Version history · ByteDance Seedance
Seedance 2.0 Release Notes & Full Version Timeline
This page is the factual record of every Seedance model release: exact dates, what changed at each version, and the current access status. Seedance 2.0 — the unified main line — launched February 12, 2026. The public API beta opened April 2, 2026 on Volcengine Ark.
When was Seedance 2.0 released?
Seedance 2.0 was officially announced and released by ByteDance Seed on February 12, 2026. It replaced the 1.x Pro/Lite tiering with a single unified model. The Volcengine Ark API for developers entered public beta on April 2, 2026. Third-party operators (including seedance2-video.com) began offering hosted access in early-to-mid April 2026.
Full Seedance release timeline
Seedance shipped in stages over approximately nine months. Here is every confirmed milestone with exact or best-confirmed dates.
- Seedance 1.0
First public release — text-to-video and image-to-video
ByteDance Seed introduced the first Seedance video models on Volcengine Ark, accessible to developers via API. Launched alongside Doubao 1.6 on Volcano Engine. Supported text-to-video (T2V) and image-to-video (I2V) at up to 720p.
- Seedance 1.0 Pro
Higher-fidelity developer tier
Released simultaneously with 1.0. The Pro suffix marked the higher-fidelity API tier, focused on developer and enterprise integration on Volcengine. Distinguished from the base 1.0 by improved output quality and higher resolution ceiling.
- Seedance 1.0 Lite
Speed-optimized consumer tier — 5-second clips, 480p–720p
A faster, lower-cost variant introduced to power consumer apps (Doubao, Jimeng). Capped at 5-second clips and 480p–720p resolution. The Lite suffix was the inverse of Pro: prioritizing speed and cost over fidelity.
- Seedance 1.5 Pro
Native audio-visual sync + director-level controls
The last release to carry the Pro suffix before the 2.0 unification. Added native audio-visual synchronization (lip-sync and ambient audio) and director-level camera controls as first-class features. Marked the capability baseline that 2.0 was built on.
- Seedance 2.0Current
Unified multimodal model — Pro/Lite split retired
Announced and released by ByteDance Seed. The 2.0 line unified the Pro/Lite tiering into a single model: 1080p native resolution, clips up to 12 seconds, native synchronized audio (dual-channel stereo, background music, SFX, voiceover, lip-sync), multi-shot cuts, five aspect ratios (16:9, 9:16, 1:1, 4:3, 3:4), and multi-reference image conditioning. No separate 2.0 Pro or 2.0 Lite SKU.
- Seedance 2.0 API — Public Beta
Volcengine Ark public beta opens for developers
The Seedance 2.0 API on Volcengine Ark transitioned from limited to public beta, making developer and enterprise integration broadly available. Pay-per-token billing: approximately 46 CNY per million tokens for pure generation (~$0.14/second effective rate per TechNode, Mar 5, 2026).
- Third-party hosted access
Global operators (including this site) go live
Independent operators wrapping the Volcengine Ark API began offering hosted Seedance 2.0 access with English-language interfaces, USD billing, and commercial licenses — filling the gap left by the absence of an official ByteDance English consumer product.
Sources: ByteDance Seed launch post (Feb 12, 2026), Volcengine Ark release notes (Apr 2, 2026), TechNode pricing report (Mar 5, 2026), Wikipedia Seedance 2.0 entry. Verified May 26, 2026.
What changed between Seedance 1.x and 2.0
The 2.0 release is a quality-and-unification jump, not a new feature category. This table summarises the practical differences.
| Dimension | Seedance 1.x | Seedance 2.0 |
|---|---|---|
| Version tier model | Three tracks: 1.0, 1.0 Pro, 1.0 Lite (later 1.5 Pro) | Single unified model — no Pro/Lite split |
| Max output resolution | 720p (Lite: 480p) | 1080p native |
| Max clip duration | Up to 8 s (Lite: 5 s) | Up to 12 s |
| Native audio | 1.5 Pro only (added late 2025) | Standard — dual-channel stereo, music, SFX, voiceover, lip-sync |
| Prompt adherence | Good on simple prompts; drifts on complex multi-clause instructions | Holds compound prompts (subject + action + camera + style) reliably |
| Multi-reference conditioning | Not supported in 1.0; added in 1.5 Pro | Standard — character + setting + style frame simultaneously |
| Aspect ratios | 16:9 and 9:16 | 5 ratios: 16:9, 9:16, 1:1, 4:3, 3:4 |
| API access | Limited / staged access via Volcengine Ark | Public beta Apr 2, 2026; broadly available to developers |
Verified against ByteDance Seed launch post (Feb 12, 2026) and Volcengine Ark documentation.
