[FAQ]

One of my videos just received a “Content ID claim” because of a music track I used. The video is still up on my channel, and it doesn’t seem to be a formal ‘strike,’ but I’m worried about whether I can still earn any money from it.

How exactly does a copyright claim affect a video’s monetization in 2025? Does all the ad revenue automatically go to the claimant?

[Jeff Bullas]

That is a very important question.

Quick Answer: Yes, a copyright claim almost always affects your video’s monetisation. In most cases, the ad revenue is redirected to the copyright holder, and the video’s watch time may not count towards your YouTube Partner Program eligibility.

Understanding this is crucial, as a Content ID claim is different from a Copyright Strike; its primary impact is almost always financial, not a penalty against your channel’s standing. Here is what typically happens.

First, when YouTube’s Content ID system finds copyrighted material in your video, the rights holder has several options. They can choose to track the video’s analytics, block it in certain regions, or, most commonly, monetise it.

Second, if the rights holder decides to monetise your video, it means that all of the advertising revenue generated by that video will be paid to them, not to you. Your video might continue to show ads to viewers, but you will not receive the income.

Third, in some specific circumstances, particularly with music sourced through YouTube’s Creator Music catalogue, a revenue sharing agreement might be an option. This depends entirely on the policy set by the music owner for that track and is not the default for all claims.

And fourth, a claim can impact your journey to monetisation. Watch time from a video that has an active Content ID claim generally will not count towards the 4,000 hours required to join the YouTube Partner Program.

If you receive a claim, your options in YouTube Studio are usually to mute the song, replace the track with one from the YouTube Audio Library, or dispute the claim if you have the proper licenses. In summary, a copyright claim directly impacts your ability to earn from that specific video and is a clear signal to use properly licensed or royalty-free music in your future content.

Cheers,

Jeff

[Author]

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