trends, with no figures yet: “We’ll share more details soon.” YouTube
What to do if your channel is close
If you’re a few hours or views short, the calendar matters: whatever you reach before February 1, 2027 is measured against today’s thresholds. Check how far you are in YouTube Studio’s Earn tab and focus on what adds the most hours: long-form videos people watch all the way through. To make sure those videos look right when you upload them, see the YouTube export settings and the ones for Shorts.
Daykyri says: the door is getting narrower for new channels. With these numbers, getting in through viral Shorts costs far more than building a library of long-form videos people search for over months.
Frequently asked questions
How many watch hours do you need to monetize on YouTube in 2027?
From February 1, 2027, 8,000 qualified public watch hours in the last 365 days, plus 1,000 subscribers. The other route is 20 million Shorts views in 90 days.
Will I lose monetization if I’m already in the program?
Not because of the new entry thresholds. You need to accept the updated terms by January 31, 2027 and keep the channel active.
Do Shorts count toward the 8,000 watch hours?
No. Shorts have their own route, based on views.
Are memberships and Super Chat requirements changing?
No. The 500-subscriber tier stays the same.
More on content creation
Sources
YouTube — New opportunities to earn and changes to the YouTube Partner Program
vidIQ — Current and 2027 thresholds, the 500-subscriber tier and Shorts
Search Engine Journal — Terms deadline and activity requirement
Last verified: October 10, 2026.