In this article 9 sections
The short answer
YouTube is changing its Partner Programme (YPP) on 1 February 2027. If you are already in the programme, you keep your place. But you need to accept the new terms in YouTube Studio by 31 January 2027. If you don't, the earnings tied to those features stop on 1 February until you accept.
It takes a few minutes. Here is the summary:
- Deadline: accept the updated terms in YouTube Studio by 31 January 2027.
- New creators face higher entry thresholds from 1 February 2027. Existing members are not affected.
- Shorts: to earn from the Shorts Creator Pool each month, a channel needs 10M qualified Shorts views over the last 90 days.
- Premium Lite expands, and the rules for an "active" channel become looser.
This guide is based on YouTube's own Help page and blog, linked at the end. We're a creator company, not YouTube, so always check the source if your channel is in a special situation.
What is changing
YouTube describes three main updates.
Premium Lite. YouTube is expanding Premium Lite to every country where YouTube Premium is available. Creators share in a revenue pool from these subscriptions, based on how much members watch. YouTube says that, on average, creators earn more per user from Premium than from ads, based on 2026 performance. That is an average, not a promise for any one channel.
Shorts earnings. From 1 February 2027, a channel needs 10M qualified Shorts views over the last 90 days to earn each month from the Shorts Creator Pool. If you fall below that, you are not removed from YPP and your long-form earnings carry on. Shorts revenue sharing starts again once you cross 10M. YouTube also says new Shorts incentive programmes are coming, such as production credits for brand deals and boosts for trends. Details are not out yet, and eligible creators will be told how to opt in.
Entry thresholds for new creators. To join YPP from 1 February 2027, you will need 1,000 subscribers plus either 8,000 qualified watch hours in the last 365 days or 20M qualified Shorts views in the last 90 days. If you are weighing up when to apply, our post on YouTube's three new monetisation tools shows how YouTube's earning options have grown. For the full requirements as they stand, see our upcoming guide to YouTube monetisation requirements.
YouTube is also updating what counts as an active channel. From 1 February 2027, your channel is active if it meets any one of these:
- 1,000 qualified watch hours in the past 365 days
- 1 million qualified Shorts views in the last 90 days
- 2 long-form videos or 5 Shorts uploaded every 90 days
If you drop below, you get an extended 90-day window to get back above the watch hours or Shorts views line.
What is not changing
There's some good news in YouTube's announcement.
- If you are already in YPP, your status is not affected by the new entry thresholds.
- Accepting the terms does not change your place in the programme. Not accepting does not remove you either. It only pauses earnings from the affected features.
- Entry for fan funding (such as channel memberships and Super Chat) and for YouTube Creator Partnerships is unchanged. YouTube says creators can reach them earlier, at 500 subscribers plus either 3,000 qualified watch hours in the last year or 3M qualified Shorts views in the last 90 days.
Back in 2023, YouTube lowered the bar for those early features. Our older post on that change is a useful bit of history, but it was written in June 2023, so use this page for today's rules.
What to do before 31 January
Accepting the terms is simple. YouTube's steps are:
- Sign in to YouTube Studio on desktop or mobile.
- Find the terms notification on your dashboard, or open the Earn tab.
- Select Review for each updated module.
- Tick the box to accept, then select Next.
- Select Submit once you have reviewed every updated module.
You can accept some modules or all of them. YouTube encourages creators to accept all, so you can earn from every feature. The modules include Watch Page Monetization, Shorts Monetization and, where it applies, Commerce Product. If you turned on fan funding before 2023, you may be on an older set of terms and will be asked to move to the current one. YouTube says that doesn't change eligibility, how the products work or the revenue share.
A tip: do it now, not on 30 January. Put a reminder in your calendar and tick it off. If you miss the date, you can regain access to those features at any time by accepting the terms later.
If you work with an MCN or an agency, who accepts?
It depends on how your channel is set up with them, according to YouTube.
- Owned-and-operated channels: the MCN accepts the updated terms.
- Affiliate channels: the channel itself accepts in YouTube Studio. The MCN does not accept for you.
If you aren't sure which you are, ask your MCN or agency. Don't wait until January to find out. If you would like to talk it through with a team that works with YouTube creators every day, get in touch and a real person will read your message.
Shorts creators: what 10M views in 90 days means
The 10M line applies to the Shorts Creator Pool, the part of YPP that pays for Shorts views. A few plain points:
- It is a rolling 90-day count of qualified Shorts views. Not every view qualifies, so check YouTube's own definition.
- Below 10M, you stay in YPP and keep long-form earnings.
- Cross 10M again and Shorts revenue sharing resumes automatically.
- YouTube says it is adding other ways to earn from Shorts, with details to follow.
If your channel sits below 10M, long-form videos and tagged products can carry more of the load. UK creators in particular may want to read how YouTube Shopping UK works. YouTube decides who is accepted.
Staying in good standing matters whatever your format. YouTube changed how strikes work in the past, so it is worth reading our guide to the strike changes too.
Want a second pair of eyes on your channel?
Ritual Network is the creator company built for YouTube. We have worked with YouTube creators for more than ten years, and we are YouTube Certified. If you want help planning your next 90 days, take a look at how Ritual works with YouTube creators and apply. There is no minimum subscriber count. We look for real potential, and a real person reads every application.
For more explainers like this one, browse the Ritual blog.
Frequently asked questions
When do the YouTube Partner Programme changes start?
On 1 February 2027. Review and accept the updated terms in YouTube Studio by 31 January 2027.
Do I lose my monetization if I miss 31 January?
You stay in the Partner Programme. But earnings from the features covered by the new terms stop on 1 February 2027 until you accept. Accept later and you can regain access to them.
What are the new entry thresholds for new creators?
From 1 February 2027: 1,000 subscribers plus either 8,000 qualified watch hours in the last 365 days or 20M qualified Shorts views in the last 90 days. Creators already in YPP are not affected.
What happens if I am under 10M Shorts views in 90 days?
You stay in YPP and long-form earnings continue. You will not earn from the Shorts Creator Pool for any month you are under the line. It resumes when you cross 10M again.
Who accepts the terms if I am with an MCN?
For owned-and-operated channels, the MCN accepts. For affiliate channels, the creator accepts in YouTube Studio. Ask your MCN which applies to you.
