The phrase “banned in the US” hides a lot of detail. A Commerce Department prohibition is not the same thing as the No TikTok on Government Devices Act, and neither of those is the same as the FCC blocking new imports of a Chinese drone. Some bans target the company. Some target federal employees. Some target end users. And several apps that made the news as “banned” can still be installed legally by private citizens, just not always through the same store you used last year.
This article covers the apps Americans most often ask about: TikTok, CapCut, Lemon8, WeChat, DJI Fly, DeepSeek, Kaspersky and RedNote. For each one we explain exactly what was banned, who the ban applies to, and the legal path for a private user in the US to install or keep using the app in 2026. Every claim links to a primary source.
What “banned” actually means in the US
Federal app bans in the US come from a small set of legal mechanisms, and each one has a different scope.
The No TikTok on Government Devices Act and equivalent state orders apply only to government-issued phones and laptops. They do not restrict what private citizens can install. By April 2026, more than 39 states have applied the same rule to state-owned devices and many have extended it to WeChat, AliPay and CamScanner.
The Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act (PAFACA), signed in April 2024 and unanimously upheld by the Supreme Court in TikTok v. Garland on January 17, 2025, targets the app stores and infrastructure providers that distribute apps from companies controlled by a “foreign adversary”. It briefly took TikTok, CapCut, Lemon8 and other ByteDance apps off the US App Store and Play Store between January 18 and 21, 2025, before the new administration delayed enforcement and a divestiture deal closed on January 22, 2026, restructuring TikTok’s US business as TikTok USDS. ITIF analysis walks through the deal in detail. The law never penalised users for keeping the apps installed.
The most aggressive ban on the list is the Commerce Department’s Final Determination against Kaspersky, issued under the Information and Communications Technology and Services (ICTS) authority. Since 12:00 AM EDT on September 29, 2024, Kaspersky has been prohibited from selling or updating its products for US persons. This is the only entry on the list where the federal government has cut off updates to existing installations.
The FCC’s December 23, 2025 Covered List addition for DJI works yet another way. It blocks new DJI hardware from getting equipment authorisation, which means new drones cannot legally be imported or sold. As DroneDJ confirmed in January 2026, existing DJI drones in the US can keep flying and the DJI Fly app keeps receiving updates at least until January 1, 2027.
State and federal bans on AI tools follow the No DeepSeek on Government Devices Act pattern: prohibit use on government-issued equipment, leave private use untouched.
So the practical question for an American user in 2026 is rarely “is this app legal” and almost always “where can I install it without violating store rules or the actual letter of the law?”. The rest of this article answers that for each app.
Quick reference: what each ban does and does not cover
| App | What is banned | Who it applies to | Legal for private use? |
|---|---|---|---|
| TikTok | Distribution by ByteDance under PAFACA, lifted by Jan 22, 2026 deal | App stores, federal and most state devices | Yes |
| CapCut | Same as TikTok (ByteDance) | App stores, some state devices | Yes |
| Lemon8 | Same as TikTok (ByteDance) | App stores, some state devices | Yes |
| Federal and 39+ state government devices | Government employees | Yes | |
| DJI Fly | New DJI drone imports (FCC Covered List) | Importers, retailers | Yes, app keeps working |
| DeepSeek | Federal and several state government devices | Government employees | Yes |
| Kaspersky | Sale, distribution, updates by Kaspersky to US persons | Everyone in the US | Use, yes. Buying or updating, no |
| RedNote | Under PAFACA review, no formal action yet | Nobody, currently | Yes |
Why these apps in particular
The list above covers every app that has been the subject of a federal or near-federal ban in the US since 2020. Most other “banned” headlines refer to single state actions, university network blocks, or proposals that never became law. We focused on apps that:
- Were the subject of a federal statute, executive order, or Commerce or FCC determination.
- Have a real, large US user base who would notice if their copy stopped working.
- Have a clear legal path for a private citizen to install them in 2026.
We left out smaller apps and pure proposals. We also did not include apps that have been blocked from government Wi-Fi but are otherwise unaffected, since installing them was never in question for individuals.
The apps
1. TikTok
TikTok is the only app on this list that has actually gone dark in the US, even briefly. Apple and Google pulled it from the US App Store and Play Store on January 18, 2025 when PAFACA enforcement began, and a Trump executive order delayed enforcement two days later. Successive extensions and a divestiture deal led to the formation of TikTok USDS on January 22, 2026, with a US-led consortium and a board controlled by American directors. ByteDance retains a 19.9 percent stake and licenses the recommendation algorithm to the US entity, which now runs on Oracle’s cloud and trains on US user data. Whether that structure satisfies PAFACA’s “qualified divestiture” test is still debated by lawyers and members of Congress.
What this means for a US user is simple. TikTok is back on the US App Store and Play Store, the app you already had keeps working, and the data goes to the new US entity rather than ByteDance. Federal and most state government employees still cannot install it on a work device.
