Shorts length and format
YouTube Shorts can be up to three minutes long. For standard channels, square or vertical videos uploaded from October 15, 2024 fall into this format when they meet the length requirement; official artist channels have their own transition date. Check YouTube’s current format guidance before uploading.
Eligibility is different from a public view count
To access Shorts advertising revenue, a channel generally needs 1,000 subscribers and either 10 million qualified public Shorts views in 90 days or the qualifying long-form watch-hour route, followed by YPP approval. Earlier access to selected fan-funding features does not itself unlock Shorts advertising.
YouTube Partner Program requirements
The YouTube Partner Program overview lists two routes to ad revenue. Both need 1,000 subscribers:
- Long-form route: 4,000 qualified watch hours in the last 12 months. Watch time from the Shorts feed does not count toward these hours.
- Shorts route: 10 million qualified Shorts views in the last 90 days.
Every channel also needs to:
- follow the YouTube channel monetization policies,
- live in a country or region where the program is available,
- have no active Community Guidelines strikes,
- turn on 2-Step Verification for the Google Account,
- have access to advanced features on YouTube,
- link one active AdSense for YouTube account.
Monetization can be turned off for channels that have not uploaded a video or posted on the Posts tab for 6 months or more.
Turn on revenue sharing
Eligible partners must accept the Shorts Monetization Module in YouTube Studio. Shorts advertising is pooled and allocated under YouTube’s revenue-sharing rules; it is not a fixed payment for each public view. Only eligible viewing and content count. Copyright, reused-content and advertiser-friendly rules can affect eligibility. Follow the official Shorts monetization policy.
How Shorts ad revenue is calculated
Ads on Shorts run between videos in the feed, so they cannot be matched to one creator. YouTube pools the money instead. The Shorts monetization policy describes four steps:
- Pooling: each month, ad revenue from ads between Shorts is added together.
- Creator Pool: the total is split based on engaged views and music use. A Short without music sends all of its share to the Creator Pool. With one music track, half goes to the pool and half covers music licensing. With two tracks, one third goes to the pool.
- Allocation: each creator receives part of the Creator Pool based on their share of total engaged Shorts views in each country.
- Revenue share: the creator keeps 45% of the allocated amount, whether or not they used music.
Music does not lower your allocation or your 45% rate. It only changes how much of the overall revenue reaches the Creator Pool. As simple arithmetic: if your Shorts earned 2% of the engaged views in one country, you receive 2% of that country’s Creator Pool allocation and keep 45% of it. The real pool size changes every month.
Views that do not earn
- views from before you accepted the Shorts Monetization Module,
- views of Shorts that are not original, such as reuploads or unedited clips,
- artificial or bot views,
- views of Shorts that break the advertiser-friendly guidelines,
- Shorts over one minute that contain claimed content, which are blocked from monetization.
Revenue from Shorts by music partners, from the Shorts Masthead and from Image Posts in the Shorts feed is also kept out of the Creator Pool.
Use the right measurements
Compare your public views, qualified eligibility progress and revenue reports separately. In Analytics, review your Shorts revenue and eligible engagement instead of multiplying a headline view count by a promised rate. Audience location, eligible viewing and revenue allocation affect results. The Revenue reports show what your channel actually earns.
How much do YouTube Shorts pay
YouTube does not publish a fixed rate per 1,000 Shorts views. The amount depends on the size of the pool in each country, your share of engaged views and the music used across all Shorts that month. The most reliable number is your own Shorts RPM, which you find in YouTube Studio under Analytics, Revenue. Filter by content type to separate Shorts from long-form videos, because long videos usually earn far more per view. Enter that RPM in our YouTube money calculator to estimate your monthly and yearly earnings.
YouTube Premium also pays. YouTube shares 45% of the net Premium revenue, including Premium Lite, that is allocated to monetizing creators for Shorts. For a wider look at creator income, read how much YouTubers make.
How views are counted from August 24, 2026
Since August 24, 2026, YouTube counts a view the moment a video starts to play in every format, including Shorts, long-form videos and live streams. That changes the public counter only. Partner Program earnings are still based on engaged views and engaged watch hours, and eligibility is based on qualified views, so a high public number can still be far from the 10 million qualified views you need.
Other ways to earn from Shorts
- Fan funding: Super Thanks and channel memberships once these features are open to your channel.
- YouTube Shopping: tag products in Shorts if your channel is in the Shopping program.
- Brand deals: sponsored Shorts, with the paid promotion box ticked when you upload.
- Traffic to long videos: link a Short to a related long video, where ads pay more per view.
Upcoming terms deserve a separate check
YouTube’s published policy announces further Shorts revenue requirements from February 1, 2027. Treat that as a future change, not an October 2026 rule, and review the latest terms in Studio before planning income. Build around original content, clear ideas and audience retention rather than promises of guaranteed payouts.
Common questions
Can you monetize YouTube Shorts?
Yes. Once your channel is in the YouTube Partner Program and you accept the Shorts Monetization Module, your Shorts earn a share of the Creator Pool.
Are YouTube Shorts monetized automatically?
No. Even inside the Partner Program you have to accept the Shorts Monetization Module in YouTube Studio. Views before that date do not earn.
How many views do you need to monetize Shorts?
For the Shorts route into the Partner Program you need 1,000 subscribers and 10 million qualified Shorts views in the last 90 days.
Does using music lower my Shorts earnings?
No. Music changes how much of the overall revenue reaches the Creator Pool, but your allocation and your 45% share stay the same.
Do long Shorts earn more?
Length on its own does not raise your share. Shorts over one minute that contain claimed content are blocked from monetization.
Sources
Sources checked on October 28, 2026.