International SMM

YouTube

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RegionUSA and Canada

Platform · this deep dive is built from the official pages of the platform itself and of the tools that support it.

Overview

YouTube is Google's video platform with three formats inside one account: long-form video, vertical Shorts and live streams. A channel is created on the basis of a Google account; there is no separate registration.

For a social media specialist, YouTube stands out in two ways. First, it has a public author payout programme with written-down thresholds — YouTube Partner Program, where the entry conditions and revenue shares are stated in the help centre. Second, there is an open programming interface, YouTube Data API v3, for uploading video, reading metadata, and working with comments and playlists.

An important caveat right away: the Google help centre states outright that signing up for the partner programme is unavailable to authors in Russia — details in "Limits and rules".

Who's here

The platform publishes its metrics in its press room. As of January 2026, YouTube reports "billions of monthly logged-in users" — that is, billions of logged-in users a month, with no exact figure. That is how it should be read: the platform names the order of magnitude, but not a specific number.

In the same place the platform reports more than 20 million videos uploaded daily, and that Shorts averages more than 200 billion views a day. Note: these are views, not people — the two quantities must not be mixed.

Geography and languages: the platform reports localised versions "in over 100 countries around the world, across 80 languages" — in more than 100 countries and across 80 languages. Separately, the platform claims it has held first place for streaming watch time in the US for almost three years; this is the platform's own claim, not an independent measurement.

There is no audience breakdown by country, age or gender in the open press materials — an author sees such data only for their own channel in the built-in analytics.

Getting started

Account and channel

A channel is created from a Google account. What matters next is not registration itself but the level of access to features: the help centre describes three levels of access to channel features.

The basic level is given straight away and allows uploading video and Shorts, creating playlists and publishing posts — with daily limits. The intermediate level opens after a phone number is confirmed and removes the beginner's main restriction: you can now upload videos longer than 15 minutes, stream from a computer, set custom thumbnails and create podcasts. Until the number is confirmed, the help centre limits uploads to clips "up to 15 minutes long".

The advanced level is the most important, because it is exactly the one the help centre names as a condition for monetization. You can get it either through "sufficient channel history" in good standing or through identity verification: a valid document or a video confirmation. It also unlocks clickable links in descriptions, chapters, embedded live streams and A/B tests.

Live streams

The platform has separate conditions for live streaming. The help centre states: "You must be at least 16 years old to live stream" — you must be at least 16, the channel must be verified, and there must be no live streaming restrictions in the last 90 days. No subscriber thresholds for streaming from a computer are stated on that page.

What you can publish

Length and file size

The platform describes the upload maximum this way: "256 GB or 12 hours, whichever is less" — 256 gigabytes or 12 hours, whichever comes first. Before the number is confirmed, no more than 15 minutes.

The platform describes Shorts as "short-form videos that are up to 3 minutes long" — vertical clips of up to 3 minutes. The same place states a quality limit for Shorts: "maximum resolution of 1080p".

File formats

The help centre lists the supported containers: .MOV,.MPEG-1,.MPEG-2,.MPEG4,.MP4,.MPG,.AVI,.WMV,.MPEGPS,.FLV, 3GPP, WebM, DNxHR, ProRes, CineForm, HEVC (H.265). Audio files (MP3, WAV, PCM) cannot be uploaded as video — this is stated on the same page.

A separate help page sets out encoding recommendations: an MP4 container with the moov atom at the start of the file, the H.264 video codec, AAC-LC or Opus audio at 48 kHz, 4:2:0 subsampling, and a frame rate from the set 24, 25, 30, 48, 50, 60. The recommended bitrate: 8 Mbps for 1080p, 16 Mbps for 1440p, 35–45 Mbps for 4K. The base aspect ratio is 16:9.

What is prohibited

Content is governed by the community guidelines. The fake engagement policy deserves a separate mention: the platform states that it does not allow anything that artificially inflates the number of views, likes, comments and other metrics — including buying views, mutual subscriptions and automated systems. A breach leads to the material being removed and to warnings.

How to grow

What the platform says about the algorithm

On its own page about how recommendations work, the platform lists the signals: user behaviour on the platform, likes and dislikes, subscriptions and feedback, including from surveys. Separately, the platform writes that it takes channel reputation and quality into account when deciding to whom and when to show it. For search, the platform names relevance, engagement and quality as its reference points.

That is everything the platform claims itself. There are no numerical signal weights and no "ideal clip length" in this source.

Built-in analytics

Analytics lives in YouTube Studio. The help centre describes the analytics tabs: "Overview" with realtime metrics, "Content", "Reach" with impressions and click-through rate, "Engagement" with watch time and average view duration (for Shorts, with "engaged views"), "Audience", "Revenue" for partner programme members, and "Trends" with search queries. It is noted there too that some data — geography, traffic sources, gender — is not always available.

Advertising

Paid promotion runs through Google's advertising system.

Path to monetization

Two entry thresholds

The partner programme has two levels, and this is the key detail people often confuse.

The lower level is the expanded partner programme. The help centre sets it out this way: 500 subscribers, 3 public uploads in the last 90 days, and either 3,000 watch hours over 12 months or 3 million Shorts views over 90 days. At this level only viewer payments open up: channel memberships, Super Chat and Super Stickers, Super Thanks, gifts and Shopping.

The upper level is the share of advertising revenue. The help centre sets it out as 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours over the last 12 months, or 1,000 subscribers and 10 million Shorts views over 90 days. Shorts watch time does not count towards those 4,000 hours; private, unlisted and deleted videos do not count either.

Other conditions

Besides the numbers, the help centre requires: living in a country where the programme operates; no active community guidelines warnings; Google 2-step verification switched on; the advanced level of feature access; an active AdSense for YouTube account. The platform promises to review an application "in about 1 month" — in roughly a month — and warns that meeting the thresholds does not guarantee acceptance. The help centre does not require any tax status (self-employment, sole trader registration).

Revenue shares

Here the platform gives direct figures. For long-form video the platform states that it pays authors "55% of net revenues from ads" — 55% of net advertising revenue from their public videos.

For Shorts the model is different: revenue is not tied to a specific clip but gathered into a common pool. The platform puts it this way: "Monetizing creators will keep 45% of their allocated revenue, regardless if music was used or not" — 45% of the share allocated to the author, regardless of whether music was used. The share is determined by what fraction of all "engaged views" of Shorts by monetizing creators in the country that author produced. If a clip has one music track, half of the revenue associated with it goes to music licensing before the pool is formed; with two tracks, two thirds; the 45% rate does not change.

Ways to earn

The "Choose how you want to monetize" help page lists: advertising on the watch page and in the Shorts feed (upper threshold), channel memberships, Super Chat, Super Stickers and Super Thanks (lower threshold), Shopping — your own products from 500 subscribers, promoting other people's brands from 1,000 — and a share of the YouTube Premium subscription.

Payouts

Money arrives through AdSense. The AdSense payment threshold is $100: a payment goes out when the accumulated balance reaches the threshold.

Tools and automation

The official API

YouTube Data API v3 requires a Google account, a project in the Google console and the service to be enabled; methods acting on behalf of a user work through OAuth 2.0. Through the API you have access to videos, channels, playlists, comments and subscriptions with list, insert, update and delete operations. The list methods work without authorisation too, but then they return only public data.

The default request quota is described this way: "100 search.list calls, 100 videos.insert calls, and 10,000 units per day combined for all other endpoints" — 100 search calls, 100 video uploads and 10,000 units a day for all the other endpoints together. Increasing the quota is possible by separate application.

