Understand GPT Image 2.5 before you write a prompt.
GPT Image 2.5 — also written gpt-image-2.5, ChatGPT Images 2.5, or OpenAI Image 2.5 — is OpenAI's image generation and editing model for ChatGPT and the API. It sharpens detail, renders more natural light and texture, keeps subjects faithful to reference photos, and follows editing instructions more reliably across a long conversation.
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See what GPT Image 2.5 actually outputs
Every image below comes from OpenAI's own announcement, so you can judge the rendering, style adherence, and layout handling before you spend time on prompts. Nothing here was re-generated or retouched by us.
Images are published by OpenAI and reproduced here to describe the model. Source: the official announcement
Change one thing, keep everything else
OpenAI's own before-and-after example shows the behaviour that matters most in production: the instruction changes the outfit, while the pose, framing, and background stay where they were.
One model family, two ways in
GPT Image 2.5 is the model behind ChatGPT's image generation and the gpt-image-2.5 models on the API. The ChatGPT name and the API name refer to the same generation, which is why you will see ChatGPT Images 2.5 and GPT-Image-2.5 used for the same release.
A generation and editing model
It handles text-to-image generation and image-to-image editing through the same family, so a prompt or a reference photo can start the work.
Two API variants
Flare trades precision for speed and is the default for most applications. Sunburst spends more time to reach higher accuracy for premium visual work.
Faster than the previous generation
OpenAI reports up to 50% lower image generation latency compared with Image 2.0, alongside sharper detail and more natural light and texture.
Built for iteration
Multi-turn editing follows instructions more reliably, so a long conversation keeps improving one image instead of degrading it.
Pick the variant that matches the job
Both variants were released in the API at the same time and expose the same interface, so switching between them is a model-name change rather than a rewrite.
| Variant | Where it focuses | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| GPT-Image-2.5 Flare | Quality, editing, and speed together, with up to 50% lower latency than Image 2.0. | Most applications: high-volume generation, interactive editing, and anything where waiting hurts the workflow. |
| GPT-Image-2.5 Sunburst | Higher precision at the cost of a longer generation time. | Premium visual workflows where detail and exactness matter more than turnaround. |
OpenAI describes Flare as the default choice for most applications. Neither variant is a separate product tier — they are two tunings of the same model.
GPT Image 2.5 versus the previous generation
These are the differences OpenAI calls out in the release notes, written as the short pairing that is easiest to check against your own results.
- Latency
- Up to 50% lower image generation latency than Image 2.0.
- Rendering
- Sharper detail, more natural light, and richer texture.
- References
- Subjects stay recognisably themselves when you move a reference photo into a new scene, style, or composition.
- Editing
- Instructions change the element you named and leave the surrounding subject, composition, and background alone.
- Multi-turn work
- Earlier edits hold up across a long conversation instead of drifting as the session grows.
- Layout and style
- Better handling of complex layouts, transparent backgrounds, and stated visual styles, including images that carry real-world information.
Output types covered by the official examples
The official announcement demonstrates the model across design, information, photography, and illustration work. These are the categories those examples fall into, each with a matching sample above.
Marketing and brand assets
Campaign visuals and branded material that follow a stated visual direction and keep their hierarchy.
Presentation and information graphics
Slides and diagrams that need to stay readable, with the structure you asked for rather than decorative padding.
Product and e-commerce imagery
Catalogue-style shots and cutouts, including transparent backgrounds for placing into an existing layout.
Series and repeated structures
Poster sets, stamp sheets, and sticker packs where one visual system has to survive across many items.
Photography-led scenes
Portraits, interiors, and location work where lighting and texture decide whether the result is usable.
Illustration and stylisation
Painterly, printed, and graphic styles where adherence to a reference style matters more than realism.
What OpenAI has and has not published
This page only states what the official release notes confirm. Where a number or limit is missing from that source, we leave it blank instead of filling it in from third-party resellers.
