YouTube will make it harder for new creators to qualify for advertising and YouTube Premium revenue sharing from February 1, 2027, after announcing a major overhaul of Partner Program entry thresholds. New applicants seeking the ad-revenue tier will need at least 1,000 subscribers plus either 8,000 qualified public watch hours in the previous 365 days or 20 million qualified Shorts views in 90 days. YouTube confirmed the change on August 10. Existing partners will not lose access simply because they fall below the new entry bar. Monetisation thresholds double for new creators The current requirement is 1,000 subscribers and either 4,000 qualified watch hours in 12 months or 10 million qualified Shorts views in 90 days. The February change doubles both audience thresholds while leaving the subscriber requirement unchanged. “This update won’t impact creators already in YPP,” YouTube said in its official announcement. Read More: Google Slashes YouTube Premium Price by 50% for Eligible Users YouTube defines qualified watch hours as viewing time from public long-form videos. Hours from private, unlisted or deleted videos do not count. Watch time generated by ad campaigns and Shorts also does not contribute toward the long-form threshold. Qualified Shorts views must come from public Shorts appearing in the Shorts Feed. YouTube says the platform now records more than 200 billion daily Shorts views. Users also watch over one billion hours of YouTube content on television screens each day. Shorts creators face separate revenue rule YouTube is also changing how Shorts revenue is distributed. From February 1, creators will need 10 million qualified Shorts views during the previous 90 days to receive ad and subscription revenue sharing from Shorts. Channels that drop below that level will remain inside YPP and can continue earning from eligible long-form content. Shorts revenue sharing will resume automatically if their 90-day total rises above 10 million again. Read More: End of Endless Scrolling? YouTube Adds Option to Remove Shorts YouTube plans additional incentives for creators below that threshold. The company cited potential bonuses linked to YouTube Shopping, brand deals and starting or growing trends, although it has not released full details. The lower entry thresholds for fan funding and selected Shopping features will remain unchanged. In eligible markets, creators can currently access that level with 500 subscribers, three public uploads in 90 days and either 3,000 watch hours or three million Shorts views. Premium Lite expansion adds another earning stream YouTube is also expanding Premium Lite to every country where YouTube Premium is offered. The company says creators will share revenue generated from those subscriptions based on member watch time and views. YouTube said the Premium Lite revenue pool will represent 60% of net subscription revenue, while the Premium pool will represent 30%. Creators receive a 55% revenue share for long-form videos and 45% for Shorts from the relevant distribution. The new YPP terms take effect on February 1, 2027. For aspiring creators, reaching advertising revenue eligibility will require far more viewing activity than under the current system.
End of Endless Scrolling? YouTube Adds Option to Remove Shorts
YouTube is rolling out a new feature that allows users to limit or effectively disable the Shorts feed, marking a shift in how the platform is addressing concerns around excessive scrolling and digital wellbeing. The update enables users to set a viewing limit for Shorts, including an option to reduce the time to zero minutes. Once the limit is reached, the Shorts feed disappears from the app, along with related recommendations, allowing users to focus on longer-form content. The feature is part of YouTube’s broader effort to give users more control over their viewing habits as short-form video continues to dominate online platforms. New controls target screen time habits The Shorts limit can be accessed through YouTube’s settings under time management tools. Users can select how long they want to spend watching short videos, and once that threshold is reached, the app stops showing Shorts content. The zero-minute option effectively removes Shorts entirely, a move that many users have been requesting as short-form content becomes increasingly addictive. The update builds on earlier features that allowed users to set daily time limits, which would pause Shorts viewing after a certain duration. YouTube has previously said such tools are designed to help users “be more deliberate about their viewing habits.” The company has also expanded parental controls, enabling guardians to restrict or block Shorts for younger users, reflecting growing concerns about the impact of endless scrolling on attention spans and mental health. Balancing growth with user wellbeing YouTube Shorts has become a central part of the platform’s strategy, competing directly with TikTok and Instagram Reels. The format has seen rapid growth, attracting billions of views and reshaping how content is consumed globally. However, the rise of short-form video has also raised concerns among users and experts about reduced attention spans and increased screen time. Studies suggest that short-form content encourages frequent engagement but can also lead to lower focus on longer, more informative content. The introduction of the new feature indicates a shift in approach, where platforms are increasingly expected to offer tools that allow users to manage their own usage rather than simply maximize engagement. While Shorts remains a key growth driver for YouTube, the ability to limit or disable the feed suggests the company is responding to user demand for more balanced digital experiences. As the feature rolls out globally, it is likely to influence how other platforms approach short-form content, particularly as regulators and users push for greater control over screen time and algorithm-driven engagement.
