The TikTok app is still absent from the Google and Apple app stores over a week after it was taken down.
Following the implementation of the US ban-or-divest law last weekend, which caused the service to go down in the US, the app was removed from both stores. The app did not reappear in either mobile store, even though TikTok returned on the internet shortly after the ban. It is uncertain whether President Donald Trump’s executive order that refuses to enforce the ban genuinely eliminates the possibility that Apple and Google will have to pay billions of dollars in fines if they make TikTok available.
Several attempts for comment regarding whether or when the app could be made available again have not received a response from Apple or Google. There have been no comments subsequently, while Apple and Google have made statements regarding the withdrawal of TikTok and other ByteDance-owned apps including Lemon8 and Marvel Snap.
The creator of Marvel Snap, Second Dinner, said on X on Friday night, “Our current estimation is that Marvel Snap will be back in the app stores as early as next week barring any setbacks.” TikTok did not immediately respond to a request for comment either. In response to a question on Bluesky on the upcoming improvements for next month, Second Dinner co-founder Ben Brode stated, “we’re hoping to have it back before then,” without providing any other context.
TikTok’s absence essentially means that you can’t install the app for the first time without going through a lot of hassles, as these app stores are the main source of software for many people. Additionally, it means they are unable to release updates to fix faults, including possible security holes, or introduce new features.
However, TikTok should function normally for you if you had the app installed on your phone prior to the restriction taking effect. While some are attempting to sell used phones that still have the TikTok software installed, most people should still be able to use TikTok on your phone or via a browser.
