Animated GIFs
Turn a prompt or image into a GIF in ChatGPT, then change its speed or edit single frames. The API accepts 2 to 64 frames and defaults to 9 frames at 200 ms each.
Model IDs, token pricing and the practical limits of building on GPT Image 2.6.
Updated November 5, 2026
GPT Image 2.6 is OpenAI's image model, released on November 4, 2026. It arrives as ChatGPT Images 2.6 and, for developers, as two API models: Flare for fast iteration and Sunburst for detailed work. New in GPT Image 2.6 are animated GIFs, reusable reference images in ChatGPT, SVG output and a complexity control. API image output costs $30 per million tokens, the same as GPT Image 2.5. You can use it in ChatGPT, through the OpenAI API, or with the browser generator on this site, which needs no API key and takes up to 16 reference images.
These six capabilities matter most, whether you use ChatGPT Images 2.6 or call the API. Markup edits also work on GPT Image 2.5.
Turn a prompt or image into a GIF in ChatGPT, then change its speed or edit single frames. The API accepts 2 to 64 frames and defaults to 9 frames at 200 ms each.
ChatGPT can keep images of you, your pets or your characters ready for new creations, so you don't upload them again.
Draw on a transparent PNG layer over your first input image to show exactly what should change. GPT Image 2.5 supports this too, and markup can't be combined with a mask.
Request a vector file from the generations endpoint with the svg output format. It suits logos, icons and simple illustrations you plan to edit later.
Complexity sets how much the model plans: low, medium or high, with high as the default. It's separate from quality, has no extra fee, and higher settings can add latency and unwanted changes.
OpenAI says the new API models generate 50% faster, and that Flare can finish in as little as six seconds at low quality. Real timing still depends on your prompt, size and quality.
OpenAI bills by token and publishes no flat per-image price for GPT Image 2.6, so cost per image changes with size and quality. Prompts and reference images are billed too. A ChatGPT plan doesn't include API usage.
| Token type | Per 1M tokens |
|---|---|
| Text input | $5 |
| Cached text input | $1.25 |
| Image input | $8 |
| Cached image input | $2 |
| Image output | $30 |
The gaps that still show up in real work, and how to check for them.
Model IDs, API answers and common confusions, sourced from OpenAI's documentation.
Write a prompt or upload a photo, pick Flare or Sunburst, and download a still image in your browser.