APKMirror Is Blocking Android Users From Sideloading TikTok

On Saturday night, TikTok went dark, and pulled its products from app stores in the United States. The following day, citing assurances from incoming-President Trump, TikTok returned service to American users, but its apps are still missing from App Stores—even after Trump signed an executive order delaying enforcing the law that bans TikTok.

As we got closer to the ban, I advised our Android readers of a way to download TikTok post-ban: sideloading. While you need to be careful doing it, sideloading lets you install apps that aren’t present on official app stores, like Google’s Play Store, meaning if you missed your window to download TikTok before last Saturday night, it was still available through other online sources.

Again, sideloading apps can be risky. Google might not catch every bad app, but they do have stringent filters that protect users from many malicious programs. Depending on where you’re downloading your apps from, you may be far less protected while sideloading, and putting yourself at greater risk of encountering malware. There are reliable sideloading platforms out there, however. One of them is APKMirror, which verifies the identity of all developers whose apps are hosted on the site. As such, I recommended APKMirror for any Android users looking to sideload TikTok following the ban.

As it happens, that’s no longer possible. If you try to search for TikTok on APKMirror right now, you’ll immediately be blocked, and see the following message:

It’s clear this isn’t a glitch, nor is it a subtle block. APKMirror specifically says TikTok downloads are blocked because of the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act—the law that bans TikTok in the U.S. It’s a similar situation for Lemon8, a popular lifestyle app from TikTok. While you can current search for Lemon8, clicking on any of the apps in the results delivers the same message as above.

Interestingly, APKMirror hasn’t blocked downloads of other popular TikTok apps, like CapCut or Marvel Snap. Those apps are also barred from official app stores while the law is in effect, but APKMirror still allows you to search for and download them. As of this writing, you can download a version of CapCut last updated Jan. 22, and a version of Marvel Snap last updated Jan. 14.

The law isn’t being enforced, but is that legal?

The block speaks to the precarious nature of the TikTok ban. As written, the law has been in effect since Sunday, Jan. 19. The law was passed by Congress, signed by President Biden, and even affirmed by the Supreme Court as constitutional. It gives the president the power to delay the ban by 90 days if it appears that ByteDance is actively working to sell the app, but the law’s deadline has already come and passed. It’s not clear what power Trump really has to delay enforcing the law in this case.

Some entities, like TikTok and the companies that host its traffic (including Oracle), clearly think Trump has the authority to delay this enforcement, and are continuing operations in the U.S. while the law is in effect. Others, like APKMirror, appear to be taking a more cautious approach—allowing downloads for certain TikTok apps, but not TikTok itself.

Whatever the case, at the moment, there appear to be few safe ways to download TikTok onto your smartphone if you didn’t grab it before the ban. My advice, if you want to use the service, is to simply use the web app. It’s far from ideal, especially on mobile, but it’s far better than downloading a virus-riddled “TikTok” from a shady source online.