YouTube Watch Time
Analyzer

Watch time is the total accumulated minutes that viewers spend watching your public videos. It includes all views from any source - search, suggested, external links, playlists, and embedded players. Private, unlisted, and deleted videos don't count. Only videos over 1 minute count toward the 4,000 hour monetization requirement (Shorts under 60 seconds are excluded from this metric).

Views count how many times your video was started (minimum ~30 seconds watched). Watch time measures total minutes watched regardless of whether it was the same viewer multiple times. A 10-minute video with 1,000 views and 50% retention generates 5,000 minutes of watch time. Views show reach; watch time shows engagement depth and is more important for the algorithm.

No. YouTube Shorts (videos under 60 seconds) do NOT count toward the 4,000 public watch hours requirement for monetization. However, there's an alternative path: 10 million Shorts views in 90 days + 1,000 subscribers. If you're focused on Shorts, aim for this separate requirement instead of traditional watch hours.

It varies by video length: Shorts: 70%+ is excellent. 1-5 min videos: 60%+ is great, 40-60% is good. 10-20 min videos: 40-50% is excellent, 30-40% is good. 30+ min videos: 25-35% is considered good. The YouTube average across all content is roughly 50-60% for videos under 5 minutes and 30-40% for longer content.

Go to YouTube Studio → Analytics → Overview. You'll see "Watch time (hours)" for the selected date range. For monetization tracking, select "Last 365 days" to see your rolling 12-month total. Click "See More" for detailed breakdowns by video, traffic source, and time period. The monetization tab shows your exact progress toward 4,000 hours.

Varies dramatically: 3-6 months for channels with existing audience, viral content, or 10+ min videos with 3-4 uploads/week. 6-12 months is typical for consistent creators with good content. 12-24 months for hobbyist channels or very competitive niches. The key factors are video length (longer = faster), retention rate, posting frequency, and niche demand.

Technically yes, but don't do it. YouTube's algorithm detects artificial inflation. Watching your own videos excessively can flag your channel, skew your analytics data, and potentially violate Terms of Service. A few views for quality checking is fine, but attempting to inflate watch time this way is ineffective and risky.

10-20 minutes is the sweet spot for most niches. Long enough to accumulate significant watch time per view, short enough to maintain decent retention. However, content quality matters more than arbitrary length. A 5-minute video with 70% retention beats a 20-minute video with 20% retention. Match length to content - don't pad videos artificially.

Common causes: 1) Algorithm stopped promoting an older viral video. 2) Seasonal content losing relevance. 3) Inconsistent uploads causing audience loss. 4) Retention dropping on new videos (quality issue). 5) Competition increased in your niche. Check Analytics → Content to see which videos lost watch time and investigate why.

It's a rolling 12-month window. Watch time from exactly 365 days ago "falls off" each day and is replaced by today's watch time. If you had a viral video 13 months ago, that watch time no longer counts toward monetization. This is why consistent uploading matters - you need ongoing watch time, not just one-time success.

Playlists significantly boost watch time through session watch time. When viewers watch multiple videos in a playlist, each video's watch time is counted. Auto-play keeps viewers engaged longer. Organize videos into topic-based playlists, add playlist links in descriptions and end screens, and use "Series Playlist" feature for sequential content.

Once you have 4,000 public watch hours + 1,000 subscribers, you can apply to the YouTube Partner Program. YouTube reviews your channel (typically 1-4 weeks) checking for policy compliance, content originality, and community guidelines adherence. If approved, you can enable monetization. Note: Watch time still matters after approval - it affects your revenue and algorithm recommendations.

Generally no. Once accepted into YPP, YouTube doesn't remove monetization solely for dropping below thresholds. However, you must stay above thresholds for certain features, maintain community guideline compliance, and keep the channel active. Severe or repeated violations, extended inactivity, or policy changes could affect your status.

This calculator provides estimates based on the formula: Videos × Views × Length × Retention = Watch Time. Actual YouTube watch time may vary due to: varying retention across videos, some videos performing differently, Shorts exclusion, private video views, and deleted content. For exact numbers, always refer to YouTube Studio Analytics.

Proven strategy: Create 15-20 minute tutorials or evergreen content in a searchable niche. Post 2-3 times per week. Focus on SEO (search-friendly titles, descriptions, tags). Optimize thumbnails for CTR. Hook viewers in first 30 seconds. Use end screens to drive playlist views. One 20-min video with 50% retention reaching 50K views = 8,333 watch hours alone!