Apple and Google are restoring TikTok to their app stores nearly a month after a federal ban temporarily removed the popular social media app, preventing new downloads in the U.S.
The reinstatement comes amid ongoing uncertainty over TikTok’s future in the United States, as lawmakers and the Trump administration continue to debate national security concerns tied to its Chinese ownership.
Apple’s decision to reinstate TikTok came after receiving a letter from the Justice Department, according to a report by Bloomberg.
It remains unclear exactly what the letter said, but Apple was reportedly assured by the Trump administration that there would be no immediate enforcement of the ban.
As of Thursday evening, however, the app was still not visible on the App Store for some users.
The app, owned by the Beijing-based company ByteDance, also reappeared on the Google Play Store, allowing new users to download it for the first time since the ban went into effect.
While existing users were able to continue using the platform, its removal from app stores last month signaled a major escalation in the government’s efforts to push ByteDance to sell TikTok to a U.S. company.
What to know
The Trump administration’s stance on TikTok has shifted multiple times over the past year, as the app has become a flashpoint in the broader U.S.-China geopolitical conflict. Initially, Trump was a vocal critic of TikTok, citing concerns that the platform could be used by the Chinese Communist Party to spy on Americans or manipulate political discourse.
The bipartisan push for a ban gained traction over concerns about data privacy and national security, leading Congress to pass legislation requiring TikTok to either be sold to a U.S.-owned company or face removal from the country’s digital landscape.
Despite these concerns, Trump, while campaigning for re-election, began speaking more favorably about TikTok, acknowledging that the platform had helped him gain support among young voters.
His decision to delay the ban was framed as an effort to “determine the appropriate course of action with respect to TikTok,” signaling that his administration was open to negotiations.
Under the terms of the law, TikTok must now secure a deal with a U.S. buyer to continue operating. Trump has floated the idea that the app should be owned through a joint venture that is at least 50 per cent controlled by U.S. investors. He has also warned China that any attempt to block the sale could result in tariffs of “25, 30, 50%, even 100%.”
TikTok has consistently denied allegations that it cooperates with the Chinese government, insisting that it operates independently.
The company has said it does not share user data with Beijing and has taken steps to distance itself from its Chinese parent company, including setting up operations in the United States and hiring American executives.
As negotiations over TikTok’s future continue, the app’s return to the App Store suggests that, for now, its millions of U.S. users will be able to continue accessing the platform without disruption. However, the long-term fate of TikTok in the United States remains uncertain.