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People also ask
When was Seedance 2.0 released?▾
Seedance 2.0 was released by ByteDance Seed on February 12, 2026. The Volcengine Ark developer API entered public beta on April 2, 2026.
What version of Seedance is current?▾
As of May 2026, Seedance 2.0 is the current main-line model. It was released February 12, 2026 and supersedes all 1.x versions (1.0, 1.0 Pro, 1.0 Lite, 1.5 Pro).
Is there a Seedance 3.0?▾
As of May 2026, ByteDance has not announced Seedance 3.0. Seedance 2.0, released February 12, 2026, remains the current main-line model.
What is the difference between Seedance 1.5 Pro and 2.0?▾
Seedance 1.5 Pro (late 2025) added native audio-visual sync and director controls to the 1.x line. Seedance 2.0 (Feb 12, 2026) unified the Pro/Lite tiering, raised resolution to 1080p, extended clips to 12 seconds, added five aspect ratios, and made audio a standard feature rather than a Pro-only addition.
Did Seedance 2.0 replace Seedance 1.5 Pro?▾
Yes. Seedance 2.0 superseded all 1.x versions. Existing 1.5 Pro API integrations remain accessible on Volcengine Ark for backward compatibility, but new work should target the 2.0 endpoint.
Frequently asked questions about Seedance releases
Where can I find the official Seedance 2.0 announcement?▾
ByteDance Seed's official launch post for Seedance 2.0 (February 12, 2026) is at seed.bytedance.com. Volcengine Ark hosts the API documentation and release notes at volcengine.com/product/ark.
Is there a Seedance 2.0 changelog?▾
ByteDance does not publish a public changelog in the conventional software sense. Version history is reconstructed from ByteDance Seed launch posts, Volcengine release notes, and verified third-party tech press (TechNode, The Decoder, Wikipedia).
Why is Seedance 2.0 not available on a standalone app?▾
ByteDance distributes Seedance via API (Volcengine Ark for developers) and via Doubao and Jimeng for Chinese consumers. There is no single official English consumer app. Third-party operators like seedance2-video.com wrap the API and provide English-language interfaces.
When did the Seedance 2.0 API become publicly available?▾
The Seedance 2.0 API on Volcengine Ark entered public beta on April 2, 2026. Before that date, access required an invitation or enterprise agreement.
Is Seedance 1.5 Pro still available?▾
The 1.5 Pro API endpoint remains accessible on Volcengine Ark for backward compatibility, but ByteDance recommends migrating to the 2.0 endpoint. No new accounts are provisioned specifically for 1.5 Pro as of May 2026.
How often does ByteDance release new Seedance versions?▾
The 1.x cadence was roughly every 2–4 months (June 2025 → late 2025 → February 2026). There is no published release schedule for future versions.
Sources
- Seedance 2.0 was officially announced by ByteDance Seed on February 12, 2026, as a unified multimodal audio-video model replacing the 1.x Pro/Lite tiering. — ByteDance Seed, 2026-02-12
- The Seedance 2.0 API on Volcengine Ark entered public beta on April 2, 2026. — Volcengine, 2026-04-02
- Per TechNode (March 5, 2026), Seedance 2.0 API billing on Volcengine Ark is approximately 46 CNY per million tokens for pure generation, an effective rate of roughly $0.14 per second of output. — TechNode, 2026-03-05
- Wikipedia's Seedance 2.0 entry documents the release history and distribution channels, confirming no separate English consumer app from ByteDance. — Wikipedia
Related pages
This page is operated by Vividra Labs LLC (Delaware), an independent third-party integrator using the official Seedance 2.0 API via Volcengine Ark. We are not affiliated with or endorsed by ByteDance. Dates and capability claims are verified May 26, 2026 against ByteDance Seed and Volcengine Ark primary sources.