TikTok Returns to Google Play and App Store in the U.S.

The app was initially removed from digital storefronts on January 19, 2025.

TikTok is once again available for download after former President Donald Trump announced an extension on the platform’s ban in the United States. Trump also reassured Apple and Google that they wouldn’t face any penalties, according to a report from Reuters.

Back in 2024, during Joe Biden’s presidency, Congress passed a law requiring ByteDance, the Chinese parent company of TikTok, to sell the app to a non-Chinese entity. ByteDance refused, leading to TikTok’s removal from U.S. app stores on January 19, 2025—just one day before Trump’s inauguration.

Then, on January 21, Trump issued an executive order delaying the TikTok ban for 75 days and warned China of potential tariffs if they refused a “fair deal” with the U.S.

Despite this, Apple and Google hesitated to reinstate the app immediately. Analysts suggest the delay might have been due to the companies waiting for confirmation that they wouldn’t be held liable for hosting the app, as Reuters noted.

As of 2024, TikTok had roughly 170 million users in the United States.