YouTube will begin counting video views "from the very first frame" across all formats starting August 24, 2026, the company announced. This change is intended to make metrics more transparent for content creators.

A similar counting method is already in use for Shorts videos. Now it will be extended to all video formats on the platform—the update will be available worldwide.

The Engaged views metric, which tracks how many viewers continue watching a video after it starts, will remain in creator analytics. The company also clarified that these changes will not impact content monetization or creators' participation in the YouTube Partner program.

As TechCrunch notes, YouTube had not previously disclosed the exact method for counting views before announcing the new approach, but it was generally accepted that a user had to watch a video for at least 30 seconds to be counted as a view.

Earlier, in August 2026, YouTube also announced an increase in the view count requirements for monetization, doubling the bar. The new rules will take effect on February 1, 2027, and will not affect creators already participating in the Partner Program.