- Release date
- 8 September 2026
- API models
- GPT-Image-2.5 Flare (default, speed) and GPT-Image-2.5 Sunburst (precision)
- ChatGPT availability
- All ChatGPT tiers, ChatGPT Work, and Codex, on desktop, mobile, and web
- Latency
- Up to 50% lower than Image 2.0, per OpenAI
- Transparent background
- Supported, and named in the official release notes
- Content credentials
- C2PA metadata and an invisible watermark
- Price and per-tier quotas
- Not published on the announcement page
Two entry points, two audiences
The same generation is reachable from a chat interface or from code. Pick based on whether you need judgement in the loop or volume.
ChatGPT
Image 2.5 is available to all ChatGPT tiers, ChatGPT Work, and Codex users on desktop, mobile, and web. The interactive features — Sketch, templates, image comments, and prompt sharing — live here.
API
Developers reach the same generation through the Flare and Sunburst models, which is what production workflows, batch jobs, and product integrations build on.
GPT Image 2.5 FAQ
Are GPT Image 2.5 and ChatGPT Images 2.5 the same model?
Yes. ChatGPT Images 2.5 is the name used inside ChatGPT, and GPT-Image-2.5 is the name the API models use. They come from the same release, so a capability described for one applies to the other.
Should I use Flare or Sunburst?
Start with Flare. OpenAI positions it as the default for most applications because it combines quality and editing with up to 50% lower latency. Move to Sunburst when a longer generation time is worth more precision.
Is GPT Image 2.5 free in ChatGPT?
OpenAI states that Image 2.5 is available to all ChatGPT tiers, ChatGPT Work, and Codex users. It has not published per-tier image quotas, so the number of images you get depends on your plan and account and is best confirmed inside the app.
Do the images carry a watermark?
OpenAI says outputs continue to use C2PA metadata and an invisible watermark so generated images can be identified. The system card documents the evaluation method behind the safety work.
How much does the GPT Image 2.5 API cost?
The announcement page does not list figures; it links to OpenAI's API pricing page for current rates. Per-image numbers circulating on reseller sites are that reseller's own pricing, not OpenAI's.
Continue with a focused guide
This page is the overview. The two collections below take the same model into step-by-step tasks and into code, and every article links back here.
Learn GPT Image 2.5 task by task
Prompting, Sketch, templates, transparent backgrounds, character consistency, and comparisons against the models people ask about most.
Browse the free guides Developer docsIntegrate gpt-image-2.5 into your product
Model selection, request parameters, image editing calls, cost control, and the operational details that only matter once you ship.
Open the developer docsCapability, availability, and safety statements on this page come from OpenAI's official announcement for ChatGPT Images 2.5. Example images remain OpenAI's and are reproduced with credit and a link back. AI Tool Blog is independent and is not affiliated with OpenAI.
Latest GPT Image 2.5 articles
Browse every published GPT Image 2.5 article, from introductions to practical guides and developer documentation.
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GPT Image 2.5 vs Gemini: Align the Versions First
A version-aligned comparison of GPT Image 2.5 and the Gemini image line: model lineups, documented controls, and what neither vendor publishes.
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GPT Image 2.5 vs GPT Image 2: What the Upgrade Documents
What OpenAI documents about moving from GPT-Image-2 to GPT Image 2.5: the two published figures, the model ID change, and the gaps.
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Replacing a Background with GPT Image 2.5: Redraw or Region Edit
Two documented ways to replace a background with GPT Image 2.5: redraw the whole frame, or edit one region and keep the subject identical.
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GPT Image 2.5 vs Midjourney: Choosing by Documented Facts
A task-based comparison of GPT Image 2.5 and Midjourney from each vendor’s own documentation: picture control, editing, access and cost.
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Making Avatars with GPT Image 2.5: Style, Frame and a Set That Matches
A GPT Image 2.5 avatar workflow: pick one style family, fix the frame, approve a reference, then edit that reference into every crop you need.
