How do I access Sora?
As of July 2026, you can no longer access the Sora consumer app or website. OpenAI discontinued the Sora iOS/Android app and sora.com on April 26, 2026. Only the developer API remains, and it is scheduled to shut down on September 24, 2026.
Why — the first-principles explanation
Sora was OpenAI's text-to-video product. From its December 2024 web launch and the September 2025 Sora 2 app, access always ran through an OpenAI account: you signed in, typed a prompt, and OpenAI's servers rendered the clip on their GPUs. There was never a standalone download that ran on your own machine, because generating video is far too compute-heavy for a phone or laptop — a single short clip can use as much processing as thousands of chat messages.
That same economics is why access ended. OpenAI reported Sora cost roughly $1 million per day to run while earning very little, so on March 24, 2026 it announced a shutdown. The app and web experiences went dark on April 26, 2026. Because everything lived on OpenAI's servers, once they turned off the service there was no local copy to fall back on.
What is left is the Sora API, a paid developer channel for building video generation into other apps. It still works today but is set to be discontinued on September 24, 2026. For everyday users wanting to make AI videos now, the practical path is a competing tool such as Google's Veo, Runway, Kling, or Pika.
An example that makes it click
Think of Sora like a movie theater that OpenAI owned. You never got your own projector at home — you bought a ticket (an OpenAI account) and watched films they ran on their big machine. When the theater lost too much money, the owners locked the doors on April 26, 2026. The building is closed, so there is no seat to buy anymore, no matter which door you try.
How to do it
- Check the current status: as of July 2026 the Sora app and sora.com are shut down, so there is no consumer sign-up.
- If you saved a Sora account before the shutdown, log in to ChatGPT/OpenAI to download any videos you still want before data is deleted.
- For developers only: the Sora API remains live until September 24, 2026 via platform.openai.com.
- To make AI video today, switch to an active tool such as Google Veo, Runway, Kling, or Pika.
Key facts
- Sora app (iOS/Android) and sora.com were discontinued on April 26, 2026.
- OpenAI announced the shutdown on March 24, 2026.
- The Sora developer API is scheduled to be discontinued on September 24, 2026.
- Sora reportedly cost about $1 million per day to operate.
- While live, Sora required an OpenAI account; it never ran locally on a device.
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)
Wondering how to access Sora? Here's the short answer: as of July 2026, you can't get the consumer app anymore. OpenAI discontinued the Sora iPhone and Android app, plus the sora.com website, on April 26, 2026. They announced it back on March 24. Why? Sora cost about a million dollars a day to run while barely making money, so OpenAI shut it down to focus on its core AI products. The only piece still alive is the developer API, and even that is scheduled to close on September 24, 2026. If you had a Sora account, log in and download your videos before your data is erased. And if you just want to make AI videos today, look at tools like Google Veo, Runway, Kling, or Pika instead. Bottom line: Sora's doors are closed for regular users.
What authoritative sources say
People also ask
Can I still download the Sora app?
No. The Sora iOS and Android apps were removed when the service was discontinued on April 26, 2026.
Is sora.com still online?
No. The Sora web experience shut down on the same date, April 26, 2026.
Can developers still use Sora?
For now, yes, through the paid API, but it is scheduled to be discontinued on September 24, 2026.
What can I use instead of Sora?
Active AI video tools in 2026 include Google Veo, Runway, Kling, and Pika.