On Saturday evening, the popular app TikTok vanished, pulling its services from American app stores. The next day, following assurances from soon-to-be President Trump, TikTok resumed its services for U.S. users. However, its applications remain unavailable on App Stores, even after Trump issued an executive order to postpone the enforcement of a ban on the app.

As the impending ban approached, guidance was provided to Android users on how to continue accessing TikTok after the ban went into effect. The method discussed was sideloading, a process that allows users to install apps not found in official app repositories such as Google Play Store. This means that if users did not manage to download TikTok before the shutdown, it might still be available through alternative online platforms.

However, sideloading comes with risks. Due to Google’s robust app verification processes, many dangerous applications are filtered out. But when sideloading from untrusted sources, the chance of facing malware increases significantly. Fortunately, there are trustworthy sites for sideloading, such as APKMirror, known for its thorough verification of developers for every app listed. Therefore, APKMirror was previously recommended for those wanting to sideload TikTok after the ban.

However, this option is no longer available. Current attempts to find TikTok on APKMirror will result in immediate blockage, displaying the following notice:

Credit: Jake Peterson

This is not a technical glitch but a direct response to the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, the legislation that prohibits TikTok in the United States. Similar restrictions also apply to Lemon8, another trending lifestyle app affiliated with TikTok. While searches for Lemon8 may still work, attempting to access specific apps will yield the same blockage notification.

Interestingly, APKMirror has not imposed similar restrictions on other apps affiliated with TikTok, such as CapCut or Marvel Snap. Even though these applications are also barred from official stores while the legislation is active, APKMirror still allows users to search for and download them. As of now, users can still access an updated version of CapCut from January 22 and Marvel Snap from January 14.

Is the Law Truly Being Enforced?

The current block highlights the volatile situation surrounding the TikTok ban. Legally, the ban was enacted on Sunday, January 19. Passed by Congress, endorsed by President Biden, and upheld by the Supreme Court, it grants the President a 90-day window to delay the enforcement if ByteDance appears to be selling the app. However, the deadline for this grace period has long since lapsed, raising questions about the legitimacy of any attempts to delay the law’s implementation.

While companies like TikTok and its data traffic partners, including Oracle, seem to believe that Trump holds the power to postpone enforcement and continue operations legally during this period, APKMirror appears more cautious by allowing downloads for certain TikTok-related applications but not TikTok itself.

For those wishing to access TikTok again, options are few and far between if the app wasn’t downloaded prior to the ban. A practical suggestion is to utilize the web app, which, while not a perfect solution—especially on mobile devices—provides an alternative to downloading dubious applications that could contain harmful software.