On a separate page the platform warns that any request costs at least one unit, even a failed one, and that every additional page of results is charged separately. The quota day ends at midnight Pacific time.

The API terms of service prohibit exceeding and circumventing the limits: "You and your API Client(s) will not… exceed or circumvent use or quota restrictions". The same place requires deleting the data obtained when access ends.

Third-party services

Support for YouTube is declared on their own pages by Buffer and Hootsuite — YouTube is named in the list of channels by both.

Limits and rules

Warnings and strikes

The penalty system is described in the help centre article "Community Guidelines strike basics". A first breach usually brings a warning without a strike; completing the policy training removes it after 90 days. A first strike bans uploading video and streaming for 1 week, while the strike itself stays on the channel for 90 days. A second strike within the same 90-day period means a 2-week posting ban. Three strikes in 90 days may lead to the channel being permanently removed. Deleting the clips does not remove the strikes.

Availability of the payout programme by country

The help page on partner programme availability contains a list of countries and a separate notice: "Given the recent suspension of Google advertising systems in Russia, we'll be pausing the creation of new Russian accounts on AdSense, AdMob and Google Ad Manager… creators in Russia won't be able to complete new YPP sign-ups at this time" — in connection with the suspension of Google's advertising systems in Russia, the creation of new Russian AdSense accounts is paused, and authors in Russia cannot at present complete registration in the partner programme. This is the platform's own wording; we add no assessments to it. Russia is not listed on that page among the countries where an application can be submitted.

Daily upload limit

The help page on uploading video states that the number of videos a channel can upload in a day is limited and that the limit is shared across the site, the app and the API. The number itself is not given on the page.

Who it's for

YouTube makes sense if you have video — shot or edited, long-form or vertical — and you are ready to work over the long run: the partner programme thresholds are measured in thousands of subscribers and thousands of watch hours, and the platform estimates the review of an application at about a month.

The platform is convenient for anyone who needs documented, predictable access to data: the API covers uploading, metadata, playlists and comments, and the request quotas are published.

It is a poor fit if your plan rests on payouts from the platform and you are in Russia: by the platform's own notice, new registration in the partner programme is currently unavailable to authors in Russia. And it does not suit anyone without video: there are no text formats here comparable to social network posts.

Tools for this platform

The list is built from the tools' own facts: every line is a tool's statement that it supports the platform, with the source named. A tool missing from the list only means we have no such statement.

Scheduling and publishing:

Statistics and analytics:

Automation:

Social listening:

Other tasks:

Verified data

The checked data this deep dive rests on.

Who's here

YouTube Shorts averages more than 200 billion views a day (January 2026)

The metric is views, not people

source, checked 2026-07-28

Where it is available. the platform operates in more than 100 countries

source, checked 2026-07-28

Average monthly recipients of the YouTube service in the EU under Article 24(2) of the DSA: 479 400 000 by the number of distinct signed-in accounts and > 500 000 000 by distinguishable signed-out user sessions. Period: July — December 2025 (the report was published on 13 February 2026). Google stresses that these two counts are not deduplicated and cannot be added together.

mandatory disclosure under the EU Digital Services Act. Verbatim: «YouTube — The video sharing platform located at www.youtube.com and accessible via other surfaces (such as the YouTube app): 479,400,000 / > 500,000,000»

source, checked 2026-08-17

Germany, average monthly recipients of YouTube under Article 42(3) of the DSA: 103 700 000 by distinct signed-in accounts and 258 700 000 by signed-out sessions. Period: July — December 2025.

mandatory disclosure under the EU Digital Services Act. Verbatim: «Germany 103,700,000 258,700,000»

source, checked 2026-08-17

France, average monthly recipients of YouTube under Article 42(3) of the DSA: 84 100 000 by distinct signed-in accounts and 190 700 000 by signed-out sessions. Period: July — December 2025.

mandatory disclosure under the EU Digital Services Act. Verbatim: «France 84,100,000 190,700,000»

source, checked 2026-08-17

Italy, average monthly recipients of YouTube under Article 42(3) of the DSA: 55 600 000 by distinct signed-in accounts and 135 500 000 by signed-out sessions. Period: July — December 2025.

mandatory disclosure under the EU Digital Services Act. Verbatim: «Italy 55,600,000 135,500,000»

source, checked 2026-08-17

Spain, average monthly recipients of YouTube under Article 42(3) of the DSA: 54 300 000 by distinct signed-in accounts and 148 100 000 by signed-out sessions. Period: July — December 2025.

mandatory disclosure under the EU Digital Services Act. Verbatim: «Spain 54,300,000 148,100,000»

source, checked 2026-08-17

The Netherlands, average monthly recipients of YouTube under Article 42(3) of the DSA: 47 000 000 by distinct signed-in accounts and 76 700 000 by signed-out sessions. Period: July — December 2025.

mandatory disclosure under the EU Digital Services Act. Verbatim: «Netherlands 47,000,000 76,700,000»

source, checked 2026-08-17

Poland, average monthly recipients of YouTube under Article 42(3) of the DSA: 40 300 000 by distinct signed-in accounts and 88 900 000 by signed-out sessions. Period: July — December 2025.

mandatory disclosure under the EU Digital Services Act. Verbatim: «Poland 40,300,000 88,900,000»

source, checked 2026-08-17

Czechia, average monthly recipients of YouTube under Article 42(3) of the DSA: 18 400 000 by distinct signed-in accounts and 29 800 000 by signed-out sessions. Period: July — December 2025.

mandatory disclosure under the EU Digital Services Act. Verbatim: «Czechia 18,400,000 29,800,000»

source, checked 2026-08-17

Romania, average monthly recipients of YouTube under Article 42(3) of the DSA: 17 500 000 by distinct signed-in accounts and 37 600 000 by signed-out sessions. Period: July — December 2025.

mandatory disclosure under the EU Digital Services Act. Verbatim: «Romania 17,500,000 37,600,000»

source, checked 2026-08-17

Belgium, average monthly recipients of YouTube under Article 42(3) of the DSA: 11 900 000 by distinct signed-in accounts and 29 300 000 by signed-out sessions. Period: July — December 2025.

mandatory disclosure under the EU Digital Services Act. Verbatim: «Belgium 11,900,000 29,300,000»

source, checked 2026-08-17

Sweden, average monthly recipients of YouTube under Article 42(3) of the DSA: 11 800 000 by distinct signed-in accounts and 30 100 000 by signed-out sessions. Period: July — December 2025.

mandatory disclosure under the EU Digital Services Act. Verbatim: «Sweden 11,800,000 30,100,000»

source, checked 2026-08-17

Portugal, average monthly recipients of YouTube under Article 42(3) of the DSA: 11 300 000 by distinct signed-in accounts and 24 900 000 by signed-out sessions. Period: July — December 2025.

mandatory disclosure under the EU Digital Services Act. Verbatim: «Portugal 11,300,000 24,900,000»

source, checked 2026-08-17

Greece, average monthly recipients of YouTube under Article 42(3) of the DSA: 10 800 000 by distinct signed-in accounts and 26 000 000 by signed-out sessions. Period: July — December 2025.

mandatory disclosure under the EU Digital Services Act. Verbatim: «Greece 10,800,000 26,000,000»

source, checked 2026-08-17

Austria, average monthly recipients of YouTube under Article 42(3) of the DSA: 10 200 000 by distinct signed-in accounts and 27 300 000 by signed-out sessions. Period: July — December 2025.

