After doubling watch-time criteria, YouTube is changing how it counts views on videos

YouTube is changing how it counts views on videos. Going forward, a view will be counted the moment someone plays a long video, similar to how it tracks views for YouTube Shorts.YouTube is changing the way it counts views on videos. (Photo: Reuters)YouTube is changing the way it tracks views on videos. The platform has announced that from August 24, it will use the same way to count views across all video formats, including long form videos and Shorts. Going forward, a view will be counted on a video the moment you play it – from the “very first frame.”In a post on X, YouTube announced this change, stating that there will be no minimum watch time necessary for a view to be counted. YouTube says that with this change, creators can expect to see “their total view counts increase faster moving forward.”This, the platform says, should help creators get more out of brand deals. YouTube wrote, “We’re standardizing views to reflect creators’ true exposure across YouTube, making it easier to show their value to brand partners.” YouTube announced the change in an X post. Keep in mind that this change does not impact YouTube’s partner programme (YPP) that pays creators. Recently, the company doubled the watch-time requirement for new creators to join YPP. YouTube’s views change divides internetWhile YouTube does not define how it used to track views before, the platform says that it had historically used multiple view-counting systems across different formats. Now, it is now moving to a single standard to reduce confusion and help creators understand their exposure more accurately. YouTube said this system was first introduced for Shorts last year.The announcement divided creators online. YouTuber ArtChad wrote on X that this change could impact how most YouTubers made money. “Most YouTubers make their money off brand integrations at $15-$20 (roughly Rs 1400-Rs 1900) CPM (Cost Per Mille). This is under the assumption watch duration doesn't drop below 38 per cent,” he wrote. “Inflating views will destroy average watch duration and upend the one way YouTubers actually make money.” Some creators believe this may hurt them in terms of brand deals. Another YouTuber Miles Above Tech claimed that this change may have adverse effects on payouts for creators in the long run. “I guess it’s time to start pumping out long-form videos with this YouTube update with views, because stuff is about to get crazy, if this doesn’t adversely affect payouts and RPMs (Revenue Per Mille),” he wrote. A few creators were unsure how this might affect videos and payouts. One creator claimed that after talking to YouTube, he found that views will be counted even if a video autoplays on the homepage of the app, which will likely lead to much higher views on all videos. “I just talked with YouTube directly. Views will also count the SECOND a video AutoPlays on the Home Screen now too. Everyone is about to see way higher Views now,” he wrote. One creator said that YouTube will count a view even when a video autoplays. Do note that while this change affects how views are counted, YouTube will continue its original metric for views under the “Engaged views” section for creators. This, YouTube says, will allow creators to see how many viewers chose to continue watching a video.- EndsPublished By: Armaan AgarwalPublished On: Aug 18, 2026 09:52 IST