After nearly a month of absence, TikTok has returned to Apple’s App Store and Google Play Store in the U.S., despite continued legal and political scrutiny over its Chinese ownership.
The reinstatement follows a letter from the U.S. Department of Justice to Apple, reportedly assuring the company that there would be no immediate enforcement of the federal ban. However, some users still could not find the app in the App Store as of Thursday evening.
Owned by Beijing-based ByteDance, TikTok was removed from app stores last month in response to a federal ban aimed at pressuring the company to sell its U.S. operations to an American entity. While existing users could still access the platform, new downloads were blocked.
TikTok has been at the center of a geopolitical battle between the U.S. and China, with lawmakers raising concerns that the app could be used for data harvesting or influence campaigns by the Chinese Communist Party.
The bipartisan push for tighter restrictions led to legislation requiring ByteDance to sell TikTok’s U.S. operations or face a permanent ban. However, former President Donald Trump’s stance on the issue has shifted. While initially a strong advocate for banning TikTok, he later acknowledged that the platform had helped him connect with young voters during his campaign.
Under the new law, TikTok must secure a deal with a U.S. buyer to continue operating in the country. Trump has suggested that the company could operate under a joint venture with at least 50% U.S. ownership and warned that China’s interference could result in steep tariffs.
TikTok has consistently denied sharing user data with Beijing and has worked to distance itself from its Chinese parent company, including establishing U.S.-based operations and hiring American executives.
For now, TikTok’s return to the app stores means millions of U.S. users can continue using the platform without disruption. However, its long-term future remains uncertain as negotiations over its ownership continue.
