"We're under heavy load, Please try again in a few minutes" — If you see this error when using Sora after January 10, 2026, it means your account can no longer access Sora's video and image generation features normally.
This article will explain the real reason behind this error and provide 3 viable solutions to help you continue using Sora 2 stably for AI video creation.
Core Value: Understand the cause of Sora errors and master methods to bypass restrictions through API access, ensuring stable use of Sora 2 and Sora 2 Pro.
Sora "We're under heavy load" Error Analysis
Many users have encountered this confusing error when trying to generate videos on the Sora official website (sora.com) after January 10, 2026:
We're under heavy load
Please try again in a few minutes
However, no matter how long you wait or how many times you refresh, this error persists. This is not a genuine "server busy" issue, but rather OpenAI's feature restriction on free users.
The Real Reason Behind the Sora Error
| Surface Symptom | Actual Cause | Impact Scope |
|---|---|---|
| We're under heavy load | Free users are restricted | All non-Plus/Pro users |
| Please try again | Feature disabled | Cannot be resolved by waiting |
| Interface normal but cannot generate | Paid subscription required | Both video and image generation affected |
OpenAI Sora lead Bill Peebles previously explained the restriction on X platform: "Our GPUs are melting, and we want to let as many people access Sora as possible!" Due to tight computational resources, OpenAI had to gradually restrict free user access.
Sora Free User Restriction Timeline
- December 2024: Sora 2 launched, free users could generate 30 times per day
- November 2025: Restrictions tightened to 6 times per day
- January 10, 2026: Free users completely unable to access, showing "We're under heavy load"
3 Solutions for Sora "We're under heavy load" Error
When facing this error, you have the following options:
Solution 1: Upgrade to ChatGPT Plus/Pro Subscription
The most direct approach is to upgrade your ChatGPT subscription:
| Subscription Type | Monthly Fee | Sora Quota | Suitable For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plus | $20 | 1,000 credits/month | Light users |
| Pro | $200 | 10,000 credits + unlimited relaxed mode | Heavy creators |
Pros: Official channel, full features
Cons: High monthly fee, requires international payment method
Solution 2: Wait for OpenAI's Official API
OpenAI has announced that they will launch an official Sora API, which will allow pay-as-you-go usage.
Pros: Official interface, pay-per-use
Cons: Release date uncertain, may require waiting
Solution 3: Call Sora 2 API via APIYi (Recommended)
For users who urgently need to use Sora 2, APIYi already supports Sora 2 and Sora 2 Pro API calls, no waiting required, available immediately.
| Model | Price per Call | Video Quality | Generation Speed |
|---|---|---|---|
| sora-2 | $0.12/call | Standard quality | Faster |
| sora-2-pro | $0.80/call | Professional quality | Priority queue |
Pros:
- Available immediately, no Plus/Pro subscription needed
- Pay-per-use, flexible and economical
- Supports API integration into your own applications
🎯 Recommendation: APIYi uses Plus-level account pools to support Sora 2 calls, ensuring service stability. For developers and enterprise users, accessing through APIYi apiyi.com is the best solution to avoid "We're under heavy load" errors.
Sora 2 API Practical Tutorial
By calling Sora 2 via API, you can completely bypass the official website's limitations and stably generate AI videos.
💻 Sora 2 Video Generation Code Example
import openai
# Configure client - Access Sora 2 through APIYi
client = openai.OpenAI(
api_key="YOUR_API_KEY", # Get from apiyi.com
base_url="https://vip.apiyi.com/v1"
)
# Sora 2 standard version video generation - $0.12/call
response = client.chat.completions.create(
model="sora-2",
messages=[
{
"role": "user",
"content": "Generate a 5-second video: neon lights flashing in the city night scene, raindrops falling on glass windows"
}
]
)
print(response.choices[0].message.content)
🎬 Sora 2 Pro High-Quality Video Generation
# Sora 2 Pro professional version - $0.80/call, higher quality
response = client.chat.completions.create(
model="sora-2-pro",
messages=[
{
"role": "user",
"content": "Generate a cinematic-quality video: at sunset, golden sunlight spilling over wheat fields, gentle breeze blowing"
}
]
)
Sora 2 vs Sora 2 Pro Comparison
| Comparison | sora-2 | sora-2-pro |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $0.12/call | $0.80/call |
| Quality | Standard 1080p | Professional 1080p |
| Generation Speed | Standard queue | Priority queue |
| Use Cases | Daily creation, testing | Commercial projects, high-quality needs |
| Physics Simulation | Good | Excellent |
🔍 Selection Guide: sora-2 ($0.12/call) is recommended for daily use and testing, while sora-2-pro ($0.80/call) is recommended for commercial projects and high-quality requirements. You can flexibly switch between the two versions through APIYi apiyi.com.
