TikTok Returns to the US Market: Downloading and Installing the App

If you need to download and install TikTok in the US, you can do so on Android devices, even though the app is not yet available on the Google Play Store. In a recent tweet, the TikTok Policy account announced that the service has made Android Package Kits available for download through its official website. This move allows US Android users to download the app and continue using it.

Background on the App’s Availability in the US

The app briefly went offline on January 19, following an executive order by President Donald Trump that banned TikTok in the US unless its parent company, ByteDance, sells it to an owner based in the country. Under this law, the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store are required to remove the app’s listing if they don’t want to face a fine of $5,000 for every user in the US who downloads the app. However, TikTok quickly restored access to its service, but its app has yet to reappear on Google’s and Apple’s stores in the US.

TikTok’s Response to the Ban

In a tweet, the TikTok Policy account announced that the company is enhancing ways for its community to continue using TikTok by making Android Package Kits available at a specific website. This move allows US Android users to download the app and create, discover, and connect on TikTok.

Background on the Executive Order and Potential Sale

One of the executive orders signed by President Trump put a 75-day pause on the law that banned the app, giving ByteDance until April to reach a deal. Trump has reportedly put Vice President J.D. Vance in charge of negotiating a potential sale before the deadline. ByteDance has repeatedly stated that it has no plans to sell the social media app, but one of the company’s biggest investors recently said that a deal is in "everybody’s interest." Several companies and individuals have already expressed their intention to purchase TikTok in the US, including Perplexity AI and MrBeast.

Conclusion

TikTok has made Android Package Kits available for download through its official website, allowing US Android users to continue using the app. The company’s response to the ban and the potential sale of the app will be closely watched in the coming weeks and months.