YouTube is changing its view counting algorithm so that a view is registered as soon as a video starts playing, rather than requiring approximately 30 seconds of watch time. The company says the update addresses creator requests for clearer metrics and aligns YouTube with competitors like TikTok and Instagram, while the original 'engaged views' metric will remain available in Analytics.
Background
YouTube has never officially disclosed its exact view-counting methodology, but industry understanding held that a minimum watch time of roughly 30 seconds was required. The change brings YouTube in line with TikTok and Instagram, which have long counted views from the moment playback begins.
- Source
- TechCrunch
- Published
- Aug 18, 2026 at 02:09 AM
- Score
- 6.0 / 10