Quick Answer
Runway’s official help notice now states:
- Gen-3 Alpha was retired July 8, 2026.
- Gen-3 Alpha Turbo was retired July 30, 2026.
The same notice maps old tasks to current paths:
| Retired Gen-3 use | Current Runway path |
|---|---|
| Text-to-video | Gen-4.5 |
| Image-to-video | Gen-4.5 |
| Keyframes | Animate Frames app |
| Video-to-video | Edit Studio Aleph 2.0 |
This is not a one-model replacement. Inventory the old task, route it to the correct current surface, and rerun acceptance tests for prompts, references, motion, timing, cost, safety, and output.
The replacement map applies to Runway. It does not prove which Runway model or mode is currently available in Flowith.
What Actually Retired
Gen-3 Alpha and Gen-3 Alpha Turbo were used across several distinct generation and editing modes. The product labels may have looked like one family, but a production migration must separate:
- text-to-video;
- image-to-video;
- first and last frame or keyframe work;
- video-to-video transformation;
- camera and motion controls;
- duration and output settings;
- web-app access;
- API model identifiers and request fields.
Do not replace every old model string with one new model string. The current Runway path depends on the task.
Text-to-Video: Move to Gen-4.5
Runway names Gen-4.5 as the current text-to-video path. In the developer API, the current model catalog lists gen4.5 for text or image input to video output.
Migration steps:
- save representative Gen-3 prompts and accepted outputs;
- identify the subject, action, environment, camera, timing, and style requirements;
- run the same test set through Gen-4.5;
- revise prompts for current behavior rather than preserving old syntax for its own sake;
- grade composition, motion, identity, continuity, text, factual detail, and unwanted additions;
- record duration, credits, attempts, latency, and accepted-result cost.
If an old prompt relied on undocumented wording, seed behavior, or a particular generation artifact, expect it to change.
Image-to-Video: Move to Gen-4.5
Runway also points image-to-video users to Gen-4.5. A migration should revalidate both the input image and motion brief.
Check:
- permission to use the source image;
- subject and product identity;
- framing and crop;
- camera motion;
- foreground and background movement;
- start and end states;
- unwanted deformation or additions;
- output duration and aspect ratio;
- current cost and retry volume.
Use an approved still as a test fixture, but do not assume the new model preserves every detail from the same image.
Keyframes: Move to Animate Frames
The retirement notice names Animate Frames as the available keyframe path. That is an app-level migration, not simply a base-model swap.
Before rebuilding:
- document the role of each old keyframe;
- save the frame assets and their permissions;
- confirm current Animate Frames access and controls in the live Runway app;
- test interpolation, timing, camera motion, and identity;
- export a reference result and compare it with the acceptance set.
If the production system depended on an API call, do not assume the app path exposes an equivalent endpoint. Check the current Runway Dev catalog and API reference separately.
Video-to-Video: Move to Edit Studio Aleph 2.0
Runway points Gen-3 video-to-video users to Edit Studio Aleph 2.0. The current developer catalog also lists:
- model ID:
aleph2; - input: video plus text or image;
- output: video;
- API rate: 28 credits per second;
- minimum: 56 credits per generation.
Those rates were checked July 31, 2026 and can change.
Aleph 2.0 transforms existing footage. It does not replace text-to-video or image-to-video. Use the Aleph 2.0 model guide for the surface, model ID, cost, and review boundary.
A Seven-Step Migration Plan
1. Inventory Every Gen-3 Dependency
Search code, configuration, workflow graphs, prompts, documentation, tests, dashboards, and saved presets for:
- Gen-3 Alpha;
- Gen-3 Alpha Turbo;
- old API identifiers;
- old endpoint fields;
- credit assumptions;
- duration and resolution assumptions;
- app-specific presets.
2. Classify by Task
Map each dependency to text-to-video, image-to-video, keyframes, or video-to-video. If one pipeline performs several tasks, split the migration into separately testable stages.
3. Preserve Evidence
Keep representative inputs, accepted outputs, prompts, parameters, timing, costs, and review decisions. Do not retain sensitive or licensed assets beyond their authorized period.
4. Build a Current Replacement
Use Gen-4.5, Animate Frames, or Aleph 2.0 for the corresponding task. Follow the live product guide or API reference rather than an old third-party migration snippet.
5. Run Acceptance Tests
Grade:
- instruction following;
- subject and product identity;
- motion and physical continuity;
- camera and framing;
- text and logo accuracy;
- timing;
- artifacts and unwanted additions;
- safety and disclosure;
- file and destination requirements.
6. Recalculate Cost and Throughput
Use:
accepted-result cost = live request cost × attempts + review + storage + post-production
Include queue and latency targets, rate limits, failed tasks, discarded variants, and any new editing step.
7. Remove the Old Path Deliberately
After the replacement passes review:
- change configuration;
- deploy behind a controlled release;
- monitor failure, quality, latency, and spend;
- keep a valid fallback;
- remove dead model strings and old presets;
- update documentation and support answers.
API Migration Controls
If Gen-3 was called programmatically:
- use the current Runway Developer account and organization;
- verify the current model ID and endpoint;
- send the documented API-version header;
- pin a tested SDK;
- validate response shapes;
- store task and invocation IDs;
- cap retries and credits;
- handle moderation and task failures explicitly;
- copy accepted outputs into controlled storage;
- monitor the API changelog.
The current Runway Dev getting-started guide shows asynchronous task creation and retrieval. Do not assume a synchronous response or permanent output URL.
Product and Rights Boundary
Migration does not renew or expand permission for old inputs and outputs. Recheck:
- consent for recognizable people and voices;
- rights to footage, images, audio, text, logos, and products;
- current Runway terms for the account and surface;
- disclosure and provenance requirements;
- destination platform rules;
- retention and deletion obligations.
Provider availability does not establish commercial clearance for every asset or output.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Runway Gen-3 Alpha still available?
No. Runway’s official notice says Gen-3 Alpha was retired July 8, 2026 and Gen-3 Alpha Turbo was retired July 30, 2026.
What replaced Runway Gen-3 text-to-video and image-to-video?
Runway’s retirement notice points text-to-video and image-to-video users to Gen-4.5. Rebuild prompts and acceptance tests instead of assuming identical behavior.
What replaced Gen-3 video-to-video?
Runway points video-to-video users to Edit Studio Aleph 2.0. Runway Dev lists the API model ID aleph2 for video plus text or image input to video output.
What replaced Gen-3 keyframes?
Runway’s notice names the Animate Frames app as the available keyframe path. Confirm the current app controls and account access before rebuilding a production workflow.
Can I reuse Gen-3 prompts unchanged?
Treat old prompts as test inputs, not guaranteed migrations. Current models and apps can interpret motion, references, timing, framing, and edits differently, so rerun an acceptance set and revise prompts.
Does the Runway migration change Flowith model availability?
Runway’s retirement and replacement paths apply to Runway surfaces. Verify the current Flowith model selector separately rather than inferring a matching migration or model mapping.
Bottom Line
Gen-3 retirement requires a task map, not a search-and-replace:
- text-to-video → Gen-4.5;
- image-to-video → Gen-4.5;
- keyframes → Animate Frames;
- video-to-video → Edit Studio Aleph 2.0.
Preserve evidence, rebuild each path, rerun acceptance tests, recalculate cost, and remove the old dependency only after the current workflow passes review.
Continue with the Runway Dev access guide for product selection or the Runway Dev API guide for integration controls.