Following a brief ban on TikTok in the United States, the popular app is now available for direct download as an APK while remaining blocked from the Google Play Store.
When TikTok was officially banned in January, the app was down for just a few hours before coming back online. However, the app has since been removed from the Google Play Store, with a message saying the app is “unavailable” appearing when searching for TikTok.
This situation continues to this day, several weeks later, meaning Android users cannot use the app unless it is already installed, as new downloads are still blocked.
In a Twitter/X post, TikTok announced that it has opened up direct APK downloads for its Android app, as well as a “Lite” version.
TikTok explains:
Since TikTok is temporarily unavailable for download in app stores in the United States, we're improving ways for you to continue using TikTok if you don't already have the app installed on your mobile device.
We have created an Android Package Kit (APK) for TikTok and TikTok Lite is available for download on Android devices. TikTok Lite is an app that offers an alternative way to experience TikTok on your mobile device, with fewer features to optimize performance and save storage space. You can watch, follow, and interact with creators or create your own posts, but some features like LIVE and TikTok Shop are not available.
Sideloading Android apps also comes with some potential security risks, so users should make sure they only download directly from TikTok's website .
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