To earn ad revenue on YouTube in 2026 you need 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 public watch hours in the last 12 months, or 1,000 subscribers and 10 million Shorts views in the last 90 days, plus a channel that passes YouTube's review. A lower tier at 500 subscribers unlocks memberships and other fan funding, but not ads. Watch hours from Shorts never count toward the 4,000, which is why long videos are the faster route: at 4 minutes watched per view, 4,000 hours is about 60,000 views of long videos. ClipFlux makes those long videos: chaptered 16:9 videos of up to 15 minutes from a topic you choose, with narration, captions and a script you review first.
The two tiers
| Tier | Requirements | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Fan funding (earlier access) | 500 subscribers, 3 public uploads in the last 90 days, and 3,000 public long-form watch hours in 12 months or 3 million Shorts views in 90 days | Memberships, Super Chat, Super Stickers, Super Thanks and Shopping. No ad revenue |
| Full Partner Program | 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 public watch hours in 12 months, or 1,000 subscribers and 10 million Shorts views in 90 days | A share of ad revenue (55% on long videos, 45% on Shorts) and YouTube Premium revenue, plus everything above |
Reaching a threshold does not mean you are in: every channel is reviewed first, and you can only apply once you also meet the basics below.
Everything else you need to apply
- Follow YouTube's channel monetization policies.
- Live in a country or region where the program is available.
- No active Community Guidelines strikes.
- 2-Step Verification on your Google account.
- Advanced features turned on for the channel.
- One active AdSense for YouTube account linked to the channel.
You apply in YouTube Studio under Earn. You can also ask to be notified there by email once you reach a threshold.
What counts as a watch hour
Only watch time on public long-form videos counts. Private, unlisted and deleted videos, ad campaigns, Shorts, and livestreams that were not kept as a public video do not. The rule that surprises most people: watching Shorts in the Shorts feed adds nothing to the 4,000 hours, no matter how many views they get. Shorts only count toward the separate 10-million-views route.
How many views is 4,000 watch hours?
4,000 hours is 240,000 minutes. How many views that takes depends only on how long people watch each video on average, which YouTube Studio shows as average view duration. The rows below are simple arithmetic for a few typical durations:
| Average watched per view | Views needed | At 30 videos, views per video |
|---|---|---|
| 2 minutes | 120,000 | 4,000 |
| 3 minutes | 80,000 | 2,667 |
| 4 minutes | 60,000 | 2,000 |
| 6 minutes | 40,000 | 1,333 |
Compare that with the Shorts route: 10 million qualified Shorts views in 90 days. For a new faceless channel, 60,000 views spread over a year of long videos is a far more reachable target, and those same long videos are the ones that earn the most per view once you are in (see how much YouTube pays per 1,000 views). Longer videos do not automatically help: a 10-minute video watched for 2 minutes counts for less than a 7-minute video watched for 4.
How long does it take to get monetized?
There is no fixed time; it depends on how fast you collect the hours. Once you apply, YouTube says it typically decides in about a month, sometimes longer when reviewers disagree. If you are turned down you can appeal within 21 days, or keep uploading and apply again after 30 days, or after 90 days if it is not your first rejection. Falling below the threshold while you wait does not cancel the review.
What the review looks for
Reviewers check the channel as a whole, focusing on its main theme, most-viewed and newest videos, the videos with the most watch time, and titles, thumbnails, descriptions and the About section. They are checking for content YouTube does not pay for: mass-produced or repetitive videos, reused material, off-putting formats, and since July 2026 AI personas giving health, legal, financial or political advice. If your channel is made with AI, read the rules for AI videos before you apply.
Staying monetized, and the 2027 change
Getting in is not permanent. YouTube keeps checking channels in the program, can remove monetization for any policy breach regardless of your numbers, and may turn it off on channels that have not uploaded or posted for 6 months or more. YouTube has also announced updated Partner Program terms from February 1, 2027: channels already in the program have to review and accept them in YouTube Studio by January 31, 2027 to keep full monetization.
Questions
Do Shorts count toward the 4,000 watch hours?
No. Watch hours from Shorts in the Shorts feed do not count toward the 4,000 hours. Shorts count only toward the separate route: 1,000 subscribers and 10 million qualified Shorts views in 90 days.
How many views is 4,000 watch hours?
4,000 hours is 240,000 minutes of watching. If viewers watch 4 minutes of a 10-minute video on average, that is 60,000 views; at 2 minutes it is 120,000. Only public long-form videos count.
Can you get monetized with 500 subscribers?
Partly. With 500 subscribers, 3 public uploads in 90 days and 3,000 watch hours in 12 months (or 3 million Shorts views in 90 days) you get fan funding such as memberships and Super Thanks, but not ad revenue. Ads need the 1,000-subscriber tier.
How long does the YouTube monetization review take?
YouTube says it typically decides in about a month. If you are turned down, you can appeal within 21 days or apply again after 30 days, or after 90 days if it is not your first rejection.
Do you need to show your face to get monetized?
No. Faceless channels are accepted. The review looks at whether your videos are original and not mass-produced, not at whether a person appears on camera.