Sora isn’t available in the UK, and OpenAI has closed it in every other country too. The Sora app and website closed worldwide on April 26, 2026, and the Sora API followed on September 24, 2026. Until then, Sora turned text prompts into short videos, though the UK waited almost three months for the original version and never received the Sora 2 app.
A VPN can’t bring it back now: a US IP address leads to the same shutdown notice as a UK one. Several other text-to-video tools are still available in the UK.
Why Sora Wasn’t Available in the UK
OpenAI left the UK out of Sora’s first launch and never released the Sora 2 app there. UK users received the original Sora in February 2025, through a ChatGPT Plus or Pro subscription:
- December 9, 2024: Sora launched for ChatGPT Plus and Pro subscribers in the US and most other markets, with the UK, EU, and Switzerland left out.
- February 28, 2025: Sora became available in the UK, the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein.
- September 30, 2025: the Sora 2 app launched on iPhone, by invitation only, in the US and Canada.
- October and November 2025: the app expanded to Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam, and an Android version arrived in the same seven countries.
OpenAI didn’t state a specific reason for leaving the UK out. At the 2024 launch, Sam Altman said OpenAI had no timing for Europe and that its new products would generally launch there later. The Sora 2 app followed the same pattern, and it still hadn’t launched in the UK when OpenAI ended the service.
Why OpenAI Shut Down Sora
OpenAI announced the end of Sora on March 24, 2026, in a short post on X. Reports at the time linked the decision to computing costs and to OpenAI’s focus on coding tools and business customers. The Sora team moved to world simulation research for robotics. The shutdown itself came in stages:
- April 26, 2026: the iPhone and Android apps and sora.com closed in every country.
- Late June 2026: Microsoft retired Sora video generation in Microsoft 365 Copilot.
- September 24, 2026: the Sora API closed, ending access for apps built on it.
Can You Still Access Sora From the UK?
No, and a VPN doesn’t change that. A VPN can change your location to the US or Canada, where the Sora app first launched, but the service no longer operates in either country. Whether the IP address is British or American, sora.com redirects to sora.chatgpt.com, where a notice says Sora is no longer available, with an Export button.
Sora users can still request an export of their videos, and OpenAI emails a download link once the file is ready. It hasn’t set a deadline, but it recommends exporting as soon as possible, because Sora data is permanently deleted after any final export window closes.
Sora Alternatives That Work in the UK
These AI video generators accepted sign-ups from a UK IP address in October:
- Google Gemini: the Gemini app turns text prompts and images into short clips with sound, using Google’s own video models.
- Runway: built for filmmakers and agencies, it pairs video generation with tools that edit existing footage.
- Kling: made by Chinese tech company Kuaishou, it creates clips from text or images and can extend a clip into a longer video.
- Luma Dream Machine: Luma AI’s video generator works in a browser and in an iPhone app.
- Hailuo: from Chinese AI company MiniMax, it turns text prompts and still images into clips.
- Pika: aimed at social media, it adds effects to existing photos and videos and generates short clips from prompts.
Conclusion
The answer for UK users is now the same as for US users: OpenAI no longer offers Sora, and no server location changes that. Videos made before the shutdown can still be exported from the Sora website, and OpenAI advises doing it soon. For new videos, Google Gemini, Runway, and Kling are among the generators that accept UK sign-ups, with no VPN required.
Sora UK FAQ
Is Sora available in the UK?
No. OpenAI ended Sora in every country in 2026, starting with the app and website in April and finishing with the API in September, so UK users can’t access it.
Did Sora ever work in the UK?
Yes, for just over a year. Paying ChatGPT subscribers in the UK could use the original Sora from February 2025, though OpenAI’s later Sora 2 app wasn’t offered there.
Can a VPN unblock Sora?
No. A VPN changes the location a website sees, but Sora has closed in every country, so connecting through a US or Canadian server makes no difference.
Can old Sora videos still be downloaded?
Yes, for now. The Sora website still offers an export of past videos, and OpenAI will permanently delete the data when exports end.
Will Sora come back?
OpenAI hasn’t announced a comeback. Sora continues only as internal research tied to robotics, and no public release is scheduled in the UK or any other country.
What can replace Sora in the UK?
Google Gemini, Runway, Kling, Luma Dream Machine, Hailuo, and Pika generate video from text prompts or images, and UK users can sign up for them without a VPN.