You can monetize content that you created as long as you still hold the rights to the video.

However, if you are signed with a music label, you may or may not be able to monetize your video depending on the terms and/or limitations of that agreement. You may need to consult an attorney.

You may be able to use audio and visual editing software to create monetizable content, but this depends on the scope, limitations, and commercial permissions of the license. If you have used samples or loops, make sure that the license specifically allows for their commercial use.

You can monetize royalty-free or Creative Commons content if the license agreement grants you rights to use it commercially. Sometimes rights owners require you to credit the creator of the content or provide proof of purchase in order to use it in your video for commercial purposes.

Learn more about how to read licenses to understand your rights.

Whether you can use video game content for monetization depends on the commercial use rights granted to you by the license from the applicable video game publisher. Some video game publishers may allow you to use all video game content for commercial use and confirm such permission in their licensing agreements.

Whether you can show software user interfaces in a video submitted for monetization depends on the commercial use rights granted to you by the license of the software.

In some cases, you may need a contract with the publisher or proof that you have paid a licensing fee. Otherwise, the use of software user interfaces must be minimal unless the associated step-by-step commentary provides instructional and/or educational value and is strictly tied to the action being shown.

Learn more about video game and software content.

In order for content to be in the public domain, the copyright of the work has either expired, been forfeited, or is no longer applicable. If you can prove that the content in your video is in the public domain, you may be able monetize it on YouTube (depending on the scope, limitations, and commercial permissions of the license).

Some cover songs may be eligible for monetization. In order to be eligible, the music publisher must claim the song through the Content ID system and elect to monetize it.

If the song has not been claimed, you may not be able to monetize your video unless you have explicit written permission from the rights owner of the song.

The use of any commercial sound recording, such as an instrumental, karaoke recording, or live concert performance by the artist is not be eligible for monetization.

Learn more about monetizing eligible cover videos.

Although you may have recorded something yourself, usually the original creator or author of the underlying content being recorded (e.g. composer/lyricist of the song being performed at a concert) holds many of the rights needed to commercially exploit this content.

If you want to monetize your recording of a performance at a concert or show, you would have to get explicit written permission from the original rights owner of that performance.

Although you may have recorded something yourself, the actual creator or author of the underlying content being recorded (e.g. producer of the TV show being displayed on the TV) may hold many of the rights needed to commercially exploit this content.

If you want to monetize your recording of a TV show, DVD or CD, you would need to get explicit written permission from the applicable rights owner of the audio and/or visual elements you recorded.

Although you may have purchased something yourself, usually its actual creator or author holds many of the rights needed to commercially exploit this content.

This means you cannot monetize third-party content that you have purchased unless its rights owner grants you commercial use rights.

Although you may have found the content online for free, in most cases its actual creator holds many of the rights needed to commercially exploit the content.

If you want to monetize such content, make sure that you have all the necessary commercial use rights for it.

You can monetize music from the YouTube Audio Library.

Commercial uses are less likely to be considered "fair use," though it’s possible to monetize a video and still take advantage of the fair use defense in some cases. For more information, go to the What is Fair Use? site.