mandatory disclosure under the EU Digital Services Act. Verbatim: «Austria 10,200,000 27,300,000»

source, checked 2026-08-17

Bulgaria, average monthly recipients of YouTube under Article 42(3) of the DSA: 9 500 000 by distinct signed-in accounts and 14 400 000 by signed-out sessions. Period: July — December 2025.

mandatory disclosure under the EU Digital Services Act. Verbatim: «Bulgaria 9,500,000 14,400,000»

source, checked 2026-08-17

Hungary, average monthly recipients of YouTube under Article 42(3) of the DSA: 8 500 000 by distinct signed-in accounts and 23 000 000 by signed-out sessions. Period: July — December 2025.

mandatory disclosure under the EU Digital Services Act. Verbatim: «Hungary 8,500,000 23,000,000»

source, checked 2026-08-17

Denmark, average monthly recipients of YouTube under Article 42(3) of the DSA: 8 000 000 by distinct signed-in accounts and 17 400 000 by signed-out sessions. Period: July — December 2025.

mandatory disclosure under the EU Digital Services Act. Verbatim: «Denmark 8,000,000 17,400,000»

source, checked 2026-08-17

Finland, average monthly recipients of YouTube under Article 42(3) of the DSA: 6 500 000 by distinct signed-in accounts and 17 100 000 by signed-out sessions. Period: July — December 2025.

mandatory disclosure under the EU Digital Services Act. Verbatim: «Finland 6,500,000 17,100,000»

source, checked 2026-08-17

Ireland, average monthly recipients of YouTube under Article 42(3) of the DSA: 6 100 000 by distinct signed-in accounts and 18 900 000 by signed-out sessions. Period: July — December 2025.

mandatory disclosure under the EU Digital Services Act. Verbatim: «Ireland 6,100,000 18,900,000»

source, checked 2026-08-17

Croatia, YouTube average monthly recipients under Art. 42(3) DSA: 4 900 000 for individual signed-in accounts and 11 400 000 for signed-out sessions. Period: July — December 2025.

mandatory disclosure under the EU Digital Services Act. Verbatim: «Croatia 4,900,000 11,400,000»

source, checked 2026-08-17

Slovakia, YouTube average monthly recipients under Art. 42(3) DSA: 4 500 000 for individual signed-in accounts and 11 300 000 for signed-out sessions. Period: July — December 2025.

mandatory disclosure under the EU Digital Services Act. Verbatim: «Slovakia 4,500,000 11,300,000»

source, checked 2026-08-17

Lithuania, YouTube average monthly recipients under Art. 42(3) DSA: 3 400 000 for individual signed-in accounts and 6 400 000 for signed-out sessions. Period: July — December 2025.

mandatory disclosure under the EU Digital Services Act. Verbatim: «Lithuania 3,400,000 6,400,000»

source, checked 2026-08-17

Latvia, YouTube average monthly recipients under Art. 42(3) DSA: 2 700 000 for individual signed-in accounts and 6 000 000 for signed-out sessions. Period: July — December 2025.

mandatory disclosure under the EU Digital Services Act. Verbatim: «Latvia 2,700,000 6,000,000»

source, checked 2026-08-17

Cyprus, YouTube average monthly recipients under Art. 42(3) DSA: 2 200 000 for individual signed-in accounts and 4 300 000 for signed-out sessions. Period: July — December 2025.

mandatory disclosure under the EU Digital Services Act. Verbatim: «Cyprus 2,200,000 4,300,000»

source, checked 2026-08-17

Slovenia, YouTube average monthly recipients under Art. 42(3) DSA: 2 000 000 for individual signed-in accounts and 4 700 000 for signed-out sessions. Period: July — December 2025.

mandatory disclosure under the EU Digital Services Act. Verbatim: «Slovenia 2,000,000 4,700,000»

source, checked 2026-08-17

Estonia, YouTube average monthly recipients under Art. 42(3) DSA: 1 700 000 for individual signed-in accounts and 3 600 000 for signed-out sessions. Period: July — December 2025.

mandatory disclosure under the EU Digital Services Act. Verbatim: «Estonia 1,700,000 3,600,000»

source, checked 2026-08-17

Luxembourg, YouTube average monthly recipients under Art. 42(3) DSA: 1 100 000 for individual signed-in accounts and 2 400 000 for signed-out sessions. Period: July — December 2025.

mandatory disclosure under the EU Digital Services Act. Verbatim: «Luxembourg 1,100,000 2,400,000»

source, checked 2026-08-17

Malta, YouTube average monthly recipients under Art. 42(3) DSA: 800 000 for individual signed-in accounts and 1 600 000 for signed-out sessions. Period: July — December 2025.

mandatory disclosure under the EU Digital Services Act. Verbatim: «Malta 800,000 1,600,000»

source, checked 2026-08-17

the platform reports localised versions «in over 100 countries around the world, across 80 languages»

Confirms and refines the existing fact countries: the number of languages has been added

source, checked 2026-07-28

the platform reports more than 20 million videos uploaded daily (January 2026)

The metric is uploads, not people

source, checked 2026-07-28

«billions of monthly logged-in users» — there is NO figure, only the order of magnitude "billions" is given; the data is as of January 2026

The wording gives no figure: a value like this cannot be put into the table

source, checked 2026-07-28

Account and access

three levels of access: basic (immediately), intermediate (after phone confirmation — videos longer than 15 minutes, streaming from a computer, custom thumbnails, podcasts), advanced (channel history or identity verification — monetization, links in descriptions, chapters, embedded live streams, A/B tests)

The advanced level is named as a condition for monetization

source, checked 2026-07-28

for live streams: «You must be at least 16 years old to live stream», the channel must be verified, and there must have been no streaming restrictions in the last 90 days

No subscriber thresholds for streaming from a computer are stated on the page

source, checked 2026-07-28

What you can publish

before the number is confirmed, clips no longer than 15 minutes; the upload limit is «256 GB or 12 hours, whichever is less»

source, checked 2026-07-28

Shorts are vertical clips «up to 3 minutes long», with a maximum upload resolution of 1080p

source, checked 2026-07-28

.MOV, .MPEG-1, .MPEG-2, .MPEG4, .MP4, .MPG, .AVI, .WMV, .MPEGPS, .FLV, 3GPP, WebM, DNxHR, ProRes, CineForm, HEVC (H.265). Audio files (MP3, WAV, PCM) cannot be uploaded

source, checked 2026-07-28

MP4 with moov at the start of the file, H.264 video, AAC-LC or Opus audio at 48 kHz, 4:2:0, a frame rate of 24/25/30/48/50/60; a bitrate of 8 Mbps for 1080p, 16 Mbps for 1440p, 35–45 Mbps for 4K; a base aspect ratio of 16:9

