How can you use OpenAI Sora?
You can't use the consumer Sora anymore — OpenAI discontinued the app and website on April 26, 2026. When live, people used it to make short AI videos from text prompts or images, share them in a feed, and place consented likenesses via Cameo. Only the developer API remains, ending September 24, 2026.
Why — the first-principles explanation
Sora was built around a prompt-in, video-out loop, which is what made it usable by anyone. You didn't need editing skills or a camera — you described a scene in plain words, and OpenAI's servers rendered it. That simplicity is why the app went viral: the barrier to making a video dropped to writing a sentence.
People used Sora in a few main ways. The most common was text-to-video: type 'a lighthouse in a storm, waves crashing,' and get a short clip with sound. You could also do image-to-video by uploading a starting photo to animate, use Cameo to drop your own (or a consented friend's) likeness into scenes, and remix clips from the social feed to riff on what others made. The Sora 2 app wrapped this in a TikTok-style feed for scrolling and sharing.
The hard truth for 2026 is that all of these entry points are closed. OpenAI shut down the Sora app and sora.com on April 26, 2026 for cost reasons. The only remaining way to 'use OpenAI Sora' is the developer API, which requires coding and is itself scheduled to end September 24, 2026. For everyday creators, the realistic path now is a different active tool such as Google Veo, Runway, Kling, or Pika.
An example that makes it click
Using Sora was like having a tiny film studio that took orders in plain English. You'd slip a note under the door — 'a robot watering plants on Mars' — and a finished 10-second movie with sound came back out. You could also send in a photo to bring to life, or a clip of your own face to star in scenes. But the studio closed its doors in April 2026, so now you'd send your notes to a different studio instead.
How to do it
- Check status: as of 2026 the Sora app and sora.com are shut down, so these describe past use.
- When live: sign in to the Sora app or sora.com with an OpenAI account.
- Write a text prompt, or upload an image to animate (image-to-video).
- Optionally use Cameo to add a consented likeness, then generate the clip.
- Share or remix in the feed and download your video (it carried a watermark).
- Today: use an active alternative like Google Veo, Runway, Kling, or Pika.
Key facts
- Sora turned text prompts or images into short videos with audio.
- It supported text-to-video, image-to-video, cameos, and remixing feed clips.
- The Sora 2 app used a TikTok-style feed for sharing.
- The consumer app and website were discontinued April 26, 2026.
- The developer API remains until September 24, 2026 but requires coding.
OpenAI's text-to-video model for short cinematic clips.
Affiliate link — we may earn a commission at no cost to you.▶ The 60-second explainer (script)
How can you use OpenAI Sora? Honestly, as a regular user, you can't anymore, OpenAI shut the app and website down on April 26, 2026. But here's how people used it when it was live. The main way was text-to-video: you typed a description like 'a lighthouse in a storm,' and Sora made a short clip with sound. You could also upload a photo to animate, use a feature called Cameo to put your own face, or a friend's with permission, into scenes, and remix videos from a TikTok-style feed. It was popular because making a video was as easy as writing a sentence. The only piece left today is the developer API, which needs coding and closes in September 2026. So if you just want to make AI videos now, use an active tool like Google Veo, Runway, Kling, or Pika.
What authoritative sources say
People also ask
What could you make with Sora?
Short AI videos from text prompts or images, including clips featuring a consented likeness via Cameo.
Did you need special skills?
No. The app used plain-language prompts; only the developer API required coding.
Can I still use OpenAI Sora?
Not the consumer app, which closed April 26, 2026. Only the developer API remains, until September 24, 2026.
What's the best alternative?
Active 2026 options include Google Veo, Runway, Kling, and Pika.