Your channel's monetisation will be paused if there isn't an active and approved AdSense for YouTube account linked to your channel. The YouTube Partner Programme requires all partners to have an active, approved and linked AdSense for YouTube account.
Note that without having an active, approved and linked AdSense for YouTube account for your channel, you can't earn money from YouTube and ads won't run on your videos. This includes revenue from advertising, YouTube Premium subscriptions and other revenue sources such as channel memberships.
While your monetisation is paused, you can still keep uploading original content and building your audience on YouTube. If you're in the YouTube Partner Programme and your monetisation was paused, don't worry – you're still in the programme. Monetisation will resume after linking an active and approved AdSense for YouTube account.
If you already have an existing AdSense for YouTube account, simply make sure that the address on file has been verified. To help keep your account secure, we require you to verify your address before we send you any payments. Learn more about what's required here.
Link an AdSense for YouTube account
If you're in the YouTube Partner Programme and would like to change the AdSense for YouTube account associated with your channel, you can do so by following these steps: Change your linked AdSense for YouTube account.
Note that if you have a few channels that are in the YouTube Partner Programme, an AdSense for YouTube account needs to be linked to every channel.
After resuming monetisation, will I get paid for the time that my channel was paused?
No. Paused monetisation means that your channel will not earn money from the duration that it has been paused and that ads won't run on your videos.
Does a channel being paused count as a 'strike' against the Multi-Channel Network (MCN)?
No. Paused monetisation doesn't violate our
channel accountability policy as it is not considered an abuse event under this policy. 'Demonetisation' is considered an abuse event and is unrelated to the paused monetisation status. Learn more about
disabled monetisation.
Are claims closed while my channel's monetisation is paused?
No. If your channel's monetisation is paused, claims will not be closed.
How long does setting up an AdSense for YouTube account take?
While
setting up a new AdSense or AdSense for YouTube account doesn't take long, activation of the new account can take a while. Approval usually occurs within a day or so, but it could take several days. If you're linking a new AdSense for YouTube account where
PIN address verification is required, it may take two to four weeks. Your linked AdSense for YouTube account needs to be activated and approved before monetisation can be resumed.
What will happen to my channel memberships?
When a channel's monetisation status gets paused, their memberships feature gets paused as well and members are informed. During this period, the channel has 120 days to resume monetisation. After 120 days of paused monetisation, the channel will lose access to memberships and they'll lose their members.