How to Use This Tool
YouTube's current full advertising-revenue threshold includes 1,000 subscribers plus 4,000 valid public watch hours in the last 12 months, or the separate Shorts-view route. Enter the valid public watch hours shown in the Earn area, not total channel watch time from Analytics.
Convert views into eligible hours
One view contributes average view duration divided by 60 hours. At 4.5 minutes, 10,000 eligible views create about 750 watch hours. The views-required result assumes future viewers behave like the current average, so improving retention reduces the required audience.
The rolling window matters
The goal is not lifetime accumulation. Hours older than 12 months leave the window as new hours arrive. If growth is slow, the current total can remain flat even while videos collect views. The months-left field lets you test whether your projected pace can fill the gap before older hours expire.
What counts
YouTube says valid public watch hours come from public long-form videos. Hours from private, unlisted or deleted videos, ad campaigns, Shorts and certain livestream states do not count. Shorts Feed watch time specifically does not move the 4,000-hour bar. Always use Studio's eligibility counter as the authority.
Sources & assumptions
Tool Spec v2 · verified 2026-08-18. Platform rules and fees can change; the editable inputs remain authoritative for your account.
Official references
- YouTube Help — Partner Program eligibility (checked 2026-08-18)
Model assumptions
- Only valid public watch hours from eligible long-form public videos are entered as current progress.
- Views-needed projections assume the entered average view duration and future performance remain stable.
