OpenAI shuts down Sora 2 and the Videos API

OpenAI's Sora 2 models and Videos API were shut down on September 24, 2026. The official deprecations page lists no successor model for the Sora 2 family, so teams cannot complete this migration by swapping one documented model ID for another.

The change affects sora-2, sora-2-pro, and the dated Sora 2 aliases and snapshots. OpenAI's video-generation guide now retains the API documentation for historical reference and directs developers to the deprecations page.

What changed for Sora 2 developers

The shutdown covers the Videos API surface as well as the model aliases. Existing integrations that create, extend, edit, or manage Sora 2 videos should be treated as retired code paths. OpenAI's notice does not name a replacement endpoint or model for those workloads.

That distinction matters. A normal model retirement often gives teams a successor ID and a migration window. This one removes the feature surface itself. Video products need to choose a different provider or remove their video workflow rather than waiting for an OpenAI replacement to appear.

Finished videos have a separate deadline

The API shutdown is only one part of the migration problem. Video objects can carry their own expires_at value, according to an independent analysis of the model and asset endpoints. A rendered file may therefore have become unavailable before the service-wide shutdown, while files without an individual expiry still inherit the endpoint's final deadline.

Teams that stored only video IDs should inventory their assets and download anything they are allowed to retain. Sort the work by each file's earlier deadline: its own expiry, or September 24 if the API shutdown is the first limit. Do not assume that a successful metadata response guarantees future access to the binary.

What to do after the shutdown

1. Remove sora-2* model IDs and /v1/videos calls from production configuration and deployment checks.
2. Find queued jobs, retry workers, scheduled tasks, and webhooks that still reference the Videos API.
3. Preserve prompt, timing, resolution, audio, and moderation requirements before selecting another video provider.
4. Update product copy and customer commitments; a replacement provider may differ in output, retention, pricing, or regional availability.

There is no official successor in OpenAI's deprecation table. The practical decision is therefore a provider migration or a deliberate removal of video generation, with compatibility testing against the workflow's real requirements.

Evidence

OpenAI's API deprecations page records the September 24 shutdown and the missing replacement. The video-generation guide confirms that Sora 2 and the Videos API are now shut down. An independent endpoint and asset analysis documents the separate expires_at clock that developers should account for when recovering finished renders.