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Azure OpenAI tts, tts-hd and whisper retire December 15, 2026

Readers can stay on Azure OpenAI in Foundry Models: they change a setting or plan. Help the ones who would rather leave.

58 days left · December 15, 2026 · Public page

Low switching pressure36/100

An estimate from the deadline, cost, discussion and need to move. It is not a product rating.

What goes into it

Confidence: medium.

deadline16/30
money14/25
attention0/25
audience0/12
force6/8
  • Hard deadline in 58 days.
  • The change is forced: it reaches users even if they wait.

  1. 1 Related discussions

    Only threads tied to this event that talk about leaving, moving or prices. Saved, not live. Check the date and read the thread before replying.

    No live threads yet.

  2. 2 What people ask

    No common questions yet.

  3. 3 Reply templates

    Answer the question first. Link only if it helps. Always keep the disclosure line. Never post the same text twice.

    Helpful first
    Sorry you have to deal with this. You can stay on Azure OpenAI in Foundry Models. Here is what to change before December 15, 2026:

1. List your audio deployments. Check each Azure OpenAI deployment of tts, tts-hd and whisper.
2. Pick a newer audio model. gpt-4o-mini-tts and gpt-4o-mini-transcribe version 2025-12-15 run to June 15, 2027.
3. Test before December 15. Try real audio. Check quality, speed and cost, then switch your app.

If they would rather leave, describe a verified way <your product> can help: <your link>
[Disclosure: I build <your product>.]
    Short answer
    You have until December 15, 2026. You can stay on Azure OpenAI in Foundry Models. First: list your audio deployments. Then pick a newer audio model.
Happy to help if you get stuck.
[Disclosure: I build <your product>.]

  4. 4 Switch-page builder

    Create a draft “Switch from Azure OpenAI in Foundry Models” page. Add your product, review every claim, then copy HTML or Markdown. Your product claims need your own evidence.

    • Add your product name to replace “Your product”.
    Preview

    Switch from Azure OpenAI in Foundry Models to Your product

    Azure OpenAI tts, tts-hd and whisper deployments: a change is due by December 15. You can stay on Azure OpenAI in Foundry Models. If you would rather leave, here is how to move to Your product.

    What changes at Azure OpenAI in Foundry Models

    Microsoft retires the tts, tts-hd and whisper models, version 001, in Azure OpenAI on December 15, 2026. Its list does not name a model to use next.

    • Retirement date: December 15, 2026 (Microsoft)
    • Models and versions: tts 001 (Preview), tts-hd 001 (GA), whisper 001 (GA) (Microsoft)
    • Replacement: None listed yet (Microsoft)
    • Audio models with later dates: gpt-4o-mini-tts and gpt-4o-mini-transcribe version 2025-12-15: June 15, 2027 (Microsoft)
    • On the OpenAI API itself: tts-1 and tts-1-hd end January 6, 2027; whisper-1 ends February 26, 2027 (OpenAI)
    • After retirement: All inference requests return 410 Gone (Microsoft)
    • Can you get more time?: No. Microsoft says retirement dates are not extendable (Microsoft)
    • Deployments of these models: Stop answering on December 15, 2026 (Microsoft)

    You can stay on Azure OpenAI in Foundry Models if you make the change. This page is for people who would rather leave.

    What Your product gives you

    Write two or three short lines here. Say what Your product does, who it is for, and what it costs. Use only facts you can show.

    How to move from Azure OpenAI in Foundry Models to Your product

    1. Save what you need from Azure OpenAI in Foundry Models. Keep a copy before you cancel anything.
    2. Import into Your product. Say which files you accept and how long an import takes.

    Tell readers the key date: December 15, 2026.

    Questions people ask

    If Your product has a direct answer to one of these, add it here. Keep it short and true.

    How to help new users settle in

    Send one short email. Say what changed, where to find you now, and what they need to do. Put the most important line first.

    If there is a date, send a short reminder a few days before it. Keep a copy of the list you sent it to.

    Sources

  5. 5 Search ideas to validate

    suggested, not measured Phrases people may search when a tool changes like this. We have no search volume data for them.

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