Recommendations, not hard requirements

source, checked 2026-07-28

Text length. The title of a video — "a character limit of 100 characters"; the description of a video — "a character limit of 5,000 characters"; in both cases they "cannot include invalid characters"

the limits are given separately for the title and for the description; there is nothing on this page about the length of the text of a community post

source, checked 2026-08-04

Images. A custom video thumbnail: a resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels with a minimum width of 640 pixels, an aspect ratio of 16:9 ("Try to use a 16:9 aspect ratio"), the formats JPG, GIF or PNG. The maximum file size depends on the device the upload is made from: from a phone 2 MB for a video thumbnail and 10 MB for a podcast, from a computer 50 MB for both

the thumbnail is available after the account has been verified; the size depends not on the plan but on where it is uploaded from

source, checked 2026-08-04

Video. The containers accepted: .MOV, .MPEG-1, .MPEG-2, .MPEG4, .MP4, .MPG, .AVI, .WMV, .MPEGPS, .FLV, 3GPP, WebM, DNxHR, ProRes, CineForm, HEVC (H.265). The recommended encoding: an MP4 container with the moov atom at the start of the file (Fast Start), the H.264 video codec (High Profile, 2 consecutive B-frames, closed GOP, CABAC), a frame rate of 24, 25, 30, 48, 50, 60 frames per second, an aspect ratio of 16:9. The recommended bit rate (SDR, standard frame rate): 1080p — 8 Mbps, 720p — 5 Mbps, 480p — 2.5 Mbps

the list of containers is taken from https://support.google.com/youtube/troubleshooter/2888402 ; the bit rates are called recommended, not obligatory

source, checked 2026-08-04

Before the account is verified — videos no longer than 15 minutes ("you can upload videos that are up to 15 minutes long"); after verification — longer. The general ceiling is set together with the size: "The maximum file size you can upload is 256 GB or 12 hours, whichever is less". Shorts are separate: "short-form videos that are up to 3 minutes long"

the limit depends on the verification of the account; on Shorts — https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/10059070 ; the help centre notes that earlier videos may be longer than 12 hours, because the rules have changed

source, checked 2026-08-04

There is no separate audio format: "audio files, like MP3, WAV, or PCM files, can't be uploaded to create a YouTube video" — the help centre advises first making a video out of the audio. For the audio track of a video AAC-LC or Opus or Eclipsa Audio is recommended, stereo or stereo + 5.1, a sampling rate of 48 kHz, a bit rate of 384 kbps for stereo and 512 kbps for 5.1

the ban on uploading audio directly — https://support.google.com/youtube/troubleshooter/2888402

source, checked 2026-08-04

The RTMP/RTMPS protocol. The video codecs H.264, H.265 (HEVC), AV1; a frame rate of up to 60 frames per second; a keyframe frequency of 2 seconds is recommended, 4 seconds at most. Audio AAC or MP3 (5.1 only for AAC in RTMP/RTMPS), a bit rate of 128 kbps for stereo and 384 kbps for 5.1. The recommended video bit rate for H.264: 2160p 60 frames — 35 Mbps, 2160p 30 frames — 30 Mbps, 1440p 60 — 24 Mbps, 1440p 30 — 15 Mbps, 1080p 60 — 12 Mbps, 1080p 30 — 10 Mbps, 720p 60 — 6 Mbps, from 240p to 720p at 30 frames — 4 Mbps

the bit rates are called recommended

source, checked 2026-08-04

File size: "The maximum file size you can upload is 256 GB or 12 hours, whichever is less". The number of uploads per twenty-four hours is limited, but the figure itself is not announced: "Limits may vary by country/region or channel history", "Copyright strikes may impact channel history eligibility", "Community Guidelines strikes will affect how much you can upload"; when the limit is reached the help centre advises repeating after 24 hours

the platform deliberately does not publish the daily number of uploads and makes it dependent on the country and on the history of the channel; the file size — https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/71673

source, checked 2026-08-04

Content

Required for photorealistic AI content. Word for word: "we require creators to disclose when they use AI to meaningfully alter or generate photorealistic content"; "Creators must disclose GenAI content that: Makes a real person appear to say or do something they didn’t do. Alters footage of a real event or place. Generates a realistic scene that didn’t actually occur." Not required: "Creators don’t need to disclose non-realistic content that’s made with AI, or edits to realistic content that are minor. Minor edits are ones that are primarily aesthetic, and don't alter the content in a way that could mislead the viewer about what actually happened." Examples without a label: "Applying beauty filters", "Color adjustment or lighting filters", "Production assistance, like using generative AI tools to create or improve a video outline, script, thumbnail, title, or infographic", "Caption creation", "Cloning one’s own voice to create voice overs or dubs". Examples with a label: "AI generated music", "AI generated realistic videos of a match between two real professional tennis players", "Making it appear as if someone gave advice that they did not actually give", "Depicting a public figure stealing something they did not steal"

The page has been renamed: the title is now "Disclosing use of GenAI content" (previously "altered or synthetic content"). The lists of examples on the page are marked as incomplete ("this isn’t a complete list"). Obtained by an ordinary GET, the page opened

source, checked 2026-08-04

A tick box when uploading in YouTube Studio: "In the Attributes section, under “AI use,” select Yes if your content meets the disclosure requirements or No if not." What the label looks like to the viewer: "Label on the video player for photorealistic AI content"; "Labels may appear in the expanded description for AI content that is non-photorealistic or animated"

The label is applied by the creator themselves at the "Attributes" step in Studio on a computer or in the mobile app. There is no separate help article about removing the label, apart from the "AI disclosure survey"

source, checked 2026-08-04

Yes. "YouTube may automatically apply an AI label on the video player or in the expanded description for: Content made using YouTube's GenAI tools; Content that contains C2PA metadata; Content that our internal systems detect is Al generated or altered." An automatic label cannot always be removed: "However, content made with YouTube’s AI tools, content containing C2PA metadata, or content labeled after manual review can not be adjusted."

C2PA metadata and its own recognition systems are named directly. On an error in the automatic label: "If our systems make an error, creators will have the ability to change AI disclosure in most cases by selecting No in the AI disclosure survey"

source, checked 2026-08-04

The label does not cancel the prohibitions: "Creators should disclose when content is generated or meaningfully altered with AI, but this disclosure is not a free pass to impersonate a person, entity, or channel. Our Community Guidelines, including our impersonation policy, apply to all content regardless of how it is made." Prohibited: "It may also include using AI to copy the voice or likeness of an individual, to make it appear as if the channel is owned or authorized by that individual"; "Using someone's AI-generated likeness or voice to falsely imply they own or authorize your channel’s content"; "Using AI to make it look like a famous person is willfully participating in your video or endorsing a product"; "Misrepresenting an individual by using an AI version of their voice and false metadata to pass off a fake speech as real"

This is the rule about impersonating someone else (the impersonation policy). The injured party can file a complaint: "If you find your personal information, a video featuring you, or AI-generated content mimicking your likeness or voice without your consent, you can file a request for removal under our privacy guidelines". There is no separate ban on AI content about elections on this page — it is in the rules on election misinformation

source, checked 2026-08-04

"Creators who consistently choose not to disclose this information may be subject to manual application of a label, or penalties from YouTube, including removal of content or suspension from the YouTube Partner Program." At the same time the label itself is not punished: "Disclosing AI content won’t limit a video’s audience or impact its eligibility to earn money."

