Sora 2 Shutdown: Timeline, Access and What to Use Now
OpenAI shut the Sora 2 app on April 26, 2026 and the API on September 24, 2026. What Sora 2 did, whether it is coming back, and what to use now.
On this page 10 sections
Sora 2 is no longer available. OpenAI closed the Sora app and website on April 26, 2026 and removed Sora 2 from its API on September 24, 2026. It named no replacement model. No ChatGPT plan, country or OpenAI API key can make a new Sora 2 video, and Microsoft's Azure listing for the last Sora 2 version ends on October 15, 2026.
This guide covers what Sora 2 was, the full shutdown timeline, what you can still do with videos you already made, whether Sora is coming back, and which tools do the same jobs today. Last verified: October 13, 2026.
Sora 2 status at a glance
| Question | Answer (as of October 13, 2026) |
|---|---|
| Can I make new Sora 2 videos? | No. Web and app closed April 26, 2026. API closed September 24, 2026. |
| Sora app (iOS and Android) | Discontinued April 26, 2026 |
OpenAI API (sora-2, sora-2-pro) | Removed September 24, 2026, no recommended replacement |
| Microsoft Azure (Foundry) | The last Sora 2 version (2025-12-08) is scheduled to retire October 15, 2026 |
| Countries where it works | None. The shutdown is worldwide. |
| Can I download my old videos? | OpenAI points to sora.chatgpt.com/sunset. Data is deleted after any final export window. |
| Unused credits | Purchased ChatGPT/Sora credits can be spent on Codex. Refunds follow ChatGPT's refund process. |
| Is it coming back? | No relaunch announced. A report on October 12, 2026 described licensing talks (details below). |
What Sora 2 was
OpenAI released Sora 2 on September 30, 2025, calling it its "flagship video and audio generation model." Compared with the original Sora from February 2024, it brought three main improvements:
- Physics. OpenAI's example: if a basketball player misses, the ball rebounds off the backboard instead of teleporting into the hoop.
- Sound. Dialogue, background soundscapes and sound effects were generated together with the video.
- Control. It could follow instructions across multiple shots, keep the scene consistent, and work in realistic, cinematic and anime styles.
The best-known feature was characters (often called cameos). After a short one-time video and audio recording, you could put yourself into any Sora scene. Only you decided who could use your character, and you could revoke access at any time.
Access at launch. Sora 2 shipped with an invite-only iOS app in the US and Canada. Invited users could also use sora.com. OpenAI said it would be free at first, "with generous limits," subject to compute. ChatGPT Pro subscribers also got the higher-quality Sora 2 Pro model on sora.com. On November 4, 2025, the app reached Android in several countries, including the US, Canada and Japan, and it was still invite-only (Bloomberg).
API pricing (OpenAI model docs, as archived in July 2026):
| Model | Resolution | Price per second |
|---|---|---|
| sora-2 | 720x1280 / 1280x720 | $0.10 |
| sora-2-pro | 720x1280 / 1280x720 | $0.30 |
| sora-2-pro | 1024x1792 / 1792x1024 | $0.50 |
| sora-2-pro | 1080x1920 / 1920x1080 | $0.70 |
At those rates, a 10-second 1080p Sora 2 Pro clip cost $7.00.
Spotting Sora videos that still circulate. OpenAI says every Sora output carried a visible watermark at launch and embedded C2PA metadata, an industry-standard provenance signature. Any clip with a Sora watermark was made before the shutdown. If the file still has its metadata, a Content Credentials checker can confirm where it came from.
Sora shutdown timeline
| Date | What happened | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Sept 30, 2025 | Sora 2 and the invite-only iOS app launch in the US and Canada | OpenAI |
| Nov 4, 2025 | Android app launches in several countries, still invite-only | Bloomberg |
| Mar 24, 2026 | OpenAI announces it will discontinue Sora in the app and the API | CBS News, OpenAI deprecations |
| Apr 26, 2026 | Sora web and app experiences shut down | OpenAI Help Center |
| Jul 15, 2026 | First Sora 2 version (2025-10-06) retires on Azure | Microsoft Learn |
| Sept 24, 2026 | OpenAI removes the Videos API and every Sora 2 model and snapshot | OpenAI deprecations |
| Oct 15, 2026 | Last Sora 2 version (2025-12-08) is scheduled to retire on Azure | Microsoft Learn |
Why OpenAI shut Sora down
OpenAI's discontinuation notice gives no specific reason. A spokesperson told CBS News: "As we focus and compute demand grows, the Sora research team continues to focus on world simulation research to advance robotics." In a later statement, OpenAI said it was "prioritizing the highest-value uses that best advance our mission." CBS also noted that the Wall Street Journal, which broke the news, reported that Sora's popularity with users was declining.
How to access Sora now: exports, credits and API
Exporting your videos. OpenAI's help article (as archived on October 6, 2026) says to go to sora.chatgpt.com/sunset and click Export. You get an email when the file is ready. If OpenAI offers a final export window, it will email you before it opens. After Sora is discontinued and any final export window has passed, OpenAI says it "will permanently delete any data associated with your use of Sora." Export now rather than waiting for that email.
Credits and refunds. OpenAI says purchased ChatGPT/Sora credits can still be used for Codex. For subscription refunds, it points to its standard ChatGPT refund article.
