Home › Answers › Getting started with AI

What happened to Sora?

Last checked: 18 October 2026 · The AI Till, UK

Timeline

No ChatGPT plan now includes OpenAI video generation. ChatGPT can still make still images and write scripts, but not video. See can ChatGPT make videos?

How to export your Sora videos

1. Go to sora.chatgpt.com/sunset and sign in with the account you used for Sora.
2. Select Export.
3. Wait for an email telling you the export is ready, then download it and save a copy somewhere you control, such as your own cloud storage.
4. If OpenAI offers a final export window, it says it will email you before it starts. Check your spam folder.

If the export page no longer works for your account, contact OpenAI support through the help centre. Do not rely on the data still being there; OpenAI's help article says it deletes Sora data once any export period ends.

Refunds and credits

OpenAI points people to its normal ChatGPT refund process. It also says any ChatGPT or Sora credits you bought can still be used for Codex, its coding tool, which is of little use if you only wanted video. If you paid through the App Store, refunds go through Apple rather than OpenAI.

What this means for small businesses

If you used Sora for social clips or adverts, three things are worth doing now:

• Save your files. Keep the original video files and any prompts you used, so you can recreate a style with another tool.
• Check your published content. Videos you already posted stay where you posted them. Sora clips carried Content Credentials and invisible watermarks, which some platforms read to add AI labels.
• Update your workflow. Any automation that called the Sora API stopped working on 24 September 2026, so check tools such as Zapier or Make for failed steps.

The bigger lesson is not to build a business process around a single AI tool. Products are launched and closed quickly. Keep your own copies and choose tools that let you export easily.

What to use instead

For most trades and local businesses, real footage of your work, edited with AI captions, still performs better than fully generated video and avoids questions about honesty in advertising.

Common mistakes

• Assuming Sora videos will stay available in your account indefinitely.
• Leaving an API key in an automation that now fails silently.
• Switching to another video tool without checking its commercial use terms.
• Buying more OpenAI credits expecting to make video with them.

Related questions

Is the Sora app free now?

No. The Sora app has been discontinued, so it is not available free or paid. Some unofficial apps use the Sora name, so be careful what you download.

Can I still use Sora through ChatGPT?

No. OpenAI's help centre says the Sora web and app experiences closed on 26 April 2026, and no ChatGPT plan includes video generation.

Why did OpenAI shut down Sora?

OpenAI announced the wind down in March 2026. Its help article explains the dates and exports but does not give a detailed reason, so be wary of confident claims online.

Will OpenAI bring Sora back?

OpenAI has not announced a replacement video product. Check our page on can ChatGPT make videos? for updates.

Sources

• OpenAI Help Center: what to know about the Sora discontinuation
• OpenAI: Sora
• OpenAI Help Center: provenance signals in OpenAI generated content

Checked 18 October 2026. Rules and prices change, so check the source before you rely on it. This is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice.

More on getting started with ai

• Are AI chatbots dangerous?
• Can AI analyse a video?
• Can AI compare two documents?
• Can AI help me write a book?
• Can AI proofread a document?
• Can ChatGPT be used for business?

All getting started with ai answers · All answers · Guides · AI tools directory