Active channel requirements from February 2027

Checked against YouTube Help and the YouTube Blog on 27 October 2026. Unofficial; YouTube decides what counts.

Separate from the 10M Creator Pool rule, YouTube is changing how it decides whether a channel in the YouTube Partner Program counts as active. Here are the three ways to qualify, what happens if you drop below, and how it differs from the 10M rule.

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The three ways to count as active

Starting 1 February 2027, a channel is considered active if it meets any one of these: 1,000 qualified watch hours in the past 365 days, or 1 million qualified Shorts views in the last 90 days, or 2 long-form videos or 5 Shorts uploaded every 90 days.[YouTube Help: Changes to the YouTube Partner Program]

Our math / readingSo a Shorts-only channel that keeps uploading 5 Shorts every 90 days meets the activity rule even in a quiet quarter. This is our reading of the “any of the following” wording.

Route	Threshold	Window
Watch hours	1,000 qualified watch hours	Past 365 days
Shorts views	1 million qualified Shorts views	Last 90 days
Uploads	2 long-form videos or 5 Shorts	Every 90 days

Source:[YouTube Help: Changes to the YouTube Partner Program]

If you drop below: the 90-day restore window

YouTube says most creators in YPP already meet the activity thresholds. Channels that drop below get an extended 90-day window to stay in the program by meeting either 1,000 qualified watch hours in the past 365 days or 1 million qualified Shorts views in the last 90 days.[YouTube Help: Changes to the YouTube Partner Program]

Our math / readingNote that the restore list names only the watch-hours and Shorts-views routes; uploads alone aren't listed there.

Active status is not the 10M Creator Pool rule

Earning from the Shorts Creator Pool each month is a separate test: 10M qualified Shorts views over the last 90 days. Missing 10M doesn't remove you from YPP and doesn't affect other YPP earnings, including long-form video.[YouTube Help: Changes to the YouTube Partner Program]

Our math / readingIn practice a channel can be active (say 1M+ Shorts views in 90 days) and still earn nothing from the Creator Pool that month because it is under 10M. The ShortsGate tracker shows your rolling 90-day total against both lines.

Check your 90-day Shorts views

Export daily Shorts data from YouTube Studio (Analytics → Advanced mode, Content type: Shorts, Date as the dimension, at least the last 180 days) and drop the CSV into ShortsGate. It runs in your browser and shows your rolling 90-day total.

Check your own channel in a minute

Drop your YouTube Studio export into ShortsGate. It runs in your browser; your file is never uploaded.

Open the 10M tracker

FAQ

What makes a YouTube channel active in YPP from 2027?

Any one of: 1,000 qualified watch hours in the past 365 days, 1 million qualified Shorts views in the last 90 days, or 2 long-form videos or 5 Shorts uploaded every 90 days. It applies from 1 February 2027.

What happens if my channel stops being active?

YouTube gives channels that drop below an extended 90-day window to get back to 1,000 qualified watch hours (past 365 days) or 1 million qualified Shorts views (last 90 days) to stay in the program.

Is the 1M active threshold the same as the 10M rule?

No. 1M qualified Shorts views in 90 days is one way to count as active in YPP. 10M in 90 days is what you need to earn from the Shorts Creator Pool each month.

Official sources

YouTube Help: Changes to the YouTube Partner Program