OpenAI dall-e-3 model retirement

Stopped workingMay 12, 2026Subscribe to OpenAIShare

Calls to model dall-e-3 fail since May 12, 2026, when the model reached its shutdown date. Requests specifying this model are no longer processed and return an error instead of generating images.

The error you get

What OpenAI answers a call to dall-e-3 once the model is gone, as recorded from real responses:

HTTP 404

{"error":{"message":"The model `dall-e-3` has been deprecated, learn more here: https://platform.openai.com/docs/deprecations","type":"invalid_request_error","param":null,"code":"model_not_found"}}

What to use instead of dall-e-3

Move to gpt-image-2, as gpt-image-1 stopped working on October 23, 2026, and gpt-image-1-mini stops working on December 1, 2026. The transition requires code updates beyond changing the model identifier: gpt-image-2 always returns base64 in data[].b64_json without URL support, leaves response_format and style unsupported, and accepts quality values of low, medium, high, or auto instead of standard or hd.

gpt-image-2 always returns base64 (data[].b64_json), never a URL: response_format is unsupported, so store or serve the decoded bytes yourself. style (vivid, natural) is unsupported, and quality takes low, medium, high or auto instead of standard or hd.

In OpenAI's words

Shutdown date: 2026-05-12; Model / system: dall-e-3; Recommended replacement: gpt-image-2 , gpt-image-1 , or gpt-image-1-mini

OpenAI, Deprecations page

Facts

API: OpenAI api.openai.com
Model: dall-e-3
Released: November 6, 2023 (models.dev)
Kind: Model retirement
Takes effect: May 12, 2026
Calls after that day: Fail
Source: Deprecations page
Last updated: November 6, 2026
Verified: November 6, 2026, against OpenAI's own pages

Questions

When does dall-e-3 shut down?

Calls to the model dall-e-3 on OpenAI stopped working on May 12, 2026.

What happens to calls after May 12, 2026?

They have failed since May 12, 2026.

What error does dall-e-3 return once it is shut down?

OpenAI answers HTTP 404: "The model `dall-e-3` has been deprecated, learn more here: https://platform.openai.com/docs/deprecations". Send another model to fix it.

When was dall-e-3 released?

dall-e-3 was released on November 6, 2023, according to models.dev.

How do I find the calls this hits in my code?

Okapi reads your repository, finds the calls this change hits and opens a pull request with the fix. It never commits to your branches: every change comes as a pull request you review.

You fixed this one by hand.

Okapi opens the pull request with the fix before the next breaking change reaches your code.

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