Why is TikTok working right now in the US?

On January 20, 2025By Littum

PARIS, FRANCE – MARCH 05: In this photo illustration, the logo of the social media application Tik Tok … (+) shown on the screen of an iPhone on March 5, 2019 in Paris, France.

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It was fast. TikTok appears to be back online in the US after it went dark in the late hours of Saturday ahead of the looming ban on January 19. But why is TikTok working again and is it still banned from operating in the US? Here’s everything to know so far.

Access to TikTok’s content slowly began to return on Sunday afternoon, though it remained limited through web browsers and for users who already had the app installed on their devices. TikTok is currently still unavailable to many in the Apple and Google app stores.

The country had been bracing for a TikTok ban, which became a reality on Friday when the US Supreme Court unanimously upheld a law requiring TikTok to either separate from its China-based parent company, ByteDance, or be removed from US app stores and hosting services . starting January 19.

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On Saturday, creators flooded TikTok with emotional farewell videos, sharing secrets and uploading nostalgic drafts in anticipation of the ban. Then, when the app went dark around 10:30 PM ET on January 18, users took to platforms like X and Instagram to express their disappointment and outrage at the unexpected early shutdown.

So what happens now? Why is TikTok suddenly up and running again? Here’s everything you need to know so far.

Why is TikTok working right now?

WASHINGTON, DC – AUGUST 07: This photo illustration shows the TikTok app on an Apple … (+) iPhone on August 7, 2020 in Washington, DC. On Thursday evening, President Donald Trump signed an executive order banning any transaction between the parent company of TikTok, ByteDance, and US citizens due to national security reasons. The president signed a separate executive order banning transactions with Chinese technology company Tencent, which owns the app WeChat. Both orders are set to take effect in 45 days. (Photo illustration by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

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TikTok is officially back in business in the US following President-elect Donald Trump’s promise to suspend the ban as soon as he takes office on Monday.

“Welcome back! Thank you for your patience and support,” reads a pop-up message on TikTok. “As a result of President Trump’s efforts, TikTok is back in the US! You can continue to create, share and discover all the things you love on TikTok.”

The announcement came shortly after TikTok confirmed via a statement on X at 12:27 PM on January 19 that it was actively working to restore service to its 170 million US users.

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“In agreement with our service providers, TikTok is in the process of restoring service. We thank President Trump for providing the necessary clarity and assurance to our service providers that they will not face any sanctions providing TikTok to over 170 million Americans and empowers over 7 million small businesses to thrive,” the statement said.

The app added: “It is a strong stand for the First Amendment and against arbitrary censorship. We will work with President Trump on a long-term solution that keeps TikTok in the US.”

On Sunday morning, the app showed another message to US users, saying they were “working to restore our service in the US as soon as possible” after shutting down in the US the night before.

Will Trump end the TikTok ban?

WASHINGTON, DC – NOVEMBER 13: US President-elect Donald Trump speaks at a House Republican … (+) Conference Session at the Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill on November 13, 2024 in Washington, DC. As is tradition for incoming presidents, Trump will travel to Washington, DC to meet with US President Joe Biden at the White House as well as Republican members of Congress on Capitol Hill. (Photo by Allison Robbert-Pool/Getty Images)

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TikTok appears to be available again to US users after Trump offered assurances to the company’s service providers, including Apple and Google, that they face massive fines for each user who downloads the app under the ban.

Just hours before TikTok began restoring its service, Trump announced on Truth Social that he planned to issue an executive order on Monday to extend the deadline for ByteDance to sell the app.

“I will issue an executive order on Monday to extend the period before the law’s ban goes into effect so we can make an agreement to protect our national security. The order will also confirm that there will be no liability for any company that helped prevent TikTok from going dark prior to my order,” he wrote.

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In April, President Joe Biden signed a law banning US app stores from hosting TikTok unless its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, relinquishes ownership. However, the current president has the option to extend the ban for 90 days if certain conditions are met.

As Forbes reported, if Trump were to pause the law without presenting actual evidence that ByteDance is selling, the executive order may not be legally sound, “meaning it could be challenged in court and the ban could kick in force anyway — or companies like Apple and Google could still take TikTok off their app stores regardless of what Trump says to avoid any potential legal liability.”

Another possibility is for Trump to declare that TikTok complies with the law regardless of whether it has divested ByteDance, University of Minnesota law professor Alan Rozenshtein said. told Forbes.