Anthropic maintains access to Claude Opus 3 after its retirement
Claude Opus 3 remains available to all paying users of claude.ai after its retirement. Anthropic provides API access on request.
On 25 February 2026, Anthropic announced that it would keep Claude Opus 3 available after its retirement.
All paying users of claude.ai continue to have access to the model. The company provides API access on request.
Why it matters
The retirement of Claude Opus 3 therefore does not mean that it can no longer be used. When planning further work, however, it is necessary to distinguish between access through the paid claude.ai service and API access, which must be requested.
Two audiences, two different impacts
What this means
For individuals
If you use the paid claude.ai service, you can continue working with Claude Opus 3 after its retirement.
More practical updates →For a business
For business integrations using Claude Opus 3, API access remains available on request; continued access therefore requires making arrangements with the provider.
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