OpenAI releases Images 2.6 with SVG output, animated GIFs and markup-guided editing

Archive entry: this covers an event from November 4, 2026, and we published it on November 8, 2026. The details come from sources dated at the time and may have changed since.

On November 4, 2026, OpenAI released GPT-Image-2.6 Sunburst and GPT-Image-2.6 Flare in the Images API, as described in OpenAI's Images 2.6 announcement. The same release brought faster image generation and more precise editing to ChatGPT and Codex.

What changed

• GPT-Image-2.6 Sunburst and GPT-Image-2.6 Flare were available in v1/images/generations and v1/images/edits.
• The models added adjustable complexity, SVG generation and animated GIF generation.
• Markup-guided editing was added for supported GPT Image 2.5 and 2.6 models.
• Image token pricing was $8 per 1M input, $30 output and $2 cached, and text tokens were $5 input and $1.25 cached.
• OpenAI said the release also brought GIF creation and added API controls across ChatGPT, Codex and the API.

What it meant for people building with AI

Native SVG output made generated graphics usable directly as code assets in web projects. The same models also covered animated GIF generation and adjustable complexity through the Images API endpoints, and markup-guided editing was not limited to the two 2.6 models: it also reached supported GPT Image 2.5 models.

Other sources

OpenAI also recorded the release in its OpenAI API changelog and listed it in its OpenAI news RSS feed.

Sources

• Introducing Images 2.6 (OpenAI, November 4, 2026, official)
• OpenAI API changelog: GPT-Image-2.6 Sunburst and Flare (OpenAI, November 4, 2026, official)
• OpenAI News RSS feed (item: Introducing Images 2.6) (OpenAI, November 4, 2026, official)

Written with AI assistance, strictly from the sources listed above. Before it went live, automated checks verified its dates, sources and every language edition.