TechCrunch
YouTube now requires creators to have twice as many watch hours to start earning money
Monday, August 10, 2026
YouTube increased its monetization eligibility requirements for creators. Channels must now accumulate 8,000 qualified watch hours over the past year or 20 million qualified Shorts views within the last 90 days to begin earning money on the platform. The previous threshold was 4,000 watch hours annually or 10 million Shorts views in 90 days.