Developers. The Videos API and all Sora 2 aliases and snapshots (sora-2, sora-2-pro, sora-2-2025-10-06, sora-2-2025-12-08, sora-2-pro-2025-10-06) were removed on September 24, 2026. OpenAI's deprecation table lists no replacement, so you need another provider. For comparison with Sora 2 Pro's $0.30 to $0.70 per second: Runway's API pricing (October 13, 2026) charges $0.01 per credit and lists Gen-4.5 at 12 credits per second and Veo 3.1 with audio at 40 credits per second. That works out to $0.12 and $0.40 per second.
Sites still advertising "Sora 2." Replicate's own Sora 2 page notes that OpenAI was discontinuing the model on September 24, 2026, and Microsoft lists October 15, 2026 as the last Azure retirement date. OpenAI has not announced any open-weight or self-hosted release. After those dates, a site that still sells "Sora 2" generations is either reselling access that no longer exists or putting a different model under that name. Ask which model actually renders the video before you pay.
Is Sora 2 coming back?
Not according to anything OpenAI has published. Its deprecation page lists no successor, and its statement to CBS News described the Sora team's focus as world simulation research for robotics, not a consumer video app.
The one live thread is a report. On October 12, 2026, PYMNTS, citing The Information, reported that OpenAI is in discussions with a startup building AI video tools for filmmakers that wants access to Sora to sell software and services. According to that report, the startup's founders include Jeffrey Katzenberg, former Sora research lead Bill Peebles and Sujay Jaswa. The deal terms were uncertain, and OpenAI had not commented. Even if a deal happens, it would not bring back the Sora app.
Can ChatGPT make AI videos now?
Not natively, as of October 13, 2026. OpenAI's Sora 2 announcement page now reads "As of April 26, 2026, the Sora product is no longer available" and directs visitors to image creation in ChatGPT instead. If you want video from a chat-style assistant, Google says its Gemini Omni model can be used in the Gemini app and in Google Flow, with conversational editing of video (Google DeepMind).
What to use instead of Sora 2
Match the replacement to the job you used Sora 2 for:
| If you used Sora 2 for... | Look at | What the official pages say |
|---|---|---|
| Realistic text-to-video clips | Runway Gen-4.5 | Released December 1, 2025. Text-to-video and image-to-video at 12 credits per second. Runway's Standard plan ($15 monthly, or $12/month billed yearly) includes 625 credits a month, which Runway says equals 52 seconds of Gen-4.5. |
| Video with generated sound | Google Veo 3.1 | Google describes Veo as generating "cinematic video with audio." Runway's paid plans also list Veo 3.1. |
| Putting real people or objects into scenes, and editing by conversation | Google Gemini Omni | Google says it can combine image, text, video or audio references into one output and lets you edit a video step by step in plain language. It is offered in the Gemini app, in Google Flow, and to developers. |
| Keeping one character consistent across shots | Runway Gen-4 References | Use up to three reference images per generation to keep a character, then animate the stills with image-to-video. See our Runway Gen-4 guide for costs and steps. |
| Finished short-form videos, not just clips | An end-to-end video tool | FluxNote's paid plans bundle Veo 3.1, Kling 3.0, Runway and Hailuo in AI Studio with 350+ voices and 25 animated caption styles, so a clip becomes a captioned Reel or Short in one place. |
Like Sora 2, these models produce short clips. If you publish to TikTok, Reels or Shorts, you still have editing, voiceover and captions to handle. Decide whether you need a model or a full workflow before you pick a subscription.
Sora 2 FAQ
Is Sora 2 available in India or outside the US?
No. Sora 2 is discontinued worldwide. At launch it was limited to the US and Canada, and the Android release in November 2025 covered several more countries, including Japan. Since April 26, 2026, no country has consumer access, and the developer API closed on September 24, 2026.
Was Sora 2 free?
At launch, OpenAI made Sora 2 free in the app "with generous limits," subject to compute, and gave ChatGPT Pro subscribers Sora 2 Pro on sora.com. Developers paid per second through the API, from $0.10 per second for sora-2 up to $0.70 per second for 1080p sora-2-pro. None of these options exist anymore.
Can AI still convert text into video?
Yes, just not with Sora. Runway Gen-4.5 supports text-to-video, and Google offers Veo and Gemini Omni for video generation. Expect short clips that you edit together. Runway's Gen-4.5, for example, generates 5- or 10-second clips.
What happens to videos I posted on Sora?
The Sora feed and app are gone. Your own content can be exported from sora.chatgpt.com/sunset while OpenAI still offers it. After any final export window ends, OpenAI says it will permanently delete data associated with your Sora use.
Sources
- OpenAI Help Center, What to know about the Sora discontinuation (shutdown dates, export, deletion, credits)
- OpenAI, API deprecations (Sora 2 and Videos API removal on September 24, 2026)
- OpenAI, Sora 2 is here and Launching Sora responsibly (features, launch access, watermark and C2PA)
- Microsoft Learn, Model retirement schedule (Azure Sora 2 retirement dates)
- CBS News, OpenAI pulls the plug on its Sora AI video app (March 24, 2026)
- Runway, Pricing and API pricing