The TikTok Refugee Survival Guide

Latest: TikTok is Back! President-elect Trump said Sunday he will issue an executive order to postpone the ban on TikTok and give its Chinese-based company ByteDance more time to divest from the platform."I’m asking companies not to let TikTok stay dark! I will issue an executive order on Monday to extend the period of time before the law’s prohibitions take effect, so that we can make a deal to protect our national security. The order will also confirm that there will be no liability for any company that helped keep TikTok from going dark before my order.Americans deserve to see our exciting Inauguration on Monday, as well as other events and conversations.I would like the United States to have a 50% ownership position in a joint venture. By doing this, we save TikTok, keep it in good hands and allow it to say up. Without U.S. approval, there is no Tik Tok. With our approval, it is worth hundreds of billions of dollars - maybe trillions.Therefore, my initial thought is a joint venture between the current owners and/or new owners whereby the U.S. gets a 50% ownership in a joint venture set up between the U.S. and whichever purchase we so choose."

Update: Trump signaled he would "most likely" issue a 90-day extension on the TikTok ban, saying an announcement would "probably" come Monday, though he did not definitively say whether he would do so.

Update: Leaders at Oracle, the main cloud computing provider for TikTok's U.S. operations, told some staff to prepare to shut down servers that host U.S. TikTok data as soon as 9 p.m. ET on Jan.19 (0200 GMT on Sunday) in advance of ban from Sunday.

Update: TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew posted a message expressing his confidence that President-elect Trump would find a resolution ... (See details)

Update: Supreme court upholds law that would ban TikTok in the U.S. (See details)

Update: Biden will NOT enforce TikTok ban on January 19, 2025 (See details)

On January 19, 2025, a nationwide TikTok ban officially took effect, prohibiting internet service providers and app stores from offering the app. As a result, TikTok displayed a message to American users, stating that they cannot use TikTok for the time being due to a law set to take effect on Sunday.

This is the original countdown timer, which has officially been reset to zero.

    But here's the thing—they can't shut us up. Not now, not ever.

    That’s why this TikTok Refugee guide is here: to gather everything you need—hacks, alternatives, and funny (and kinda tough) moments about what’s happening.

    Just remember, you’re not alone in this.


    Turning Ban into Plan

    You can’t just say "game over." The second they drop the ban, we pick up new moves.

    There’s always a way to keep scrolling, creating, and enjoying the endless chaos of TikTok—but yeah, it’s gonna get tricky.

    Why Tricky?

    Here’s the deal:

    1. TikTok Pulled from App Stores: TikTok will vanish from the U.S. App Store and Google Play, meaning no new downloads or updates.

    2. (Very Likely) TikTok Blocked on US IP: Even if you’ve already got the app, it won’t open on regular internet in the U.S.

    Now What?

    Two vibes: find an alternative or make TikTok work no matter what.


    TikTok Alternatives in States

    There’s always an alternative—maybe this ban’s just a weird way of pushing us to explore a whole new world. Here are some suggestions:

    Update: As of January 19, 2025, Lemon8 has also been removed from both the App Store and Google Play.

    AppOwner CountryData CountryRating
    RedNoteChinaChina⭐⭐⭐⭐
    Lemon8SingaporeUS⭐⭐⭐
    ShortsUSUS⭐⭐
    ReelsUSUS⭐⭐

    RedNote ⭐⭐⭐⭐

    Ready to open your eyes to the real world?

    • How playful and friendly everyone is!

    • Enjoy memo, cat tax, homework exchange, and more!

    • Learn from others, not living in a bubble.

    • Don’t talk politics—no one wants the country drama.

    Lemon8 ⭐⭐⭐

    ByteDance’s official alternative to TikTok.

    • A mix of Pinterest and TikTok.

    • A laid-back community for lifestyle lovers.

    • Attracts a pretty young crowd—mostly girls?

    • Raised concerns about potential risks due to its ties to ByteDance.