The punishment is described for a systematic ("consistently") absence of the label, not for a single case. The page names no specific terms or thresholds

source, checked 2026-08-04

You may earn on AI content if it is original and not template-based. Allowed: "Content that expresses your unique creative voice, like using AI to visualize a unique character and narrative you invented"; "Content that utilizes creative tools to assist in delivering a unique, well-researched, or creative narrative, like using AI to edit your video scripts or generate a unique background visual for your content". Not admitted to monetization: "AI-generated content made with generic or unoriginal templates giving the impression of mass production without adding the creator’s original, authentic insights or perspective"; "Content that lacks a clear narrative arc or logical progression, such as videos that stitch together unrelated or inconsistent AI clips to surprise or shock viewers"; "Content that uses deceptive or misleading imagery or narratives, such as realistic visuals tricking viewers into believing a fake celebrity death or natural disaster has occurred". A separate rule, "AI Personas Related to Sensitive Topics": "This policy refers to channels that use AI-generated personas to deliver information on sensitive topics… on topics such as health, legal issues, finances, or politics… channels uploading this content will not be allowed to monetize" — the examples: "An AI “doctor” providing medical diagnoses, health advice, or wellness remedies", "AI-generated podcast hosts offering financial guidance, investment tips, or wealth management advice", "AI personas giving legal advice or interpreting laws"

On the same page in the change log: "July 15, 2025: We’re making a minor update to our “repetitious content” policy to better clarify this includes content that is repetitive or mass-produced. We are also renaming this policy from “repetitious content” to “inauthentic content.”" The phrase that the AI label does not affect income is at support.google.com/youtube/answer/14328491

source, checked 2026-08-04

Promotion

Recommendations. Word for word: "The algorithm is learning from audience signals. These signals can be categorized into: Viewer Personalization: This takes into account the signals that help us understand a user’s preferences. Content Performance: This is all about how well the video performs when it's offered to viewers, like whether they choose to click, watch, or positively engage with the content." A breakdown of personalization: "It achieves this by primarily examining two signal types: a viewer's watch history (content they've enjoyed) and their interest affinity (explicit and inferred topics they're into)"; "This includes what videos they choose to watch, ignore, or dismiss ('not interested' feedback), how long and how much of a video they watch, and other viewing routines. We also consider content they've searched for or engaged with, such as likes, shares, comments, 'not interested' feedback, and survey responses. Additionally, we factor in channels a user subscribes to and the languages of content they consume." Also: "The system analyzes each viewer's profile in real time, which considers device, time of day, and past habits to surface and rank the most relevant content"

a separate help centre page, "YouTube’s Recommendation System". Search is analysed separately: see the ranking_page row

source, checked 2026-08-05

Search. Word for word: "YouTube’s system prioritizes three key elements for best results. The importance of these elements may vary by search type. The elements are: Relevance, Engagement, Quality"; "To estimate relevance we look into many factors, such as how well the title, tags, description, and video content match your search query. Engagement signals are a valuable way to determine relevance. We look at overall user engagement, such as the watch time of a particular video for a particular query to determine if the video is considered relevant to the query by other users. Finally, for quality, our system is designed to identify signals that can help determine which channels demonstrate expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness on a given topic." It is separately stipulated: "YouTube doesn't accept payment for better placement within organic search results, nor do we treat content that is Google-owned more favorably than any other creator"

the page "How YouTube search works". The personalization of search: "our system may also consider your search and watch history; if you have it turned on"

source, checked 2026-08-05

There is, and not just one. The help centre: "YouTube’s Recommendation System" (https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/16533387), "How YouTube recommendations work" (https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/16089387), "How YouTube search works" (https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/16090438). The platform's own section "How YouTube Works" — the page "Recommendations" (https://www.youtube.com/intl/ALL_en/howyoutubeworks/product-features/recommendations/)

three help centre pages plus the platform's own site howyoutubeworks; the pages are updated and alive as of 5 August 2026

source, checked 2026-08-05

The viewer's own control signals are listed word for word: "“Not interested” feedback selections: Videos you mark as “Not interested” helps to inform what to avoid recommending in the future"; "“Don’t recommend channel” feedback selections: Our system uses your “Don’t recommend channel” feedback selections as a signal that the channel content likely isn’t something you enjoyed watching"; "Dislikes: Our system uses videos you dislike to inform what to avoid recommending in the future"; "Satisfaction surveys". On watch history: "You can turn off and delete your watch history if you don’t prefer to have video recommendations on the homepage"; "If your YouTube watch history is off and you have no significant prior watch history, the homepage will continue to show the search bar and the left-side menu". On the platform's site: "Users can always pause, edit, or delete their YouTube search and watch history whenever they want"

the second quotation is from the page https://www.youtube.com/intl/ALL_en/howyoutubeworks/product-features/recommendations/

source, checked 2026-08-05

It is stated in the monetization rules, not in the distribution rules. Word for word: "If you’re making money on YouTube, your content should be original and "authentic". This means that we expect your content to: Be your original creation. If you borrow content from someone else, you need to change it significantly to make it your own. Not be mass-produced, generic, repetitive, or manipulative." On the reuse of other people's content: "Reused content refers to channels that repurpose content that’s already on YouTube or another online source without adding significant original commentary, substantive modifications, or educational or entertainment value. Reused content may also be known as duplicative or scraped content". On AI: "AI-generated content made with generic or unoriginal templates giving the impression of mass production without adding the creator’s original, authentic insights or perspective". An update of 15 July 2025: the "repetitious content" policy has been renamed "inauthentic content"

the consequence is named as the loss of monetization, not as reduced distribution: "channels where content feels interchangeable from video to video are not allowed to monetize"

source, checked 2026-08-05

Hashtags help content to be found, but their number is limited. Word for word: "Hashtags allow you to easily connect your content with other videos or playlists which share the same hashtag on YouTube and YouTube Music. Hashtags also allow viewers and listeners to find related content via search"; "Out of all the hashtags you add to the video’s description, up to three hashtags that are considered most engaging will appear by your video title". The limit: "Over-tagging: Don't add too many tags in a single video or playlist. The more tags you add, the less relevant they become for viewers or listeners who are searching. If a video or playlist has more than 60 hashtags, we'll ignore each hashtag on that content. Over-tagging may result in the removal of your video from your uploads or from search." And: "Misleading content: Don't add hashtags that are not directly related to the video or playlist. Misleading or unrelated hashtags may result in the removal of your video or playlist"

the threshold is named exactly: more than 60 hashtags — all hashtags on that video are ignored

source, checked 2026-08-05

The platform states directly that the time of publication does not affect the long-term fate of a video. Word for word: "Don’t overthink your publish time: The algorithm aims to deliver the right content to viewers whenever they visit YouTube, regardless of upload time. While publishing when your audience is most active might lead to more immediate views, we haven’t observed any evidence it affects long-term viewership. This is to say, that publish time is not known to impact a video’s long-term performance. Note, however, that if you're scheduling a Premiere or going live, consider your audience's active times to maximize engagement." On frequency: "Quality over quantity: Prioritize consistent quality content over a high frequency of uploads"; "Taking breaks is a healthy and encouraged part of a long-term creative journey—the algorithm doesn’t penalize creators for doing so!"

a rare case: the platform directly refutes the widespread belief about the "best time to post"

source, checked 2026-08-05

the platform names as signals: user behaviour, likes and dislikes, subscriptions and feedback (including from surveys), and channel reputation and quality. For search — relevance, engagement and quality

