A dancing cat serves as OpenAI's example: a single prompt is enough, and ChatGPT creates an animated loop with the new Images 2.6 model. OpenAI announced the feature on November 4, 2026, in its developer forum. The update is currently rolling out to all ChatGPT and Codex users, on the web, in the desktop app, and in the mobile apps.
What can ChatGPT animate now?
ChatGPT builds a GIF from a text prompt or from an uploaded photo. You adjust the speed afterwards, and every individual frame can be edited.
ChatGPT GIFs at a glance
New with Images 2.6, introduced by OpenAI on November 4, 2026
- Create a GIF from a text prompt
- Create a GIF from an uploaded photo
- Adjust the animation speed afterwards
- Edit every individual frame
- Save and reuse reference images
OpenAI's forum post says nothing about limits and additional costs
Sources: OpenAI Developer Community, The Decoder, TestingCatalog
As source material, TestingCatalog names characters, mascots, product photos, sketches, and storyboards, whose appearance is supposed to remain consistent across multiple editing steps.
Also new are saved reference images: you store pictures of yourself, of pets, or of characters and reuse them in later prompts without uploading them again.
OpenAI states that Images 2.6 generates images 50 percent faster. According to OpenAI's figures, more than four billion images are created per week via ChatGPT and the API, one billion more than in September. The API models Flare and Sunburst already came with Images 2.5 and are now available in version 2.6.
Who gets the feature, and what does it cost?
According to The Decoder and TestingCatalog, Images 2.6 is being enabled for all subscription tiers of ChatGPT and Codex. Neither report mentions a restriction to the US or to individual regions.
OpenAI does not comment on limits and costs in the forum post. Whether GIFs count toward the regular image quota remains unclear, and OpenAI does not name an additional price either.
The rollout is still ongoing, so the feature may still be missing for you. A test with a GIF prompt is the quickest way to see whether GIFs are already available to you.
What this means for you
It's best to try a GIF prompt with your own subject, such as a mascot or a product photo, and then set the speed so that the loop runs smoothly. With a subject you know well, you can see right away whether the character stays the same across all individual frames.
For banners and newsletters, it's best to pay attention to file size: a GIF stores at most 256 colors per frame, and long loops quickly become large. OpenAI does not say in the forum post how large the GIFs from ChatGPT will be. So check the downloaded file before you put it in an email.
For client projects, clarify in advance whether the client accepts AI-generated animations and whether they should be labeled.
OpenAI introduced Images 2.6 on November 4, 2026.
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