YouTube Monetisation Policy Checklist: reused, inauthentic and ad-friendly
Tick through YouTube's monetisation policies, and see what they say about the content you make.
- Free to use
- Runs in your browser
- No sign-up
Runs in your browser. It does not sign in to YouTube or see your channel. Not legal advice.
0%
our measure
0 of 0 ticked
Our measure of how much of this checklist you have ticked, not a YouTube rating or a promise of approval. Your ticks stay in this browser.
For the subscriber and watch-hour thresholds, use the YouTube Partner Program Calculator.
YouTube's guidance will show here
Pick the kinds of content you make, or describe it, to see what YouTube's monetisation policies say about each.
Want an expert to check this result?
Send it to us in one click. We read it and reply within one business day with what we would fix first.
Embed this tool on your websiteFree. Paste one code; it runs in your visitors' browsers.
Copy this code into a page of your site. The tool sets no cookies and sends nothing your visitors type to us. Change height="760" if it needs more room.
About the YouTube Monetisation Policy Checklist
A checklist of what YouTube looks at before and after a channel joins the Partner Program: account and eligibility, inauthentic and reused content, the advertiser-friendly content guidelines section by section, Community Guidelines and copyright standing, and what to keep doing after you join. Each item gives the rule from YouTube Help, or says when it is our suggestion. The content self-check shows YouTube's own guidance for compilations, reaction videos, slideshows, text-to-speech, reuploads, film and TV clips and AI videos. It runs in your browser, and your ticks stay on this device.
How it works
-
Step 1
Go through the checklist with YouTube Studio open, and tick each item your channel meets.
-
Step 2
Open the content self-check, pick the kinds of content you make or describe them, and read YouTube's guidance on each.
-
Step 3
Fix what is not ticked before you apply, and check the thresholds in the Partner Program Calculator.
Inauthentic and reused content
On 15 July 2025 YouTube renamed its "repetitious content" policy "inauthentic content", to make clear it covers mass-produced and repetitive content, such as slideshows or scrolling text with little narrative. Reused content is material from YouTube or elsewhere online used without significant original commentary, substantive changes, or educational or entertainment value. It applies even with the creator's permission.
How YouTube reviews a channel
Automated systems and human reviewers look at the channel as a whole, and it takes about a month. Reviewers may focus on its main theme, most viewed and newest videos and the About section. After a first rejection you can reapply in 30 days, after a later one in 90 days, and you can appeal within 21 days.
What this tool cannot do
It cannot see your channel, and it cannot predict whether YouTube will accept it: the score is our measure of how much of this checklist you have ticked, not a YouTube rating. It covers YouTube's published policies and examples, which change from time to time, and it is not legal advice.
Frequently asked questions
What is inauthentic content on YouTube?
It is YouTube's name, since 15 July 2025, for its old "repetitious content" policy: mass-produced or repetitive content, such as videos that look made from a template with little to no variation. Image slideshows or scrolling text with minimal or no narrative, commentary or educational value are YouTube's examples. It is not eligible for monetisation.
Can I monetise reaction videos and compilations?
Reaction videos where you comment on the original can qualify. Compilations of clips with little or no narrative, and short videos compiled from other social media websites, are YouTube's examples of reused content. What matters is significant original commentary, substantive changes, or educational or entertainment value, and permission alone is not enough.
Can I monetise videos with a text-to-speech voice?
No YouTube rule names text-to-speech. Two related examples: content that only reads out material you did not create, such as website or news text, is reused content, and AI content made with generic templates without your own insight is inauthentic content. Our suggestion: write your own script with your own view.
What does the yellow monetisation icon mean?
It means the video can run limited or no ads, because it may not meet the advertiser-friendly content guidelines. These apply to the thumbnail, title, description and tags as well as the video. You can publish it as it is, edit the video and upload it again, or request a human review.
When can I reapply after a Partner Program rejection?
30 days after the rejection email if it is your first rejection, or 90 days after it if not. You can also appeal within 21 days. The email names the policies your channel did not meet, so fix those first, using this checklist to look at the whole channel.
Sources and checks
Rules last checked
The YouTube Monetisation Policy Checklist follows these official pages:
- YouTube Partner Program overview & eligibility (support.google.com)
- YouTube channel monetization policies (support.google.com)
- Advertiser-friendly content guidelines (support.google.com)
- My channel was rejected for monetization FAQs (support.google.com)
Scores, limits and suggestions marked "our checklist", "our measure" or "our suggestion" are ours, not Google's or the platform's. How our tools work
Related reading
Want help with your channel?
Tell us about your channel and what it should do for the business. We reply within one business day.
Talk to usMore YouTube tools
All YouTube tools- YouTube Made for Kids and AI Disclosure Helper Work out the made for kids setting, and whether a video needs YouTube's AI disclosure, from YouTube's rules.
- YouTube Paid Promotion and ASCI Disclosure Helper Get the paid promotion setting, the ASCI label and its time on screen, and ready lines in three languages.
- YouTube Copyright and Strike Helper Understand a claim, strike or warning, see your options in order with their risks, and when it expires.
- YouTube Video SEO Checker Check a video's title, description, tags, hashtags and chapters against YouTube's limits and rules.
Want us to fix what the tool found?
Tell us about your business and what you want to grow. We reply within one business day with next steps, not a sales script.
- A reply within one business day
- A quick look at your site and search visibility before we talk
- Your details are only used to answer your enquiry