The platform publishes no numerical weights for the signals

source, checked 2026-07-28

A direct promise to reduce distribution exists only in the platform's own blog and concerns "borderline" content: "this past January, we announced we’d begin reducing recommendations of borderline content or videos that could misinform users in harmful ways"; "since January 2019, we’ve launched over 30 different changes to reduce recommendations of borderline content and harmful misinformation. The result is a 70% average drop in watch time of this content coming from non-subscribed recommendations in the U.S." The definition: "Content that comes close to — but doesn’t quite cross the line of — violating our Community Guidelines". Separately on hashtags: "Over-tagging: Don't add too many tags in a single video or playlist... If a video or playlist has more than 60 hashtags, we'll ignore each hashtag on that content. Over-tagging may result in the removal of your video from your uploads or from search" · the source is dated 2019-12-03

a post in the YouTube blog of 3 December 2019; a more recent official document about reduced distribution was not found on the help centre pages. On hashtags — https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/6390658

source, checked 2026-08-05

There is no direct admission of "we do not disclose the mechanics" on the help centre pages. There are indirect turns of phrase: "Our recommendation system is constantly evolving, learning every day from over 80 billion pieces of information we call signals. The primary signals our system considers are:" — that is, only the main ones are listed; "To estimate relevance we look into many factors, such as..." — the list is open; "We add and remove signals and predictions over time". The words "we do not disclose", "proprietary", "trade secret" do not occur on the pages checked

the pages 16089387, 16533387, 16090438 and https://www.youtube.com/intl/ALL_en/howyoutubeworks/product-features/recommendations/ were checked — there is no explicit refusal to disclose the mechanics, but the lists of signals are everywhere marked as incomplete

source, checked 2026-08-05

Analytics

YouTube Studio, the tabs and their metrics: Overview (Realtime and Typical performance), Content ("impressions and how they led to watch time"), Reach ("impressions, impressions click-through-rate, views, and unique viewers"), Engagement ("watch time and average view duration", for Shorts — "Engaged views"), Audience ("monthly audience and subscribers", the shares of new/casual/regular viewers), Revenue ("estimated revenue"), Trends

the YouTube help centre is open to robots: support.google.com/robots.txt disallows only /*/search, /*/api, /*/forum-attachment

source, checked 2026-08-05

The revenue tab: RPM ("how much money you've earned per 1,000 video views"), CPM, Playback-based CPM, Views, Ad impressions, Estimated monetized playbacks, Estimated revenue, Estimated ad revenue

the revenue metrics are set apart from the general ones because they are not available to every account

source, checked 2026-08-05

YouTube Analytics API: views, engagedViews, redViews, playlistViews, estimatedMinutesWatched, estimatedRedMinutesWatched, averageViewDuration, averageViewPercentage, comments, likes, dislikes, shares, subscribersGained, subscribersLost, videosAddedToPlaylists, videosRemovedFromPlaylists, cardImpressions, cardClicks, cardClickRate, cardTeaserImpressions, cardTeaserClicks, cardTeaserClickRate, averageConcurrentViewers, peakConcurrentViewers, audienceWatchRatio, relativeRetentionPerformance, viewerPercentage, estimatedRevenue, estimatedAdRevenue, grossRevenue, cpm, adImpressions, monetizedPlaybacks, playbackBasedCpm

developers.google.com/robots.txt closes only /youtube/partner/; the metrics page is open

source, checked 2026-08-05

YouTube Reporting API — bulk delivery of reports through reporting jobs, separately from the YouTube Analytics API

a second form of API access, needed when the export from Studio runs into the row limit

source, checked 2026-08-05

The platform does not publish the thresholds at which it hides data: "The actual thresholds at which data is limited are not published and subject to change at YouTube's discretion". What gets limited: "Demographics data, such as age and gender", "Geographic data, including metrics or dimensions related to the countries or regions where the viewers were located", "Metrics related to specific traffic sources, such as search terms or external URLs"

this is the most important admission: YouTube itself refuses to name the threshold below which it does not show a figure

source, checked 2026-08-05

"You won't see demographics data for private or unlisted videos, regardless of the amount of traffic"; "You won't see any geography data for the following, regardless of the amount of traffic: Realtime reports" and for private videos and videos available by link

the stipulation "regardless of the amount of traffic" — that is, traffic will not help, the metric is never there

source, checked 2026-08-05

"one-off search terms and URLs that drive little traffic may not show"; when a filter or a dimension that falls short of the threshold is selected, "only the top results are available"

that is, the long tail of queries and referring pages is not given to the creator

source, checked 2026-08-05

Through API access: "YouTube Analytics API responses do not contain metric breakdowns for deleted items"

deleted videos drop out of the breakdowns but remain in the aggregate totals — hence the discrepancy between totals

source, checked 2026-08-05

Withdrawn annotation metrics: "YouTube Analytics API reports only return data for the annotationClickThroughRate and annotationCloseRate metrics as of June 10, 2012. In addition, YouTube Analytics API reports only return data for the remaining annotation metrics as of July 16, 2013."

for earlier dates nobody has these figures

source, checked 2026-08-05

The export limit in the dashboard: "Downloaded reports are limited to 500 rows. Use the YouTube Reporting API to download more than 500 rows of data."

more than 500 rows cannot be exported from the interface — only through API access

source, checked 2026-08-05

The stipulation about revenue: "Estimated revenue metrics are subject to month-end adjustment and don't include partner-sold and partner-served advertising"; "Estimated earnings data in YouTube Analytics doesn't reflect invalid activity adjustments in real time. Final revenue data reported in downloadable financial reports may differ from YouTube Analytics data."

the second quotation is from the page https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/6085583; the revenue figure in analytics is knowingly not the final one

source, checked 2026-08-05

API access, the YouTube Reporting API: a new job "generates reports covering the 30-day period prior to the time that you created the job"; "API reports are available for 60 days from the time that they are generated"; "Reports containing historical data are available for 30 days from the time that they are generated"

that is, the history before the job was created goes back 30 days only; deeper than that the platform gives nothing

source, checked 2026-08-05

"Age and gender" — "which age ranges are adding most to your watch time and the gender distribution of your audience"; "Top geographies"; "Watch time from subscribers"; "Channels that your audience watches"; "What your audience watches"

the display threshold is not named, see the metrics_not_available row about the unpublished thresholds

source, checked 2026-08-05

From Studio: "At the top, select Export current view and choose your preferred file format" in Advanced mode; the limit is 500 rows. From Studio Content Manager — .CSV files with final data on revenue and performance

the second route is for content managers only and is not available to an ordinary creator

source, checked 2026-08-05

The realtime report: "This data is available within a few hours of publishing your content". The general delay: "Keep in mind there can be a delay of a few days before data is viewable in YouTube Analytics". For revenue: "YouTube Analytics has a data delay of approximately 2 days for estimated earnings data"

the first quotation is from the page https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/9314486

source, checked 2026-08-05

the analytics tabs: Overview (realtime), Content, Reach (impressions and click-through rate), Engagement (watch time, average duration, and for Shorts engaged views), Audience, Revenue (for programme members), Trends

The platform notes that geography, traffic sources and gender are not always available

source, checked 2026-07-28

Analytics is open to any channel through YouTube Studio and the YouTube app; the Revenue tab shows estimated revenue "for those in the YouTube Partner Program"

the split is confirmed by the overview page of the help centre; no separate page with an explicit list of "what is closed outside the partner program" was found

source, checked 2026-08-05

How the money works here

1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours over the last 12 months, OR 1,000 subscribers and 10 million Shorts views over 90 days

Two alternative entry routes — long-form video or Shorts

source, checked 2026-07-27

living in a country where the programme is available; no active warnings about breaches; two-factor authentication switched on; access to advanced features; an active AdSense for YouTube account

source, checked 2026-07-27

review usually takes about 1 month

source, checked 2026-07-27

no tax status is required — you need an AdSense account and residence in a supported country

