YouTube Shorts now count every play & replay as a view

YouTube is revising the way it counts views on YouTube Shorts to provide creators with a more comprehensive understanding of their short-form content’s performance, the company announced on Wednesday.

Under the new system, Shorts views will now reflect the number of times a video starts to play or is replayed. Previously, a view was counted only after a Short had been watched for a set duration. As a result of this change, creators can expect higher view counts moving forward.

According to YouTube, the update comes in response to feedback from creators who sought greater insight into how often their Shorts were actually seen. The company states that the revised approach will enable creators to better showcase their total reach, aiding them in refining their content strategies and presenting their work more effectively to potential brand partners.

This adjustment also brings YouTube Shorts’ view metrics in line with those used by rival platforms TikTok and Instagram Reels, both of which count the number of times a video starts or is replayed. YouTube says this consistency will allow creators to compare the performance of their content across multiple platforms more accurately.

YouTube clarified that the change will not affect creators’ earnings or their eligibility for the YouTube Partner Program, as both will continue to be determined based on engaged views rather than the updated view count method.

For creators who still wish to access the original Shorts metric, YouTube Analytics’ “Advanced Mode” will provide the data under the newly named “engaged views” metric. This metric will continue to track how many viewers choose to watch a Short beyond its initial moments.

The new counting system is set to take effect on 31 March.