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Restoring Old Photos with GPT Image 2.5: Diagnose, Repair, Then Colour
A GPT Image 2.5 photo restoration workflow: classify the damage, repair in separate passes, colourise without inventing detail, and know what to leave alone.
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GPT Image 2.5 for Product Photos: White Background to Scene
A two-pass product photo workflow for GPT Image 2.5: lock the item on a clean white frame, then build the scene as an edit without touching the product.
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GPT Image 2.5 for Social Images: Ratio First, Then the Frame
A social image workflow for GPT Image 2.5: fix the ratio, leave room for the subject, place the words last, and keep a series looking like one set.
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Conceiving a Poster with GPT Image 2.5: Layout First, Then Edit
A GPT Image 2.5 poster workflow: set the format, write the layout, edit one element at a time, then check the hierarchy before publishing.
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GPT Image 2.5 for PPT Illustrations: One Set, One Voice
Workflow for GPT Image 2.5 PPT illustrations: lock one style anchor, size each image to its picture area, and run the deck in one conversation.
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GPT Image 2.5 Output Formats: png, jpeg or webp
Choose the GPT Image 2.5 output format: png, jpeg or webp are all set per request, and output_compression applies only to jpeg and webp.
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GPT Image 2.5 Text Layout: Placing Words in an Image
GPT Image 2.5 text placement is the documented weak spot: how to reserve space, set hierarchy, describe type and fix layout without retyping strings.
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GPT Image 2.5 Sizes: Pixels, Ratios and What the API Accepts
How GPT Image 2.5 picks a size: aspect ratio in ChatGPT, the size parameter in the API, four constraints and when auto is right.
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GPT Image 2.5 Quality Levels: low to max, Explained
Set the GPT Image 2.5 quality level from auto to max: what each value means, why the model choice matters more than the level, and the latency trade-off.
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How to Write GPT Image 2.5 Prompts
The five parts of a GPT Image 2.5 prompt, the order to send them in, two copy-and-run examples, and the three other inputs that are not prompts.
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GPT Image 2.5 Prompt Examples to Copy
Reusable GPT Image 2.5 prompt templates for product shots, posters and characters, two full examples to copy, and how to fix one that misses.
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GPT Image 2.5 Image Editing: Change One Thing, Keep the Rest
Image editing in GPT Image 2.5 works best as two lists: the one thing to change, and everything that must stay. Prompts, the selection limit, and API fields.
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GPT Image 2.5 Transparent Background: How to Get Real Alpha
How to get a real alpha channel from GPT Image 2.5: ask for transparency in ChatGPT, set the background parameter in the API, then verify the file.
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GPT Image 2.5 Sunburst vs Flare: Which Model to Call
What OpenAI documents about gpt-image-2.5-sunburst and gpt-image-2.5-flare, how to choose between them, and which numbers were never published.
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Generating and Editing Images in ChatGPT
Where image generation lives in ChatGPT, how the editor and the selection tool work, the named tools, and what the help centre does not publish.
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GPT Image 2.5 Quick Start: Your First Image in Five Steps
Where GPT Image 2.5 lives, how to make a first image in five steps, how editing works, and what OpenAI has still not published about it.
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GPT Image 2.5: What Actually Changed
What OpenAI published about GPT Image 2.5, which changes belong to ChatGPT and which to the API, and the numbers OpenAI has not released.
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GPT Image 2.5 Commercial Use: What the Terms Actually Say
Commercial use of GPT Image 2.5 output is decided by the Terms of Use, not a reseller promise. Read the ownership, similarity and C2PA clauses.
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GPT Image 2.5 Alternatives: Choose by Task, Not by Ranking
How to pick a GPT Image 2.5 alternative by task profile: what the official docs do and do not publish, what changes on a switch, and a one-hour checklist.
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Logo Design with GPT Image 2.5: Brief, Mark, Delivery
Brief GPT Image 2.5 for a logo: pin the variables, cap flat colour, force a transparent background, compare candidates and test the mark at 16 px.