CONTRAST WITH RUTUBE: there, Russian residency and self-employed, sole trader or legal entity status are mandatory

source, checked 2026-07-27

Who is admitted. The YouTube Partner Program (YPP): "1,000 subscribers with 4,000 valid public watch hours in the last 12 months" OR "1,000 subscribers with 10 million valid public Shorts views in the last 90 days"; plus: compliance with the monetization policies, residence in a country where YPP operates, no active Community Guidelines strikes, two-step verification enabled, access to advanced features, a linked AdSense for YouTube account

the minimum age is not stated on this page; watch hours from the Shorts feed do not count towards the 4,000 hours

source, checked 2026-08-04

Who is admitted. Expanded YPP (the lower tier, fan funding features only): "Get 500 subscribers with 3 valid public uploads in the last 90 days, and 3,000 valid public watch hours in the last 12 months" OR "…and 3 million valid public Short views in the last 90 days"; the share of advertising revenue and Premium opens only at 1,000 subscribers + 4,000 hours or 10 million Shorts views

the second tier of the threshold, given as a separate row so as not to mix it with the main YPP

source, checked 2026-08-04

Creator's share. Long-form videos: "the standard 55% revenue share" — the creator gets 55% of the revenue from advertising on the watch page. Shorts: "Monetizing creators will keep 45% of their allocated revenue, regardless if music was used or not" — 45% of the share allocated to the creator from the Creator Pool

the wording "standard 55% revenue share" is given on the Creator Music page; the Shorts share is on the Shorts monetization policies page https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/12504220

source, checked 2026-08-04

Payout minimum. The threshold is set not by YouTube but by AdSense and depends on the account currency: "These thresholds vary depending on the reporting currency in your account" — USD $100, EUR €70, GBP £60, AUD A$100, CAD C$100, JPY ¥8000, MXN Mex$1,200

there is no single amount; the threshold is tied to the reporting currency of the AdSense account; the YouTube page refers to the "local payment threshold"

source, checked 2026-08-04

When they pay. "Finalized YouTube earnings for the previous month are added to your YouTube payment account balance in AdSense for YouTube between the 7th and 12th of the current month"; the payment is issued "by the 21st-26th of the current month" once the threshold is reached

a monthly cycle: crediting on the 7th–12th, payout on the 21st–26th

source, checked 2026-08-04

How they pay. Payment goes through AdSense for YouTube; the methods: "Check, Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT), Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA), Wire Transfer" and "PayPal Hyperwallet (Available to publishers in specific countries)"; "Depending on your payment address, the following options may be available to you"

the set of methods differs by country; the tables are split into Americas / Asia Pacific / EMEA

source, checked 2026-08-04

Where it is available. The "YouTube Partner Program availability" page lists the countries and regions: "You can sign up for the YouTube Partner Program in the following areas:" — about 190 entries. It states separately that since March 2022, because Google's advertising systems have been suspended, creators from Russia cannot complete a new YPP sign-up

the full alphabetical list is on the page; the expanded YPP has a separate, narrower list of countries

source, checked 2026-08-04

Directly allowed: "Affiliate content doesn't violate YouTube's Terms of Use". A caveat: excessive posting of affiliate content in purpose-made accounts may breach the spam policies. External links to content that violates the Community Guidelines are banned: "Links to pornography", "Links to websites or apps that install malware or unwanted software", phishing, "Links to websites or apps that spread misleading or deceptive content" and others

the external links policy; the restriction on affiliate links is not thematic but about spam

source, checked 2026-08-04

What must be disclosed. The creator must tick the box in the video details, "My video contains paid promotion like a product placement, sponsorship, or endorsement": "You have to let us know if you include any of those by selecting the paid promotion box in your video details". YouTube shows the viewer "a disclosure message for 10 seconds at the beginning of the video". Separately: "You and the brands you work with are responsible for understanding and complying with local and legal obligations to disclose Paid Promotion in their content"

the tick box is the platform's minimum; local disclosure requirements remain with the creator

source, checked 2026-08-04

the expanded partner programme (viewer payments only): 500 subscribers + 3 public uploads over 90 days + either 3,000 watch hours over 12 months or 3 million Shorts views over 90 days

CLARIFIES the existing fact ypp_thresholds: the programme has TWO levels, not one. The 1,000/4,000 threshold relates only to the share of advertising revenue

source, checked 2026-07-28

the lower level unlocks: channel memberships, Super Chat and Super Stickers, Super Thanks, gifts, Shopping. Advertising and the share of YouTube Premium are only at the upper level

source, checked 2026-07-28

the platform pays authors 55% of the net advertising revenue from their public videos: «55% of net revenues from ads displayed or streamed on their public videos»

source, checked 2026-07-28

for Shorts the author receives 45% of the pool share allocated to them: «Monetizing creators will keep 45% of their allocated revenue, regardless if music was used or not»

The income is not tied to a specific clip: a common pool is formed first

source, checked 2026-07-28

the author's share is determined by their share of "engaged views" of Shorts among monetizing creators within a country; with one music track half of the associated revenue goes to licensing, with two, two thirds

The 45% rate does not change as a result

source, checked 2026-07-28

Shopping: your own products from 500 subscribers, promoting other people's brands from 1,000. Advertising on the watch page and in the Shorts feed is at the upper threshold; memberships, Super Chat, Super Stickers and Super Thanks at the lower one

source, checked 2026-07-28

YouTube Partner Program (YPP); expanded YPP; advertising on the watch page; a share of YouTube Premium revenue; Shorts Feed ad revenue sharing (Creator Pool); Creator Music; fan funding features (per the description of the expanded YPP)

the full list of ways to earn is on the "How to earn money on YouTube" page https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/72857, which is not the page that was read

source, checked 2026-08-04

Limits and restrictions

the default daily allowance: 100 search calls, 100 video uploads and 10,000 units for all the other endpoints together. Any request, including a failed one, costs at least one unit; the allowance can be extended on application

The allowance is counted not in the number of actions but in units, with operations priced differently

source, checked 2026-07-28

Word for word: the first violation — "the first violation is typically only a warning"; the first strike with a sanction: "This strike means you will not be allowed to do the following for 1 week: Upload videos or live streams"; "After the 1-week period, we restore full privileges automatically, but the strike remains on your channel for 90 days"; the second: "If you get a second strike within the same 90-day period as your first strike, you will not be allowed to post content for 2 weeks"; the third: "3 strikes in the same 90-day period may result in your channel being permanently removed from YouTube". Separately: "YouTube also reserves the right to restrict a creator’s ability to create content at its discretion"

This is a slowdown for a violation of the rules, not for exceeding a rate. For exceeding the daily limit on uploads all that is said is "try again in 24 hours" (page 10383400)

source, checked 2026-08-04

Word for word: "For warnings and strikes, you can appeal for 6 months after the warning or strike was issued. For content removals, you have up to 1 year after your content was removed to submit an appeal. This 1 year window applies to all types of content removals including videos, posts, playlists, thumbnails and URLs." Submission is through YouTube Studio, the Content section. For exceeding the quota of programmatic access there is a separate path: "you can request additional quota by completing the Quota extension request form for YouTube API Services"

Contesting is announced for warnings and for removals of content. There is no separate procedure in the help centre for contesting the daily limit on uploads or the limit on subscriptions

source, checked 2026-08-04

the number of videos a channel can upload in a day is limited; the limit is shared across the site, the app and the API. The number itself is not given on the page

The existence of the limit is confirmed, the value is not

source, checked 2026-07-28

Not named by a number. Word for word: "To ensure safety at YouTube, we limit how many videos a channel can upload in a 24-hour period across desktop, mobile, and YouTube API." "Limits may vary by country/region or channel history. Copyright strikes may impact channel history eligibility. Community Guidelines strikes will affect how much you can upload." The text of the error: "Daily upload limit reached. You can upload more videos in 24 hours."

