After a tense weekend of wondering if TikTok would be actually banned — which included it briefly going dark for a few hours on Jan. 18 before its quick comeback barely 14 hours later — it’s been difficult to keep up with what’s going on. For many, the beloved app has returned and seems to be operating as usual, but if you’re like me and deleted the app after it was shut down in the United States, you may still be unable to reinstall it. So, why can’t you redownload TikTok, and is there a way to work around this issue? Let’s get into it.
Based on my experience, if you have an iOS device and try to reinstall the program by searching for TikTok in the App Store, you will not find it available. Instead, you will be shown a message that reads, “TikTok and other ByteDance apps are not available in the country or region you’re in,” and if you continue to click “learn more,” you will be sent to an Apple support article that explains why the app is still not available for download in greater detail. Part of the statement says, “Apple is obligated to follow the laws in the jurisdictions where it operates. Pursuant to the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, apps developed by ByteDance Ltd. and its subsidiaries — including TikTok, CapCut, Lemon8, and others — will no longer be available for download or updates on the App Store for users in the United States starting January 19, 2025.” This may be due to the fact that the law that implements the TikTok ban is still technically in effect; it’s just not being enforced for the time being, as President Donald Trump has taken steps to delay the ban.
For users who did not delete the TikTok app in the first place, the app has remained on their devices and should still be working; however, in-app purchases and new subscriptions are no longer allowed, nor are new app updates. For those who removed it, it may take some time TikTok is reinstated on your app store of choice… unless you try a workaround.
People who deleted TikTok searching for it in the App Store: pic.twitter.com/aFctN7nftJ
— NUFF (@nuffsaidny) January 19, 2025
If you’re impatient like me and can’t wait to send your friends all the TikToks you thought you’d never be able to see again, waiting for it to return to the app store just simply isn’t an option. One option could be to use a VPN — which you can find in the app store — to regain access to TikTok. Once you have your VPN, you can set its location to somewhere outside the United States. Once completed, you can click on your account profile, and under the “country/region” option, update your location to the same place you selected for your VPN. Once you’ve modified that, TikTok should appear in your download search results. Once the app has been downloaded, you should be able to return your location back to the United States and sign in, and TikTok should be secured again on your phone (for the time being, of course, since the app’s future in the U.S. is still very up in the air).