When Sora 2 arrived in late September 2025, it was one of the most talked-about AI apps of the year. You typed a sentence, and it produced a short video with matching dialogue, sound effects, and music. Most of the world could only watch those clips spread on social media, though, because the app launched only in the US and Canada.
If you’re trying to access Sora 2 outside the US and Canada today, the location is no longer the obstacle. OpenAI closed Sora in 2026, first the app and website, then the API that developers used in their own tools. No VPN can fix that, because there’s no Sora left to connect to, in North America or anywhere else. Here’s what happened to it, and what to use now.
Where Was Sora 2 Available?
The Sora 2 app never left North America and Asia. It started as an invitation-only iPhone app and added a handful of countries over the following weeks:
- September 30, 2025: the iPhone app launched in the US and Canada, with access by invitation code.
- October 6, 2025: OpenAI released Sora 2 to developers as a preview in its API.
- November 2025: Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam joined, and an Android app went live in the same seven countries.
Europe, the UK, Australia, and India never received the app. People there could still use the original Sora on the web through a paid ChatGPT plan, and OpenAI’s support team confirmed in October 2025 that only the Sora 2 app was limited to the US and Canada. The UK’s own history with Sora is in our guide to Sora in the UK.
When and Why OpenAI Shut Down Sora 2
The shutdown was announced on March 24, 2026, and it happened in three steps:
- April 26, 2026: the app and the website closed in every country.
- Late June 2026: Microsoft removed Sora video generation from Microsoft 365 Copilot.
- September 24, 2026: the API and the Sora 2 models were switched off.
OpenAI offered no detailed explanation. Reports pointed to the cost of operating Sora, estimated at about $1 million a day, and to OpenAI’s shift toward products for businesses. Interest had also faded: Sora’s users peaked near one million worldwide and later fell below half that.
Can You Still Use the Sora 2 API Outside the US and Canada?
No, and not in those two countries either. On September 24, 2026, OpenAI removed its Videos API along with the Sora 2 models, including sora-2 and sora-2-pro, for every developer. Calls that worked before that date now return errors, and OpenAI hasn’t named a replacement model.
Automation pipelines built on Sora have to move to a different video model. These companies sell developer access to their own models:
- Google Veo 3.1: available through the Gemini API on paid tiers, and through Vertex AI for business accounts.
- Runway: its API offers Runway’s own Gen-4 models alongside some third-party ones.
- Luma AI: the Dream Machine API has been available to developers since 2024.
- Kling AI: Kuaishou sells API access to its Kling video models.
- MiniMax: its developer platform includes the Hailuo video models.
Each company keeps its own list of supported countries and its own pricing, so check both before you rebuild a workflow around one.
What Happens to Your Sora Videos?
You can still export them. Visit sora.chatgpt.com/sunset and select Export, and a download link arrives by email once the archive is prepared. OpenAI may also offer a final export window, announced by email before it starts. Once that window closes, the videos and account data are gone for good, so don’t leave the export too late.
Refunds for a paid plan go through ChatGPT’s usual subscription refund process. Unused ChatGPT or Sora credits can still be spent on Codex, OpenAI’s coding tool.
Can a VPN Unblock Sora 2?
No. A VPN only changes the country a website thinks you’re in, and Sora no longer works in any country. With a US server connected, sora.com redirects to sora.chatgpt.com and shows the same shutdown notice and Export button that load from a UK IP address.
When a VPN Still Helps
New AI tools often launch in a few countries first, as Sora 2 did. While a tool is limited to the US, a VPN with US servers lets you visit its website and sign up, as long as it doesn’t also require a US phone number, payment card, or app store account. Read the tool’s terms as well, because some don’t allow VPN use. For this, NordVPN is a good fit, with servers in 152 countries and a choice of US cities.
Sora 2 Alternatives Outside the US and Canada
These AI video generators accepted new sign-ups from Europe without a VPN in October:
| Tool | Made by | What it does well |
| Google Gemini | Short clips with sound from a prompt or a photo, using Google’s Veo models | |
| Runway | Runway | Professional projects, with editing tools for footage you already have |
| Kling | Kuaishou | Cinematic clips with detailed camera and motion control |
| Luma Dream Machine | Luma AI | Quick clips in a browser or on an iPhone |
| Hailuo | MiniMax | Keeping the same character across several shots |
| Pika | Pika | Effects and edits for short social media videos |
For more tools, Gizmodo’s Sora download page lists other video generators.
Summary
Sora 2 can’t be accessed outside the US and Canada anymore, and it’s no longer available in those countries either. In its seven months, the app was offered in only seven countries, and since September 24, 2026, the API is gone too, so no VPN or invitation code can bring it back. Old projects can still be saved through Sora’s sunset page, and it’s best to do it soon, because OpenAI deletes the data once the last export window closes.
Outside North America, Gemini, Runway, and Kling are the easiest replacements, and none of them requires a VPN in Europe. Developers can move their pipelines to Veo through the Gemini API or to Runway’s API. Keep a VPN for the next AI tool that launches in the US first.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sora 2 available outside the US and Canada?
No. OpenAI shut Sora 2 down worldwide, so it isn't available in any country. Before closing, the app spread from North America to parts of Asia but never made it to Europe.
Which countries supported Sora 2?
The Sora 2 app supported the US and Canada at launch, then added Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. No European country was ever on the list.
Can the Sora 2 API still be used?
No. The Sora 2 API is gone for developers worldwide. Pipelines now require a different video model, and Google, Runway, Luma AI, Kling, and MiniMax sell API access to theirs.
Can a VPN unblock Sora 2?
No. Sora 2 no longer operates anywhere, so a US or Canadian IP address only leads to a shutdown notice. A VPN still helps with AI tools that launch in the US first.
How can old Sora videos be saved?
Sora's sunset page still has an Export button that sends a download link by email. Videos left there are lost for good when OpenAI's final export period is over.
What is the best Sora 2 alternative?
Google Gemini is the closest replacement for most people, creating short clips with sound from text or images. Runway is built for professional editing, and Kling offers detailed camera and motion control.