The YouTube Shorts Fund was a temporary programme, and it's gone. YouTube replaced it with Shorts revenue sharing inside the YouTube Partner Program, which began in early 2023. From 1 February 2027, earning from the Shorts Creator Pool each month also needs at least 10 million qualified Shorts views in the last 90 days.
If you've seen old videos promising a monthly Shorts Fund bonus, they're out of date. YouTube itself called it a temporary Shorts Fund when it announced the change. Here's what replaced it, how the new model works, and the rule change coming in 2027 that every Shorts creator should know about.
What the Shorts Fund was
YouTube launched the Shorts Fund to start rewarding creators of short vertical videos while Shorts was new. In its Made on YouTube announcement, YouTube said that to reward this new creative class, it launched a temporary Shorts Fund, and was now expanding its business model to Shorts with revenue sharing.
YouTube's own words on why: instead of a fixed fund, it was doubling down on revenue sharing, and it expected the majority of Shorts Fund recipients to earn more under the new model.
What replaced it: Shorts revenue sharing
Revenue sharing for Shorts started in early 2023 for creators in the YouTube Partner Program. Ads run between videos in the Shorts Feed, and YouTube shares that revenue through a pooled model. The Shorts monetisation policy describes four steps:
- Pool the ad revenue. Each month, revenue from ads running between Shorts is added together, both to reward creators and to help cover music licensing.
- Calculate the Creator Pool. Revenue is allocated based on engaged views and music use. A Short with no music puts all its revenue into the Creator Pool; one music track sends half to the pool, two tracks send one third.
- Allocate the Creator Pool. Creators get a slice based on their share of engaged views from monetising creators' Shorts in each country.
- Apply the revenue share. Creators keep a fixed share of their allocation, set out in YouTube's policy, whether or not they used music.
Using music doesn't reduce your own slice of the pool. It only changes how big the pool is.
How you qualify now
- Be in the YouTube Partner Program.
- Accept the Shorts Monetisation Module. Revenue sharing only applies to views from the date you accept; earlier views don't count.
- Follow the channel monetisation policies, including the rules on reused content and advertiser-friendly guidelines.
YouTube counts eligible engaged views for payments. Views it treats as ineligible include non-original Shorts (unedited clips from films or TV, reuploads, compilations with nothing original added), artificial views from bots, and Shorts that don't meet advertiser-friendly guidelines. Shorts over one minute that contain claimed content are blocked and can't be monetised.
The February 2027 changes
YouTube has announced changes that start on 1 February 2027:
| Change | What it means |
|---|---|
| 10 million qualified Shorts views in 90 days | Needed to earn from the Creator Pool and YouTube Premium for each month |
| Missing that number | You're not removed from the Partner Program, and long-form earnings aren't affected |
| Targeted Shorts ads | Ads aimed at five or fewer channels earn creators direct revenue, on top of the pool |
| New entry thresholds for YPP | 1,000 subscribers plus 8,000 qualified watch hours in 365 days, or 20 million qualified Shorts views in 90 days |
If you're already in the Partner Program, YouTube says the new entry thresholds don't affect your status. Fan funding, Shopping and Creator Partnerships keep their lower requirements of 500 subscribers plus either 3,000 qualified watch hours in a year or 3 million qualified Shorts views in 90 days.
Views, engaged views and qualified views
YouTube now counts a Shorts view every time a Short starts to play, with no minimum watch time. The older metric lives on as engaged views in YouTube Analytics, and that's what Shorts payments use. Eligibility thresholds use qualified views. Don't judge your earnings by the public view count.
What isn't paid from the Creator Pool
YouTube's policy also lists revenue that never reaches the pool. It's useful to know so you don't wonder where it went:
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- Revenue from Shorts uploaded by creators who haven't accepted the Shorts module or aren't yet eligible.
- Revenue from Shorts uploaded by music partners.
- Revenue from views YouTube decides are ineligible.
- Ads shown when the Shorts Feed opens, before a Short is viewed, such as the Shorts masthead.
- Ads on navigation pages in the Shorts player, and revenue from image posts in the Shorts Feed.
YouTube Premium and Premium Lite revenue is shared separately for Shorts, based on each creator's share of subscription Shorts views in each country.
What to do if you were waiting for the Fund
Stop waiting; it isn't coming back. Check the current YouTube monetisation requirements, get into the Partner Program, accept the Shorts module, and focus on original Shorts people watch to the end. Once you're in, here's how to check if a YouTube video is monetised, and what YouTube pays once you're monetised sets realistic expectations.
Frequently asked questions
Does the YouTube Shorts Fund still exist?
No. YouTube described it as a temporary Shorts Fund and replaced it with Shorts revenue sharing in the YouTube Partner Program from early 2023.
How do Shorts creators get paid now?
Through Shorts revenue sharing. Ad revenue from the Shorts Feed is pooled each month and shared with monetising creators based on their share of engaged views.
Do I need the Shorts Monetisation Module?
Yes. YouTube says Shorts ad revenue sharing applies to eligible views from the date you accept the module, and earlier views aren't eligible.
What changes for Shorts in February 2027?
From 1 February 2027, earning from the Shorts Creator Pool each month needs at least 10 million qualified Shorts views in the last 90 days, and targeted Shorts ads start paying direct revenue.
Do Shorts views count from the first second?
Since 31 March 2025 YouTube counts a Shorts view each time a Short starts to play or replay. Payments still use engaged views, the older metric kept in YouTube Analytics.
Will I be removed from YPP if I miss 10 million Shorts views?
No. YouTube says missing the threshold doesn't remove you from the Partner Program and doesn't affect other earnings such as long-form video.
Does using music lower my Shorts earnings?
Not your slice. Music reduces the revenue that goes into the Creator Pool, but YouTube allocates creators their full engaged views whether or not music was used.
