Sora Beginner tutorial

Beginner · step 1 of 7

What Sora is (and isn't)

Sora was OpenAI’s AI video generator. OpenAI discontinued the Sora web and app experience on April 26, 2026 and the Sora API on September 24, 2026 (OpenAI Help Center). This page explains how to save your work, what happens to leftover credits, and which tools to try instead.

Good for:

• Exporting your old Sora videos
• Recreating your favorite shots in another tool
• Moving API code to a new provider

Not good for:

• Trusting “Sora is back” apps
• Giving your login to export sites
• Waiting to export

Why this step matters: Knowing what it is good and bad at stops you using it for jobs where it will fail quietly.

Beginner · step 2 of 7

Export your videos

1. Go to sora.chatgpt.com/sunset, the official export page named by OpenAI.
2. Sign in with the same account you used for Sora.
3. Download the videos you want to keep and store them somewhere you control.
4. Ignore third-party sites claiming to “restore” Sora; they are not official.

Why this step matters: Copycat apps and unofficial installers are common; starting from the official source protects your account and data.

Beginner · step 3 of 7

Your first useful prompt

Give it a situation, a task and the format you want. Try this:

Slow aerial push over a foggy pine forest at sunrise, golden light breaking through, cinematic, 5 seconds.

Then ask one follow-up that narrows it down.

A good result: output in the format you asked for, built only on what you gave it. If it drifts into generic advice, add the situation sentence again.

Why this step matters: A prompt with situation, task and format gets a usable answer first time, so you learn what the tool can actually do.

Beginner · step 4 of 7

Check the answer

1. Ask for the source of any fact you'll reuse.
2. Open the link and find the exact sentence (Ctrl+F).
3. If you can't find it, treat the claim as unverified.
4. For files, check two page or row references yourself.

Before you answer: separate what you checked from what you're assuming. Write "unknown" instead of guessing. Give a link for every number.

Why this step matters: Chatbots state wrong facts in the same confident tone as right ones. Checking is the only way to tell them apart.

Beginner · step 5 of 7

Privacy basics

• Don't paste passwords, ID numbers, card numbers or other people's private details.
• Assume the company can read and keep your chats unless its official policy says otherwise.
• For health, money or legal decisions, confirm with a professional or an official source.
• Download your own videos only from the official sunset page.
• Don’t give your OpenAI login to sites offering Sora exports.

Why this step matters: Anything you paste may be stored and read. Deciding what never goes in is easier than undoing a leak.

Beginner · step 6 of 7

What it costs

Sora is no longer sold. OpenAI says leftover Sora credits can be used for Codex (OpenAI Help Center). For video, compare Runway’s credit pricing on our Runway tutorial.

Full details: Sora step-by-step tutorial.

Why this step matters: Paying for features you don't use is the most common waste. Knowing the limits first tells you if the free tier is enough.

Beginner · step 7 of 7

Your first week

1. Day 1: three real tasks from your week.
2. Day 3: compare its results with what you'd have done yourself.
3. Day 7: decide if it's worth paying, based on what you actually used.

Why this step matters: A week of real tasks gives you evidence for whether it saves time, instead of a first impression.