Every platform sets its own rules for who gets paid, and YouTube changes its more often than most. This section tracks the Partner Program: entry thresholds, watch-hour and Shorts requirements, terms deadlines, Shorts revenue sharing and the incentive programmes that sit alongside them. Each page states the figures YouTube itself published, links the official source, and carries the date it was last checked. Where a claim is circulating that YouTube has not actually made, we say so rather than repeating it.
From 1 February 2027 YouTube doubles its Partner Program entry thresholds to 8,000 watch hours or 20 million Shorts views. What changes, who it affects, and what YouTube has not said.