    Youtube Shorts ⭐⭐

    Where it swears you’ll love what it throws at you.

    • Could be better if it stopped pretending to be TikTok.

    Instagram Reels ⭐⭐

    The place where TikToks go for their second life.

    • Nothing special, it’s what you’ve already got.

    Still reading? Worried about privacy? Not ready to try an alternative? Fair enough. Kind of weird, though—why can’t a big US company come up with something even close to TikTok?


    Keep Using TikTok

    TikTok is special.

    From its days as Musical.ly to now, it’s been with us for years—shaping memories, bringing warmth, laughter, creativity, and connections we never thought possible. We call ourselves TikTok Refugees because we can’t forget what it gave us—a place to be seen, heard, and truly ourselves.

    Let’s ensure our TikTok lifes continue, whatever happens.

    1. Get Ready for the Ban

    • Make sure your TikTok app (iOS or Android) is downloaded and logged in.

    • Double-check your email/phone and password.

    • If the ban really happens, download all your past data through TikTok’s official website: your memories deserve to be saved.

    tiktok banned
    unblock tiktok

    2. Get Your VPN Ready

    • If the ban hits, TikTok might go completely dark for U.S. IPs.

    • Make sure you’ve got a reliable VPN that can unlock TikTok.

    • Canada and the UK are top picks for VPN servers.

    • Now fire up your VPN and reconnect TikTok. Who knows? Your For You page might just start working its magic again.

    3. What If TikTok Won’t Come Back (Worst-Case)?

    You’ll need to set up a new Apple Store or Google Play account in the VPN server’s country (like Canada or the UK). Here’s what to do (don’t worry, iOS and Android screenshots are on the way):

    1. Sign out your current Apple/Google account: remember just signing out of the store section.

    2. Log out of your current TikTok account as well. Then delete the app—but only after you’ve backed up your data in Step 1!

    3. Go to your app store settings and change your region to Canada or the UK.

    4. Use a new email to create an Apple/Google account in the region you’ve switched to.

    5. Re-download TikTok using your new app store account—it’ll now show up in the search results.

    6. Turn on your VPN and open TikTok. Register a brand-new account with a fresh email, and you’re good to go!

    This is what we know so far—it’s all just our best guess for now. But hey, miracles can happen, right? If things do take a turn for the worse, we’ll keep updating with every possible workaround. Stay tuned, and don’t lose hope!


    Latest News

    Jan. 18, 2025 TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew posted a message expressing his confidence that President-elect Trump would find a resolution ...

    Jan. 17, 2025 Supreme court upholds law that would ban TikTok in the U.S.

    Jan. 17, 2025 Biden won't enforce TikTok ban

    Jan. 17, 2025 Trump considers suspending TikTok ban enforcement

    Jan. 17, 2025 CNN Reports: TikTok is preparing to shut down in the US

    Jan. 16, 2025 Over half a million “TikTok refugees” have flocked to China’s RedNote. Here’s what real users are saying:

    Maryo1967

    "something that's me having a hang on having a conversation with someone in China in Chinese they said hello welcome what are you drinking I don't know why I'm being so emotional and then I said back hello..."

    maryo1967 on rednote
    maryo1967 on rednote

    Ellis Stone

    "They want people from the two strongest countries to hate each other but we have learned we have a lot in common"

    ellis stone on rednote

    @thatseth23

    "The whole xiaohongshu (RedNote) thing is so much bigger than I think A lot of us realise. This is a historic moment that does not happen often. The citizens of two rivalling countries are coming together in solidarity and sharing culture with each other. This is a beautiful moment in human history and unlike all of the historical events we as millennials and GEN Z have lived through, this one is actually a good one"

    thatseth23 on xiaohongshu

    Jan. 10 2025 There’s a hilarious chart making the rounds on TikTok.

    tiktok ban

    Hit Us Up

    Got questions or ideas? We’re here to listen: drop us a message anytime.

    © TikUp.us All rights reserved.