What is the YouTube Shorts monetization policy?
YouTube’s Shorts monetization policy is a revenue-sharing model that replaced the Shorts Fund.
Ad revenue from Shorts is pooled monthly and split between creators and music partners based on views and music usage. Creators receive 45% of their allocated share from the creator pool.
Can Epidemic Sound music be used in YouTube Shorts?
Yes. With an active Epidemic Sound subscription, music and sound effects can be used in both Shorts and long-form videos.
Using music in Shorts can boost discoverability for both your content and the artists featured. Content ID claims on Shorts do not affect your revenue share or channel.
Why was a Content ID claim applied to a YouTube Short?
If Epidemic Sound music is detected in a Short, YouTube applies a Content ID claim under the Shorts Policy. This is not a copyright strike and does not impact your channel or monetization.
Should Content ID claims on Shorts be disputed?
Usually not. A Content ID claim on a Short doesn't affect who can see your video, your share of Shorts revenue, or your channel standing. It isn't a copyright strike. Your Short stays Public and keeps earning exactly as before.
The one thing a claim does affect is product tagging. If your Short has a product link, the claim switches Shopping off, and we release claims on Shorts with product links as a matter of course. If you're seeing Shopping disabled on a Short and it hasn't cleared, you can dispute the claim and mention “Product link” in the dispute note. You can also send us the video URL and we'll sort it.
Are Content ID claims on Shorts the same as for long-form videos?
No. Shorts claims follow a different policy and do not affect monetization or visibility. For long-form video claims, please refer to this guide.