TikTok US Ban: VPN Workaround for Unrestricted Access

TikTok was banned for a short while on January 19th, but the servers got back up after just a few hours. The platform issued a message stating that they got assurance from President Trump that they won't be facing penalties for continuing their service.

However, it doesn't mean that Trump unblocked TikTok for good - he just extended the period before the law takes effect.

Since the future of TikTok is unclear or if you still can't access US servers on the platform, continue reading to find out all about how to bypass the TikTok ban in the US.

Why is TikTok getting banned in the US?

TikTok is set to be banned on January 19th because US lawmakers are concerned with their citizens’ privacy and security on the platform. This is because the platform’s parent company ByteDance is headquartered in China. Here’s what we know so far about the allegations that could have led to the TikTok ban as reported by Reuters:

• Data sharing concerns. The FBI Director Chris Wray called TikTok a “national security threat.” He claimed that its parent company could be forced to share the user data of American citizens with the Chinese government.
• Content influence. The FBI is concerned that TikTok could be used to manipulate what content American users see.
• Harm to minors. Eight US states started an investigation in 2022 on whether TikTok is harmful to children and whether the company was aware of it.
• Journalist surveillance. In 2022, ByteDance found that employees spied on two Buzzfeed and Financial Times reporters, Reuters discovered.

TikTok has taken measures to ensure more transparency for US users. In January 2023, the company announced that they moved US citizen data to American servers.

However, on January 10th, 2025, the Supreme Court seemed skeptical and likely to uphold the ban decision unless ByteDance sells TikTok to a non-Chinese company (source: The Guardian).

Why did TikTok get restored?

TikTok’s US servers were restored just a few hours after the ban on January 19th. This was after President Trump extended the time for the law to take place until he finds the right US buyer.

TikTok has come out with a statement thanking Trump for ensuring there will be no penalties for the platform’s early return:

“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.”

– TikTok (source: Politico)

The platform was temporarily removed from the Apple Store and Google Play Store. That’s because the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act (PAFACA) prohibited distributing, maintaining, or updating TikTok within the US.

The same rules applied to Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and the official website was restricted from access in the US. So, accessing the platform using the browser was not possible too unless you used a VPN.

Note: Whether TikTok is back for good depends on whether Trump will find a US buyer for the platform.

How to use TikTok after the ban

If TikTok gets banned again, there are a few ways you can use it. You’ll still be able to access the app if you’ve already downloaded it, but it won’t work for long because you won’t be able to update it.

That’s why we recommend getting a high-quality VPN, like ExpressVPN, to access the app from anywhere and at any time. VPNs change your virtual location to a country of your choice, giving you that region’s IP address. This makes it appear like you’re connecting from another country, and you can access TikTok without restrictions.

So, let’s take a look at all methods on how to bypass the TikTok ban in the US.

Download or update the app prior to the ban

When an app is banned in a country, it doesn’t automatically disappear from your smartphone. So, keep the app on your phone or download it before the ban day if you’ve already removed it.

And if you have the app, make sure to update it before January 19. After that, TikTok won’t be able to release new updates for US users. This means that any of the new features or performance and security updates that the app releases you won’t be able to take advantage of. In time, this can make the app slow, buggy, and completely unusable.

Unblock the TikTok app on the Apple Store

You can use a VPN to get an IP address of another country and change the location of your Apple Store account to download and update the app whenever you need.

Here’s a full guide on how to access TikTok on your iPhone:

1. Choose a VPN service with a large server fleet. We suggest ExpressVPN.
2. Download the app, sign up, and connect to a server in a country where TikTok is available.
3. While connected, go to iPhone Settings and click your name.
4. Go to Media & purchases > View Account > Country/Region.
5. Pick a new country and follow the setup instructions.
6. Once you change the location, open the App Store to check if TikTok is available.

If you change your TikTok location but it doesn’t work, create a new free Apple account while connected to the VPN instead.

Tip: Before you change your region, you first have to spend the remaining Apple account balance. You must also cancel any subscriptions if they’re not supported in the country you’re changing to and have a valid payment method for that region.

Unblock the TikTok app on Google Play Store

If you’re an Android user, you can unblock TikTok after the ban by changing the Google Play Store location. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to do it:

1. Download a VPN service with a large server network. ExpressVPN was the best during our tests.
2. Sign up for the VPN app and connect to a server where TikTok is available.
3. While connected, go to the Google Play Store, click your profile icon, and go to Settings.
4. Head to General > Account and device preferences.
5. Select the same country you connected to and follow the setup instructions.

Note: this method can cause you to lose access to some of the apps you already have if they’re not available in the selected region.

Access TikTok from the browser

While ISPs will block access to TikTok in the US, you can use a VPN app to bypass restrictions. Using a VPN requires no technical knowledge. Here’s a detailed guide on how to access TikTok with it:

1. Get a VPN service that has servers in countries where TikTok is available. ExpressVPN worked best for us.
2. Download the app and sign up.
3. Click the three-dot icon to find a list of countries and choose any location where TikTok is available.
4. Open the tiktok.com website and start watching.

We suggest using Canadian servers to access the social media platform because they’re closest to the US. This ensures the best performance and no buffering while watching videos.

Will the TikTok ban happen?

Although TikTok was banned for just a few hours, President Trump pledged to delay the ban for now. However, if he doesn’t find a buyer for the platform, the app will still be banned.

Days before the ban, Congressman Mike Waltz said that President Trump is planning to find a way to save TikTok before the set date of the ban, according to BBC. On January 19th, Trump delayed the ban to get time and find a US company to buy TikTok.

Although TikTok denied the consideration to sell its US operations, according to BBC, it appears that the company could have changed their minds.

Users are bringing up Mr Beast as the potential buyer since the creator has made a statement that he’s meeting with a bunch of billionaires to make it happen. Additionally, he changed his TikTok bio to “New CEO of TikTok?”

Others are speculating whether Meta is already in the works to buy TikTok. However, none of the buyers are officially confirmed.