YouTube introduced the Partner Program (YPP) way back in 2006, and next year in 2026, it will have completed two decades from when it was first introduced. The tech giant has over the years kept on making some modifications and updates to its Partner Program policies and its revenue sharing model for the creators on its platform. YouTube has now made an update to its YouTube Partner Program terms, and the tech giant claims that this is the first time it is making such a modification since 2018. Under this revision, the company has raised the ad and premium eligibility thresholds for new creators wanting to join the partner program.

On Monday, the video streaming platform announced that it is updating its YouTube Partner Program terms. It described this as the "first major change since 2018" to ensure YPP remains a leader in the creator economy. The company said it expects to pay creators "even more" in 2027 than in 2026. As part of these updates, the company has revised the requirements for new creators applying to the Partner Program.

According to these rules, which will come into effect on February 1, 2027, new creators applying to be part of the Partner Program must have 8,000 qualified watch hours in the past year or 20 million qualified Shorts views in the past 90 days. The tech firm clarified that there have been no changes to the entry limits for its Fan Funding and Shopping products.

Currently, eligibility to be part of the YouTube Partner Program is 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 qualified watch hours in the last 365 days, or 1,000 subscribers and 10 million Shorts views in the last 90 days. YouTube says these changes are being made to "keep pace with YouTube's growth, which now has over 200 billion Shorts views daily and records over a billion hours of watch time on TV every day."

In addition, YouTube has also updated the way it shares Shorts revenue with creators. YouTube will now require creators to have 10 million qualified Shorts views in the last 90 days to remain eligible for ad and subscription revenue sharing. Creators who fall below this threshold will remain part of the YouTube Partner Program and will be eligible to earn revenue for long-form content. This new rule will also come into effect from February 1, 2027.

Finally, the company has announced that the YouTube Premium Lite plan is now available in 'all countries', offering ad-free viewing of most content, as well as downloading videos for offline viewing and background playback.

YouTube introduced the Partner Program (YPP) way back in 2006, and next year in 2026, it will have completed two decades from when it was first introduced. The tech giant has over the years kept on making some modifications and updates to its Partner Program policies and its revenue sharing model for the creators on its platform. YouTube has now made an update to its YouTube Partner Program terms, and the tech giant claims that this is the first time it is making such a modification since 2018. Under this revision, the company has raised the ad and premium eligibility thresholds for new creators wanting to join the partner program.

On Monday, the video streaming platform announced that it is updating its YouTube Partner Program terms. It described this as the "first major change since 2018" to ensure YPP remains a leader in the creator economy. The company said it expects to pay creators "even more" in 2027 than in 2026. As part of these updates, the company has revised the requirements for new creators applying to the Partner Program.

According to these rules, which will come into effect on February 1, 2027, new creators applying to be part of the Partner Program must have 8,000 qualified watch hours in the past year or 20 million qualified Shorts views in the past 90 days. The tech firm clarified that there have been no changes to the entry limits for its Fan Funding and Shopping products.

Currently, eligibility to be part of the YouTube Partner Program is 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 qualified watch hours in the last 365 days, or 1,000 subscribers and 10 million Shorts views in the last 90 days. YouTube says these changes are being made to "keep pace with YouTube's growth, which now has over 200 billion Shorts views daily and records over a billion hours of watch time on TV every day."

In addition, YouTube has also updated the way it shares Shorts revenue with creators. YouTube will now require creators to have 10 million qualified Shorts views in the last 90 days to remain eligible for ad and subscription revenue sharing. Creators who fall below this threshold will remain part of the YouTube Partner Program and will be eligible to earn revenue for long-form content. This new rule will also come into effect from February 1, 2027.

Finally, the company has announced that the YouTube Premium Lite plan is now available in 'all countries', offering ad-free viewing of most content, as well as downloading videos for offline viewing and background playback.