Fourteen hours after voluntarily going dark for millions of American users, TikTok has returned to the U.S. following President-elect Donald Trump‘s promise to pause the ban looming on the social media platform.
But even though TikTok is working again in the U.S., the popular video-sharing app still isn’t available on Apple‘s App Store or Google Play. Those looking to download the app on the App Store receive a message saying, “TikTok and other ByteDance apps are not available in the country or region you’re in.” Those using Android systems were greeted with a message on Google Play saying: “Downloads for this app are paused due to current U.S. legal requirements.”
Why It Matters
ByteDance’s TikTok is estimated to have 170 million users in the U.S. According to estimates from the Pew Research Center, a third of U.S. adults use the app. This number goes up to 59 percent among those under 30. TikTok is particularly popular among teenagers, with 63 percent of Americans aged 13 to 17 saying they use the app, including 57 percent who use it every day.
While the federal government has expressed concern over the app and its potential threat to national security, in summer 2024 only 32 percent of adults told the Pew Research Center that they supported a ban on the app—down from 50 percent in March 2023.
While Trump led initial efforts to ban TikTok during his first presidency, he’s now become the app’s unlikely savior. The president-elect’s repositioning towards TikTok is part of a broader shift in the debate around technology, social media and national security which has seen many tech leaders—including Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, and Shou Zi Chew—trying to get closer to Trump.
What To Know
On Saturday night, the day when a federal law requiring a sale or a ban of TikTok went into effect, TikTok went dark for millions of users across the country. Those trying to access the app saw instead a message saying: “Sorry, TikTok isn’t available right now.
“A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S. Unfortunately, that means you can’t use TikTok for now. We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office. Please stay tuned!”
TikTok didn’t need to go dark on its users, but said that the Biden administration had not provided “necessary clarity and assurance” to the app’s service providers over what would come next.
On Sunday morning, Trump wrote on Truth Social that he would “issue an executive order on Monday,” after his inauguration, “to extend the period of time before the law’s prohibition takes effect, so that we can make a deal to protect our national security.”
Shortly after, TikTok started restoring service for users in the U.S. “Thanks for your patience and support. As a result of President Trump’s efforts, TikTok is back in the U.S.!,” read a message on the popular video app welcoming back American users.
When will the app return to the App Store?
It’s unclear when TikTok will become available again on Apple’s App Store and on Google Play.
“Apple is obligated to follow the laws in the jurisdictions where it operates,” Apple explained on his website. “Pursuant to the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, apps developed by ByteDance Ltd. and its subsidiaries—including TikTok, CapCut, Lemon8, and others—will no longer be available for download or updates on the App Store for users in the United States starting January 19, 2025.”
Newsweek contacted Apple, Google, and TikTok for comment by email on Monday morning, outside of standard working hours.
What can you do if you have deleted TikTok?
If you’ve removed TikTok from your phone or laptop, you won’t be able to download it again. If you’ve just gotten a new device, you won’t be able to restore TikTok there either.
If you still have TikTok installed, the app won’t be removed.
Could the app still be banned?
Despite Trump’s reassurance, the future of TikTok in the U.S. remains uncertain. Alan Rozenshtein, associate professor at University of Minnesota Law School, wrote on X that “there’s no assurance that Trump, who’s not even the president yet, can provide.”
Rozenshtein said it’s reckless for service providers to reinstate TikTok: “I look forward to the shareholder suits—Oracle is rapidly accruing tens if not hundreds of billions of dollars of liability.”
Trump said on Sunday that “there will be no liability for any company that helped keep TikTok from going dark before my order.”
Why has the US government threatened TikTok with a ban?
The federal government is concerned that TikTok might threaten the U.S. national security because the Chinese government could use the app to spy on American citizens and/or influence the U.S. public.
The law that came into effect on January 19, originally passed in April 2024, required TikTok’s China-based parent company ByteDance to sell the U.S. version of the platform to a neutral party by Sunday, or face an outright ban in the country.
What People Are Saying
A statement from TikTok on Sunday read: “In agreement with our service providers, TikTok is in the process of restoring service. We thank President Trump for providing the necessary clarity and assurance to our service providers that they will face no penalties providing TikTok to over 170 million Americans and allowing over 7 million small businesses to thrive.
“It’s a strong stand for the First Amendment and against arbitrary censorship. We will work with President Trump on a long-term solution that keeps TikTok in the United States.”
Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas, a Republican, wrote on X: “Any company that hosts, distributes, services, or otherwise facilitates communist-controlled TikTok could face hundreds of billions of dollars of ruinous liability under the law, not just from DOJ, but also under securities law, shareholder lawsuits, and state AGs. Think about it.”
What’s Next
While lawmakers and experts are being cautious about the future of TikTok, saying that the law that would ban it is still valid, users have exploded in celebrations on Sunday. “TikTok is back!” is the message shared by several users dancing and jumping in happiness over the app’s reappearance.
“TikTok has resurrected,” one X user’s message read. The revival, however, could just be temporary.
The post TikTok Is Back Online, but When Will It Return to the App Store? appeared first on Newsweek.
