OpenAI · 2026-07-12 · major
OpenAI lifts GPT-5.6 Sol 5-hour cap — context cut from 372K to 272K
OpenAI paused the 5-hour usage cap on GPT-5.6 Sol for Plus, Business, and Pro after demand doubled. The model's context drops from 372K to 272K tokens to free up 10% more usage per session; ChatGPT hit 6M active users on Sol.
OpenAI removes the 5-hour usage cap on GPT-5.6 Sol after demand doubled, cutting context by 100K to fit 10% more requests per session.
Key specs
| Cap paused | 5-hour rolling |
|---|---|
| Context now | 272K tokens |
| Extra usage | +10% |
Quick facts
| Announced | 2026-07-12 |
|---|---|
| Change | 5-hour rolling cap temporarily removed |
| Plans covered | Plus, Business, Pro |
| New context window | 272,000 tokens (was 372,000) |
| Efficiency gain | +10% usage per session |
| Active users on GPT-5.6 | 6,000,000 |
| Announced by | Tibo Sottiaux, OpenAI Codex lead |
What is it?
GPT-5.6 Sol drops its 5-hour rolling usage cap for ChatGPT Plus, Business, and Pro users on July 12. In the same update, OpenAI trimmed the model's maximum context from 372,000 tokens to 272,000. Only the cap is described as temporary; the smaller context is a permanent trade to stretch each plan's weekly quota further.
How does it work?
Codex lead Tibo Sottiaux shipped three fixes at once: paused the 5-hour rolling cap, reset every account's current usage counter, and rolled out changes that make Sol use less quota per prompt. Shrinking the context ceiling by 100,000 tokens is how the efficiency gain lands — fewer tokens per turn means more turns before the weekly ceiling trips.
Why does it matter?
GPT-5.6 Sol runs the heaviest agentic jobs in Codex and ChatGPT Work, and hitting a 5-hour cap mid-session broke long refactors. With the cap paused and quota efficiency up 10%, paid teams can finish long tasks on one plan; OpenAI said Sol now has six million active users, and the fix is a direct response to that surge.
Who is it for?
ChatGPT Plus, Business, and Pro users on Codex or ChatGPT Work
Frequently asked questions
- Is the GPT-5.6 Sol 5-hour cap gone for good?
- OpenAI Codex lead Tibo Sottiaux described the cap removal as temporary. Plus, Business, and Pro users can currently exceed the rolling 5-hour window through their weekly quota, but OpenAI has not shared a date to restore or permanently lift the restriction. Treat the July 12 change as a window, not a reset.
- How much context does GPT-5.6 Sol have now?
- GPT-5.6 Sol's maximum context dropped from 372,000 tokens to 272,000 tokens as part of the efficiency push — a 100,000-token cut. Sottiaux tied the reduction directly to using less quota per prompt, and unlike the cap change he did not describe it as temporary.
- Which plans get the lifted cap?
- The 5-hour cap change applies to ChatGPT Plus, Business, and Pro subscriptions, including users of ChatGPT Work and Codex. Free users are not covered. Weekly quota still applies — only the shorter 5-hour rolling window is paused — so heavy sessions can still exhaust an account's weekly allocation.
- Why did OpenAI ship this on July 12?
- OpenAI moved after GPT-5.6 Sol's launch doubled traffic in 48 hours and Codex crossed 6 million active users. Sottiaux described the past 48 hours as intense; the same X post announced the cap removal, the quota reset, and the efficiency changes. Anthropic's Fable 5 extension a day earlier is likely part of the competitive backdrop.
Try it
Sign in to Codex or ChatGPT Work on a paid plan — the 5-hour bar is off until further notice.