YouTube acknowledges a daily limit on uploads, but does not publish the number anywhere in the help centre: all that is said is that it depends on the country and on the history of the channel. Pages 71673 (the length and the file size of a file) and 9891124 (the levels of access) were also checked — the number is not there either

source, checked 2026-08-04

Word for word: "If you complete phone verification, you will get access to intermediate features." "Advanced features include, for example, pinned comments and higher daily upload limits. Creators can get access to advanced features by: Completing phone verification; Building sufficient channel history or verifying identity using a valid ID or video." Without phone verification: "you can upload videos that are up to 15 minutes long". The term of "sufficient channel history" is not named by a number

The restriction on a new channel is expressed through the levels of access, not through days. How many days "sufficient channel history" takes to accumulate is not announced; it is said separately: "Not complying with YouTube’s Community Guidelines delays feature eligibility"

source, checked 2026-08-04

Not named by a number. Word for word: "Sending too many messages at once: To help prevent spam, there are limits on how many messages can be sent in a short period. If you have sent a lot of messages recently, please wait a while before trying again." Access to private messages is restricted: "Video sharing and messaging on YouTube is in select countries/regions. It is not available to everyone at this time." "You must be 18 years of age or older and signed in to a YouTube channel to share videos and to message on YouTube."

Private messages on YouTube have returned as a separate feature, "Video sharing & messaging"; the limit is acknowledged, but neither the number nor the length of the window is announced. The platform does not provide mass mailings

source, checked 2026-08-04

Sources diverge: Word for word: "Projects that enable the YouTube Data API have a default quota allocation of 100 search.list calls, 100 videos.insert calls, and 10,000 units per day combined for all other endpoints." "Daily quotas reset at midnight Pacific Time (PT)." "All API requests, including invalid requests, incur at least a one-point quota cost." The cost: reading a list — 1 unit, writing (creation, modification, deletion) — 50 units

The window is 24 hours, the counter is per project (not per user). A contradiction within one page: the automatic "Page Summary" at the top claims "methods like videos.insert have the highest cost of 1600 points", whereas the main text and the table itself on the same page give for videos.insert "100 quota per day. Each call costs 1 quota.". The values from the table have been recorded, the summary at the top is out of date

source, checked 2026-08-04

Sources diverge: Word for word: "If you see an error message that says “Too many subscriptions,” you have reached your subscription limit. You can only subscribe to 75 channels per day." "In general, you can subscribe to a maximum of 2,000 channels. But, your subscription limit grows as your YouTube channel does—it is tied to the number of subscribers your channel has or how long your account has existed. Your exact limits may change over time." "We recommend capping your account to 5,000 channel subscriptions to make sure the subscriptions feed and channel list give the best experience."

The only platform of the thirteen that publishes a daily limit on subscriptions as a number (75). An internal contradiction on the same page: "maximum of 2,000 channels" and at the same time a recommendation not to go beyond 5,000 subscriptions. No limits on unsubscribing are announced

source, checked 2026-08-04

Restrictions

YouTube's compliance audit relates TO EXTENDING THE REQUEST ALLOWANCE, not to the visibility of what has been uploaded: the pages on the allowance and on uploading video contain no claim that a video is hidden until the audit. The level of availability is set by the uploader through the privacyStatus field (public, private, unlisted)

Recorded deliberately: the opposite view is widespread, and there are no grounds for it in the documentation we read

source, checked 2026-07-28

on the page about partner programme availability the platform states: «Given the recent suspension of Google advertising systems in Russia, we'll be pausing the creation of new Russian accounts on AdSense, AdMob and Google Ad Manager… creators in Russia won't be able to complete new YPP sign-ups at this time». Russia is not listed among the countries from which an application can be submitted

The platform's own wording. It concerns registration in the programme, not the availability of the site

source, checked 2026-07-28

a first breach is usually a warning (removed 90 days after the training); a first strike bans posting for 1 week, and the strike itself stays for 90 days; a second strike within the same 90 days means a 2-week ban; three strikes in 90 days may lead to the channel being removed

Deleting the clips does not remove the strikes

source, checked 2026-07-28

the platform states that it does not allow anything that artificially inflates the number of views, likes, comments and other metrics — including buying views, mutual subscriptions and automated systems

source, checked 2026-07-28

API access

a Google account, a project in Google Cloud, enabling YouTube Data API v3, OAuth 2.0 for methods that require user authorisation

source, checked 2026-07-27

How it connects. OAuth 2.0

Unlike Telegram, where a bot token is issued automatically

source, checked 2026-07-27

by default: 100 search.list calls, 100 videos.insert calls and 10,000 units a day in total for the remaining methods

A quote from the page

source, checked 2026-07-27

a quota increase is possible by separate application

source, checked 2026-07-27

Capabilities. videos, channels, playlists, comments, subscriptions; retrieving lists, creating, updating and deleting depending on the resource type

source, checked 2026-07-27

the API terms of service prohibit exceeding and circumventing the limits: «You and your API Client(s) will not, and will not attempt to, exceed or circumvent use or quota restrictions»; when access ends, all the data obtained must be deleted

source, checked 2026-07-28

any request costs at least one unit, including a failed one; every additional page of results is charged separately; the allowance day ends at midnight Pacific time

source, checked 2026-07-28

the exact cost of individual methods (search.list, videos.insert) was NOT obtained from the quota table page by two independent readings: the extraction confuses the cost of a call with the daily limit of 100 calls

CONFIRMS the existing note to quota_per_operation: the table needs to be read by hand

source, checked 2026-07-28

Languages

the interface language of the home page: ru-RU

The language is taken from the markup attribute, the versions from hreflang

source, checked 2026-07-28

metrics

The Reach tab is built on impressions and unique viewers. An impression verbatim: «Impressions are counted if the thumbnail is shown for more than 1 second and at least 50% of the thumbnail is visible on the screen» (counted only inside YouTube: home, search, recommendations; not counted in external embeds, YouTube Kids, Music or hidden tabs). Unique viewers verbatim: «the estimated number of viewers who came to watch your videos over a given time period» — a person on a computer and a phone, or watching several times, counts as one

Unique viewers is an estimate and takes shared devices into account: the definition is in answer/7577916. The thumbnail impression threshold (1 second, 50%) is a rare case where YouTube publishes exact figures

source, checked 2026-08-07

Verbatim: «engagement metrics (views, likes, dislikes, and subscriptions) reflect how many times your YouTube video or channel has been interacted with». Only confirmed human actions are counted, verbatim: «We want to make sure that your metrics are high quality and come from actual humans and not computer programs»; examples of what is discarded, verbatim: «Using several devices to watch the same video and streaming the same video across several windows and tabs are examples of low-quality playbacks»

YouTube publishes no engagement rate as a formula — the Engagement tab works with watch time and average view duration (answer/9313698)

source, checked 2026-08-07

No view threshold for ordinary video is published. For Shorts, from 31.03.2025, verbatim: «Views will count the number of times a Short starts to play or replay, with no minimum watch time requirement»; the previous method is preserved as the «Engaged views» metric (verbatim: it shows «how many viewers chose to continue watching your video») and it is that one which is used for YPP thresholds and advertising payouts. For advertising a view is, verbatim, when someone «watches at least 30 seconds of an ad that's more than 30 seconds long» (skippable in-stream) or 10 seconds (in-feed, Shorts ads)

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source, checked 2026-08-07

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