Google Play announced on Thursday that it had reinstated TikTok to the US app store, following promises by President Donald Trump to keep the app operational and an executive action that delayed the enforcement of a ban on the popular platform.
According to Bloomberg and CNBC, Apple also restored TikTok to its app store on Thursday evening.
CNN confirmed that the app was available for download on various phones as of that time.
TikTok’s uncertain fate stemmed from a law signed by former President Joe Biden in April, which gave the Chinese-owned ByteDance 270 days to sell the app to a US-based or allied owner, or face a potential ban due to national security concerns.
On the eve of the blackout, the Supreme Court upheld the ban.
In January, TikTok experienced a brief 14-hour shutdown, but the company attributed its quick return to President Trump’s pledges to protect the app’s availability in the US.
However, users were still faced with a significant issue, TikTok was no longer available on Apple and Google Play stores, along with its sister apps, Lemon8 and CapCut, both owned by ByteDance.
Apple had previously explained that the app was removed from the store due to the ban but remained accessible for those who had already downloaded it.
Before taking office, Trump had indicated he would issue an executive order to delay the enforcement of the ban. TikTok credited him for its comeback.
In a Truth Social post on January 19, Trump said, “I will issue an executive order on Monday to extend the period of time before the law’s prohibitions take effect, so that we can make a deal to protect our national security.”
He added that TikTok’s technology partners, including Apple, Google, and cloud service provider Oracle, would not face liability for continuing to make the app available until the order was signed.
The law required that these technology partners, including Oracle (which hosts TikTok’s content in the US) and Apple and Google (which host the app on their stores), stop supporting TikTok or face fines of up to $5,000 per user starting the following Sunday.
Trump, who took office on January 20, signed the executive order that day, granting TikTok another 75 days to find a new owner.
The executive order noted that the delay would allow the Trump administration time to “determine the appropriate course forward in an orderly way that protects national security while avoiding an abrupt shutdown of a communications platform used by millions of Americans.”
Trump later explained his change of heart, saying, “I got to use it… And remember, TikTok is largely about kids, young kids.” He added, “If China is going to get information about young kids out of it, to be honest, I think we have bigger problems than that.”
Trump also noted that the order gave him the authority to either “sell it or close it,” stating, “I have the right to either sell it or close it, and we’ll make that determination.”
