# OpenAI GPT-4o search-preview — deprecation status

> Yes — GPT-4o search-preview is retired. OpenAI deprecated it on April 22, 2026 and shut it down on July 23, 2026; API requests to it now fail. The recommended replacement is GPT-5.6 Terra.

A GPT-4o variant with web search wired in at the model level, so a single call returned an answer with citations. OpenAI later moved search to a tool available on every model, which made the dedicated id redundant.

## Facts

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Provider | OpenAI |
| Model id | `gpt-4o-search-preview-2025-03-11` |
| Status | Retired |
| Released | March 11, 2025 |
| Deprecated | April 22, 2026 |
| Shutdown | July 23, 2026 (7 days ago) |
| Last verified | July 30, 2026 |

## Replacement

- **GPT-5.6 Terra** (`gpt-5.6-terra`) · recommended — https://modeldeprecations.dev/openai/gpt-5.6-terra
  - Enable the web_search tool on any current model. The response shape differs: citations arrive as tool output rather than inline annotations.
  - Parameters it accepts: https://modelparams.dev/models/openai/gpt-5.6-terra

```diff
- "model": "gpt-4o-search-preview-2025-03-11"
+ "model": "gpt-5.6-terra"
```

## FAQ

### When did OpenAI GPT-4o search-preview shut down?

OpenAI GPT-4o search-preview shut down on July 23, 2026. API requests to it fail from that date onward.

### What replaces OpenAI GPT-4o search-preview?

OpenAI recommends GPT-5.6 Terra (`gpt-5.6-terra`) as the replacement for OpenAI GPT-4o search-preview. Enable the web_search tool on any current model. The response shape differs: citations arrive as tool output rather than inline annotations.

### Is OpenAI GPT-4o search-preview still available?

No. OpenAI GPT-4o search-preview is retired and no longer served — it was shut down on July 23, 2026. Calls to it return an error.

### How do I migrate from OpenAI GPT-4o search-preview to gpt-5.6-terra?

Swap the model id in your API call: replace "gpt-4o-search-preview-2025-03-11" with "gpt-5.6-terra". Enable the web_search tool on any current model. The response shape differs: citations arrive as tool output rather than inline annotations.

## Sources

- [OpenAI API deprecations](https://developers.openai.com/api/docs/deprecations) — accessed 2026-07-30

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Canonical page: https://modeldeprecations.dev/openai/gpt-4o-search-preview-2025-03-11
JSON: https://modeldeprecations.dev/api/v1/models/openai/gpt-4o-search-preview-2025-03-11.json