Tutorials· Tutorial
GPT-6.1 Terra selection: steps and checks before you start
A practical guide based on OpenAI's release notes from 26 October 2026: checking access, choosing Terra and accounting for limits and residency.
GPT-6.1 Terra has been rolling out in ChatGPT Work and Codex since the announcement on 26 October 2026. This guide describes the steps that follow from OpenAI's release notes, supplemented with clearly marked editorial checks. We have not tested the feature ourselves in every subscription [1].
Step 1: check your access
OpenAI mentions Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise and Edu. The rollout to your account depends on subscription, region and workspace settings. Therefore, check whether Terra is visible in the model list of the Work or Codex experience you are using. If the model is missing, this announcement does not prove that there is anything wrong with your account [1].
Step 2: choose Terra from the model list
Select GPT-6.1 Terra once the choice is available. Some Plus and Pro users may see Terra on Medium instead of GPT-6.1 Sol on Light within the standard Power presets of Work. According to OpenAI, the general subscription limits remain unchanged. Standard and Fast are supported where available [1].
Step 3: assess the residency restriction
Terra does not support UAE inference residency. The restriction concerns the location where inference is performed, not where you yourself are located. Our recommendation for organisations: check this with the person responsible for data processing requirements before incorporating the model into a fixed workflow [1].
Step 4: begin with a verifiable task
Editorial advice: choose a small writing, code or visual task whose outcome you can verify. Note the setting used and check for errors, not just the pleasing phrasing of the answer. The source does not support a promise that Terra is faster or better for every task.
Save the comparison with your previous working method. This allows you to make your own assessment based on results rather than just the model name.
Read more
Read the news article about Terra.
Sources
This article was produced with AI assistance from the original sources cited and checked against our editorial policy. Editorial policy