Apple won't return TikTok to the App Store until it's sold to a U.S. buyer
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TikTok's status in the U.S. remains complicated. Despite President Trump's temporary stay on the federal TikTok ban, it's extremely unlikely that the video-sharing app will return to the App Store anytime soon. Here's why. On January 19, the U.S. government enacted a blanket ban against ByteDance apps, owners of popular apps such as TikTok, Marvel Snap, and CapCut. A day later, President Trump signed an executive order delaying the ban for 75 days.
And yet, despite that, TikTok — or any app developed by ByteDance Ltd — has yet to reappear on the App Store or the Google Play store. And, according to a new Apple support page, it appears as if it's going to stay that way. The complete list of removed apps includes:.
Those who live in the United States and already have any of the aforementioned apps on their phones will still be able to access them. However, they can't be redownloaded if deleted or restored to a new device. Additionally, in-app purchases and new subscriptions are no longer possible.
This comes as the newest chapter in the fray between the United States and ByteDance that began in mid-2020, under the Trump administration. For the next few years, notably the first of President Biden's administration, it seemed as though the TikTok ban was off the table. Then, in April 2024, President Biden signed a law requiring ByteDance to divest TikTok ownership to a U.S. buyer within nine months.