Why APIYI Can Support Sora 2 Calls
Many users are curious: when the official website shows "We're under heavy load," why can APIYI still make normal calls?
APIYI Sora 2 Service Architecture
APIYI adopts a Plus-level account pool architecture, which is the key to stably supporting Sora 2 calls:
| Technical Solution | Description | Advantages |
|---|---|---|
| Plus Account Pool | Uses a large number of ChatGPT Plus subscription accounts | Has complete Sora 2 access privileges |
| Load Balancing | Intelligently distributes requests to different accounts | Avoids single account quota exhaustion |
| Queue Management | Request queuing and priority scheduling | Ensures stable response even during peak periods |
| Auto-scaling | Dynamically adjusts account pool based on demand | Guarantees service availability |
Service Stability Guarantee
- ✅ 7×24 Hour Monitoring: Real-time service status monitoring
- ✅ Automatic Failover: Single point failures don't affect overall service
- ✅ Quota Alerts: Proactive account pool capacity replenishment
- ✅ API Compatibility: Compatible with OpenAI standard interface format
🎯 Service Guarantee: In response to the January 2026 policy adjustment, APIYI has completed emergency capacity expansion, and sora-2 and sora-2-pro services are running normally. Visit APIYI apiyi.com to start using.
Sora Error Common Questions & Answers
Q1: Why does my Sora show “We’re under heavy load” instead of directly saying it’s unavailable?
This is OpenAI's interface design choice. In reality, for free users, Sora functionality has been disabled, but the interface still displays a "service busy" message. This may be intended to avoid negative user experience, but the actual effect makes users more confused.
Solution: Don't keep waiting; upgrade to Plus/Pro subscription or use APIYI apiyi.com API service.
Q2: What’s the difference between API calls and using the official website?
Main differences:
| Comparison | Official Website | API Calls |
|---|---|---|
| Interface | Visual operation | Code-based calls |
| Billing | Subscription ($20-$200/month) | Pay-per-use ($0.12-$0.80/call) |
| Integration | Web-only | Can integrate into any application |
| Flexibility | Fixed quota | On-demand usage |
Recommended Approach: For developers and users needing batch generation, the API approach is more flexible and economical. You can quickly start through APIYI apiyi.com.
Q3: Should I choose sora-2 or sora-2-pro?
Selection recommendations:
- sora-2 ($0.12/call): Suitable for daily creation, prototype testing, budget-limited projects
- sora-2-pro ($0.80/call): Suitable for commercial projects, high-quality requirements, scenarios with strict quality demands
Professional Advice: It's recommended to test with sora-2 first, and decide whether to upgrade to sora-2-pro after confirming it meets your needs. APIYI apiyi.com supports flexible switching between both versions.
Q4: Is APIYI’s Sora 2 service stable? Will it also encounter errors?
APIYI adopts a Plus account pool architecture, different from ordinary free users:
- Account Level: Uses ChatGPT Plus subscription accounts with complete access privileges
- Redundancy Design: Multi-account load balancing, single point failures don't affect service
- Capacity Management: Dynamically scales account pool based on usage
During the January 2026 policy adjustment, APIYI has proven its rapid response and service stability.
🎯 Summary
When encountering the Sora "We're under heavy load" error, the root cause is that OpenAI has restricted free users from accessing Sora since January 10, 2026, rather than actual server congestion.
Recap of 3 Solutions:
| Solution | Cost | Availability | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upgrade to Plus/Pro | $20-$200/month | Immediately available | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Wait for official API | Unknown | Timeline undefined | ⭐⭐ |
| APIYi API Integration | $0.12-$0.80/request | Immediately available | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Final Recommendation: For users who urgently need to use Sora 2 for video generation, we recommend integrating through APIYi apiyi.com. The platform offers two versions – sora-2 ($0.12/request) and sora-2-pro ($0.80/request) – with pay-per-use pricing that's flexible and economical, making it the best solution for resolving the "We're under heavy load" error.
📝 About the Author: Senior AI application developer specializing in large model API integration and architecture design. Regularly shares practical AI development experience. More technical resources and best practice cases are available on the APIYi apiyi.com technical community.
🔔 Technical Discussion: Welcome to discuss technical questions in the comments section. We continuously share AI development experience and industry insights. For in-depth technical support, feel free to contact our technical team through APIYi apiyi.com.
