After being offline for just over 12 hours, TikTok announced on Sunday afternoon via an X post that it is working on restoring service in the U.S.

“In collaboration with our service providers, we are actively restoring TikTok’s operations,” stated the TikTok Policy X account. “We appreciate President Trump for providing clarity and confidence to our service providers, assuring them there will be no penalties for continuing to offer TikTok to more than 170 million Americans and supporting over seven million small businesses. This represents a strong commitment to the First Amendment and a stand against arbitrary censorship. We are committed to collaborating with President Trump on a long-term solution that secures TikTok’s presence in the United States.”

By Sunday afternoon, users experienced varied access levels; some were able to fully use the platform via web browsers and the mobile app, while others only had partial access to the app but could view the complete website.

As of Sunday afternoon, TikTok remained unavailable for download in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

What Led to TikTok’s Ban in the US?

The app became inaccessible on Saturday night, right before the new legislation banning it took effect on Sunday. Users attempting to access TikTok through web browsers or the app encountered a pop-up warning them of the ban.

“A law prohibiting TikTok is now in effect. Unfortunately, this means you cannot use TikTok at this time,” read the pop-up message displayed on the TikTok app and website. “Fortunately, President Trump has expressed willingness to work with us to find a solution to reinstate TikTok once he assumes office. Please stay tuned for updates!”

The ban was established by a law signed by President Joe Biden last spring. Concerns about national security, particularly regarding ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, have been raised for several years. Officials worry that ByteDance, which is based in Beijing, may share American user data with the Chinese government.

Can Trump ‘Save’ TikTok?

Although President-elect Donald Trump had initially supported banning TikTok during his first term, he is now looking to “save” the platform.

In an interview with NBC News last week, Trump revealed he plans to issue an executive order on Monday afternoon — shortly after his second inauguration — to temporarily pause the ban.

On his social media platform Truth Social, Trump further detailed his intentions regarding the forthcoming order. It will “extend the timeframe before the law’s restrictions go into effect, allowing us to negotiate on national security measures.”

He emphasized that the order would also ensure that companies facilitating TikTok’s operation prior to his executive order would not face penalties.

If Trump follows through with his plan for an executive order on Monday, the TikTok restrictions would last less than 48 hours. He did not clarify on Sunday how long the extension might last, although he mentioned to NBC’s Kristen Welker on Saturday that it would “most likely” be a 90-day period.

Is Accessing TikTok Illegal?

While accessing TikTok is not illegal for users, the same cannot be said for internet hosting services and app stores distributing the app under the federal ban.

According to the Biden administration’s legislation, it became illegal for internet hosting services and app stores to offer TikTok starting Sunday. However, TikTok Policy maintains that internet hosting providers will not face repercussions for reinstating the platform under Trump’s administration.

Federal law stipulates that companies could incur fines of $5,000 for each user they assist in accessing TikTok.

For Google and Apple, this could translate to a $5,000 penalty for each user who downloads or updates the app via their services. For internet hosting providers like Oracle, it could mean a $5,000 fine for every user who simply accesses the app through their platforms.

Neither Google, Apple, nor Oracle provided immediate comments when approached by YSL News on Sunday.

This story was updated to include new developments.

Contributing: Savannah Kuchar, Aysha Bagchi, and Maureen Groppe

Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at YSL News. Follow her on X and Instagram @gretalcross.