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GPT Image 2.5 Third-Party Access: Three Gateways, Not One
What third-party access to GPT Image 2.5 really changes: authentication, quota, billing, response body and where your data lands.
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Storyboarding Comics and Sequences with GPT Image 2.5
Plan a comic or storyboard with GPT Image 2.5: split the story into beats, brief one panel per beat, hold the same character, and repair a single frame.
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Interior Renders with GPT Image 2.5: From Photo to Proposal
Turn a room photo, a floor plan or a bare shell into interior renders with GPT Image 2.5: pin the shell, change the surface, and keep one room across styles.
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Designing UI Mockups and App Screens with GPT Image 2.5
Brief GPT Image 2.5 for a believable UI mockup: fix the frame, keep in-screen text short, hold one product across screens, and repair a single label.
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Sticker Packs and Transparent Emoji with GPT Image 2.5
Brief GPT Image 2.5 for a sticker pack: lock one character, build the set from a reference, ask for a transparent background, and fix one expression.
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GPT Image 2.5 vs DALL·E 3
GPT Image 2.5 and DALL·E 3 compared from OpenAI material only: what the retirement note covers, what the current generation documents, what stays unpublished.
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Making Infographics and Diagrams with GPT Image 2.5
Turn teaching and technical material into labelled diagrams with GPT Image 2.5: how to write the brief, set the frame, keep in-image text short, fix one label.
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GPT Image 2.5 Prompt Sharing
How prompt sharing works in GPT Image 2.5: what travels with a shared image, how others reuse the prompt with their own photos, and what is undocumented.
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GPT Image 2.5 vs Nano Banana 2
An official-documentation comparison of GPT Image 2.5 and Nano Banana 2: documented capabilities, access, quotas, and what neither vendor publishes.
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GPT Image 2.5 vs Seedream 5.0 Pro
GPT Image 2.5 and Seedream 5.0 Pro compared from official documentation only: documented capabilities, real trade-offs, and the numbers no vendor publishes.
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GPT Image 2.5 vs FLUX 2
GPT Image 2.5 and FLUX 2 compared from official documentation only: documented capabilities, open-weight trade-offs, and what neither vendor publishes.
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GPT Image 2.5 vs Ideogram
GPT Image 2.5 and Ideogram 4.0 compared from official documentation: typography, editable output, deployment, and what neither vendor publishes.
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Is GPT Image 2.5 Free
GPT Image 2.5 is included on all ChatGPT plan tiers, but no official page publishes an image quota. Here is what is confirmed and what is not.
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GPT Image 2.5 Sketch
Sketch lets you draw a layout inside ChatGPT and use it as the reference for the finished image. Here is the exact entry point and what the drawing controls.
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GPT Image 2.5 Templates
Templates in GPT Image 2.5 start you from a format such as Poster or Merch instead of a blank canvas. Here is the official entry path and its one limit.
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GPT Image 2.5 Comment Editing
Comment editing in GPT Image 2.5 pins an instruction to the exact spot it applies to. Here are the official steps for mobile and web, plus the stated limit.
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GPT Image 2.5 Character Consistency
GPT Image 2.5 keeps a character more recognisable across scenes, but OpenAI stops short of a guarantee. Here is what improved and how to work around the rest.
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GPT Image 2.5 Combine Images
How GPT Image 2.5 turns several input images into one frame: the documented input limit, how to label each reference, and why faces drift between rounds.
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GPT Image 2.5 Text Rendering
What OpenAI documents about text inside images, the four limitations it lists, and the official quoting and spelling rules that keep lettering legible.
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What Is GPT Image 2.5
GPT Image 2.5 is not one model ID but two: Flare and Sunburst. Here is how they differ, what the specifications allow, and which tasks each one fits.
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GPT Image 2.5 API Overview
An overview of OpenAI's GPT Image 2.5 image API, covering the Images API and Responses API, key parameters, authentication, and getting started.
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