TikTok remains unavailable on the US Apple App Store and Google Play, but Android users can still download it through sideloading. The platform has officially made its Android Package Kit (APK) available for direct download via its website, as announced by the TikTok Policy account on Twitter. While most companies discourage sideloading, TikTok is making an exception due to its unique situation.
The app briefly went offline on January 19, just before a law banning TikTok in the US—unless its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, sells it to a US-based entity—took effect. Under this regulation, Apple and Google must remove TikTok from their stores or face fines of $5,000 per US download. Although TikTok quickly restored access to its platform, the app remains absent from major app marketplaces.
President Donald Trump had previously signed an executive order delaying the enforcement of the ban by 75 days, extending ByteDance’s deadline to secure a buyer until April. Trump has since assigned Vice President J.D. Vance to oversee negotiations for a potential sale. While ByteDance has consistently denied intentions to sell, one of its major investors recently suggested that a deal would be in “everybody’s interest.” Several companies and high-profile individuals—including Perplexity AI and content creator MrBeast—have expressed interest in acquiring TikTok’s US operations.
Stay tuned for updates as the situation unfolds!
We also recommend;
- Trump Confirms Microsoft in Talks to Acquire TikTok’s U.S. Operations
- ByteDance and TikTok: Meta Edits launch
- Ontario Cancels $100M Starlink Deal Amid U.S. Tariffs
- UK Pushes for Stronger Oversight of Microsoft and AWS Cloud Services
- President Trump Overturns Biden’s AI Regulation Order
- Trump’s Executive Order to Prioritize Cryptocurrency: Bitcoin Surpasses $100,000 Amid Policy Shift
