TikTok is back online, but when will it return to the App Store?

Fourteen hours after voluntarily going dark for millions of US users, TikTok has returned to the United States after the President-elect Donald Trump‘s promise to pause the looming ban on the social media platform.

But even though TikTok is working again in the US, the popular video sharing app is still not available on Apple‘s App Store or Google Game. Those who want to download the app in the App Store receive a message saying, “TikTok and other ByteDance apps are not available in the country or region you are in.” Those using Android systems were met with a message on Google Play that read: “Downloads for this app have been paused due to current legal requirements in the United States.”

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, one-third of American adults use the app. That number rises to 59 percent among those under 30. TikTok is particularly popular among teenagers, with 63 percent of Americans ages 13 to 17 saying they use the app, including 57 percent who use it every day.

While the federal government has expressed concern about the app and its potential threat to national security, in the summer of 2024 only 32 percent of adults told the Pew Research Center they supported banning the app—down from 50 percent in March 2023.

While Trump led the initial effort to ban TikTok during his first presidency, he has now become the app’s unlikely savior. The president-elect’s repositioning toward TikTok is part of a broader shift in the debate surrounding technology, social media and national security that has seen many tech leaders — including Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerbergand Shou Zi Chew – trying to get closer to Trump.

What to know

On Saturday night, the day a federal law requiring a sale or ban on TikTok went into effect, TikTok went dark for millions of users across the country. Those who tried to access the app instead saw a message saying, “Sorry, TikTok is not available right now.

“A law banning TikTok has been passed in the U.S. Unfortunately, this means you can’t use TikTok right now. We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok , when he takes office. Please stay tuned!”

TikTok didn’t have to go dark on its users, but said the Biden administration had not provided “necessary clarity and certainty” to the app’s service providers about 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 before the law’s ban goes into effect so we can reach an agreement to protect our national security.”

Soon after, TikTok began restoring service to users in the US “Thank you for your patience and support. As a result of President Trump’s efforts, TikTok is back in the US!” read a message on the popular video app welcoming back US users .

When will the app return to the App Store?

It is unclear when TikTok will be available again in Apple’s App Store and on Google Play.

“Apple is required to follow the laws of the jurisdictions in which 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 in the App Store for users in the United States as of 19 . January 2025.”

Newsweek reached out to Apple, Google and TikTok for comment via email Monday morning outside normal business hours.

What can you do if you deleted TikTok?

If you have removed TikTok from your phone or laptop, you will not be able to download it again. If you just got a new device, you won’t be able to restore TikTok there either.

If you still have TikTok installed, the app will not be removed.

Can the app still be banned?

Despite Trump’s assurance, the future of TikTok in the US remains uncertain. Alan Rozenshtein, associate professor at the University of Minnesota Law School, wrote X that “there is no certainty that Trump, who is not even president yet, can provide.”

Rozenshtein said it’s reckless for service providers to reinstate TikTok: “I’m looking forward to the shareholder lawsuits – Oracle is quickly accruing liability for tens of thousands, if not hundreds of billions of dollars.”

Trump said Sunday that “there will be no accountability for any company that helped prevent TikTok from going dark before my order.”

Why has the US government threatened TikTok with a ban?

The federal government is concerned that TikTok could threaten US national security because the Chinese government could use the app to spy on US citizens and/or influence the US public.

The law, which took effect on January 19, originally passed in April 2024, required TikTok’s China-based parent company ByteDance to sell the US version of the platform to a neutral party by Sunday, or face an outright ban in the country.

What people say

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 not face any penalties for providing TikTok to over 170 million Americans and allow 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 US.”

Late. 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 in destructive liability under the law, not only from the DOJ, but also under securities laws, shareholder lawsuits, and state AGs ‘er. Think about it.”

What’s next

While lawmakers and experts are cautious about the future of TikTok, saying the law that would ban it is still valid, users exploded in celebration on Sunday. “TikTok is back!” is the message shared by several users who are dancing and jumping for joy at the app’s return.

“TikTok is resurrected,” read one X user’s message. However, the revival could only be temporary.