What changed
Since August 24, 2026, YouTube counts a view from the first frame of playback, across all formats. More info here.
Previously, longer videos required a minimum watch time before a view was counted. This brings YouTube in line with Instagram and TikTok, where a view is recorded the moment playback begins.
YouTube keeps the stricter, watch-time-based metric under the name Engaged Views, but this is only visible inside YouTube Analytics and is not available in Stellar reporting.
When does this affect my Stellar reports?
Until September 11, Stellar still reports YouTube views using the previous counting method, so your figures haven't changed yet. On September 11, we'll update Stellar to reflect YouTube's new method. From that date, YouTube view numbers in Stellar will appear significantly higher, without any change in actual audience behaviour.
What impact does this have on my reporting?
On September 11, two things change at the same time:
View counts become significantly higher, since every view is now counted from the first second.
The per-view value used for EMV changes. Because EMV is based on a per-view value, we're updating YouTube's default value to reflect the new counting method, from €0.28 to €0.037 per view. This keeps EMV aligned with what a view now represents.
Because both the view count and the per-view value change together, YouTube EMV and ROI may shift, and will for now not be directly comparable to your historical data or to other networks. Keep this in mind when evaluating reports across multiple networks or against past periods.
What if I've customised my EMV values?
If you've changed your EMV values from Stellar's defaults, this update will not apply automatically to your account. You'll need to adjust the YouTube per-view value yourself under your account settings if you'd like to align with the new methodology.
How can I keep my previous figures?
If you'd like to keep a record of your reports based on the previous methodology, download them before September 11. After that date, reports will reflect the new counting method and per-view value.