TikTok is back on Apple and Google’s app stores, ending a nearly month-long standoff that began when a law banning the app took effect in January. The move allows users to download the app again and gives TikTok a way to push security updates.
Apple and Google pulled TikTok on Jan. 19, the deadline set by the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act. The law, upheld by the Supreme Court, prohibits U.S. companies from supporting TikTok as long as ByteDance, its Beijing-based owner, remains in control.
TikTok challenged the law, calling it unconstitutional. The Biden administration defended it, citing national security concerns over ByteDance’s alleged ties to the Chinese government. The Supreme Court sided with Congress, stating that divestiture was necessary to address risks tied to TikTok’s data collection.
While the app remained unavailable for new downloads, some users turned to extreme measures to keep access. Phones with TikTok pre-installed hit resale markets at inflated prices, with some listings reaching thousands of dollars. Others sought workarounds using VPNs and third-party app stores. With TikTok’s return, those methods are no longer necessary.
The app’s reinstatement followed a letter from Attorney General Pam Bondi assuring Apple and Google that the Trump administration would not prosecute them for hosting TikTok. The guarantee prompted the tech giants to restore the app, but legal experts say a letter from the Justice Department does not override an act of Congress. Under the law, businesses working with TikTok still risk fines of $5,000 per user. That penalty could accumulate into billions. The law allows the president to lift the ban if ByteDance divests TikTok’s U.S. operations.
Trump, who extended the deadline by 75 days through an executive order, has pushed for a deal giving the U.S. a 50% stake in TikTok. Oracle, Microsoft, and other investors are assembling a bid to purchase TikTok’s U.S. arm, NPR reported, with talks ongoing. Content creator MrBeast and former Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt have also expressed interest.
Despite being removed from app stores, TikTok recovered 90% of its traffic by late January, according to Cloudflare Radar.
TikTok’s return marks a win for millions of U.S. users, but the fight continues. Steep fines and ongoing sale talks leave the app’s future in the U.S. uncertain.
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