Surprise! TikTok Service Returns Service to American Users

America survived roughly 13 hours without TikTok!

In a surprise move, TikTok restored app functionality to its American users just hours after it went dark on Sunday (Jan. 19). Only users who have previously downloaded the app can access its content and it is currently unavailable in the Apple and Google Play stores. At 12:27 PM ET, TikTok released a statement via X (formerly Twitter) regarding its service.

"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 face no penalties providing TikTok to over 170 million Americans and allowing over 7 million small businesses to thrive," it read. "It’s 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 United States."

Prior to the return of the short-form video app, Trump shared via Truth Social that he wanted the app to be available so he can stream his inauguration on it when he goes into office on Monday (Jan. 20).

“I will issue an executive order on Monday to extend the period of time before the law’s prohibitions take effect, so that we can make a deal to protect our national security," Trump wrote. "The order will also confirm that there will be no liability for any company that helped keep TikTok from going dark before my order."

In his legnthy statement, Trump also suggested that America should buy 50% of the company to "save TikTok." Trump claimed that with their approval, it can be worth "hundreds of billions of dollars - maybe trillions," despite AP's report that in a best case scenario, it would be worth roughly $200 billion.

Trump's executive order will grant ByteDance (the owner of TikTok) a 90-day extension before the ban is enforced, unless the company is sold to a non-Chinese buyer.

Reactions to the news of its return were mixed, as those who deleted the app for extra storage space, will not be able to re-download the app (though TikTok is available on browsers).

See social media reactions to TikTok's return, below.