Where to get it legally: TikTok is back on both major US app stores. If for any reason your store is missing it, Aptoide carries the same APK signed by ByteDance, which Android validates against the existing installation.
Bottom line: Pick TikTok USDS through the US App Store or Play Store first. Use Aptoide if you need a clean install or an older version.
2. CapCut
CapCut is the second of the four ByteDance apps that briefly disappeared in January 2025 and the most missed during the outage. Apple’s list of apps removed alongside TikTok included CapCut, Lemon8, Gauth, Hypic, Lark and Marvel Snap. CapCut returned to both stores within days. Under the January 22, 2026 deal, CapCut, Lemon8 and the rest of ByteDance’s US-facing apps are part of the same TikTok USDS structure as TikTok, with the same data governance.
CapCut is restricted on government devices in Texas and a smaller set of states than TikTok. Private use is unrestricted.
Where to get it legally: Both major US app stores. Aptoide also carries the latest version with the same package signature.
Bottom line: Use the App Store or Play Store as normal. CapCut still has the largest free feature set among mobile editors. Concerns about subscription pressure and data sharing under the new structure are covered in detail in our CapCut alternatives guide.
3. Lemon8
Lemon8 is the third ByteDance app that disappeared and reappeared with TikTok in 2025 and now lives under the TikTok USDS structure. Less popular than CapCut but covered by the same legal regime, it remains available on US app stores and is restricted on a small number of state-issued government devices. The app is roughly modelled on Xiaohongshu, with a focus on lifestyle posts that mix photo, text and short video.
Where to get it legally: US App Store and Google Play. Aptoide does not currently carry the official Lemon8 build, so on Android the Play Store is the cleanest source.
Bottom line: Same legal status as TikTok and CapCut. Pick the official store on your platform.
4. WeChat
WeChat sits in a different category. It was the subject of Trump’s August 2020 executive order, which a federal court blocked on First Amendment grounds before any consumer ban took effect. The order was rescinded in 2021, leaving WeChat fully legal for private use. What stuck instead are the government device prohibitions: North Carolina, Texas, and most state-level orders that came after include WeChat in the same list as TikTok and AliPay. The federal Department of Defense and several other agencies followed.
For the roughly four million Americans who use WeChat to keep in touch with family in mainland China, this is the most important point: as a private user you can install and use WeChat normally. The phone number based account is the same one used internationally. The app is on the US App Store and Play Store and on Aptoide.
Where to get it legally: US App Store, Play Store, or Aptoide. The app updates frequently.
Bottom line: Install through your usual store. Keep in mind the bans on government devices: never install WeChat on a phone issued by your federal or state agency.
5. DJI Fly
The DJI Fly app is the controller for most current consumer DJI drones, including the Mini, Air and Mavic 4 series. It is not on Google Play and has not been since DJI removed it in early 2021, reportedly because Google’s Android API requirements broke required drone hardware integrations. That predates any of the recent FCC action.
The newer FCC story is about hardware. On December 23, 2025, the Federal Communications Commission added DJI to the Covered List, which blocks new DJI drones from receiving the equipment authorisation needed for legal import or sale in the United States. Existing drones are not grounded. The FCC clarified in January 2026 that all current DJI, Autel and Potensic drones in the US “will continue receiving firmware/software updates as well as security patches, at least until January 1, 2027”. The DJI Fly app keeps working and updating. DJI filed a Ninth Circuit petition on February 20, 2026, challenging the FCC’s action.
Where to get it legally: Apple App Store, Samsung Galaxy Store, and DJI’s own Download Center. The DJI download is an APK, which means Android users need to enable “install from unknown sources” once. The store version through Galaxy Store is the easiest path on Samsung devices.
Bottom line: If you already own a DJI drone, install DJI Fly directly from DJI’s site or the Samsung Galaxy Store and keep it updated through January 2027. After that, FCC and DJI’s own update policy will determine what comes next.
6. DeepSeek
DeepSeek’s R1 model launched in January 2025 and triggered an unusually fast government response. Within weeks, the Commerce Department, the US Navy, and governors of New York, Texas, Iowa and Virginia banned the app on government-issued devices. The pending No DeepSeek on Government Devices Act would extend the ban federally. The concern is straightforward and similar to the TikTok argument: DeepSeek’s terms confirm user data is stored on servers in mainland China, making it accessible to the Chinese state under that country’s data laws.
For private users in the US, the DeepSeek app remains on the App Store and Play Store, and on Aptoide. Private use of the app is not restricted at any level of government. The state and federal device bans only apply to government employees on government equipment.
Where to get it legally: Aptoide, Google Play and the App Store all carry the official build. The web client at chat.deepseek.com is also available without an app.
Bottom line: Install on your personal phone if you want to use DeepSeek’s models. Never on a government-issued device. Our non-ChatGPT AI app guide covers privacy-focused alternatives that run on US or European infrastructure if data sovereignty matters to you.
7. Kaspersky
Kaspersky is the only entry where the federal government has actually cut off ordinary users in the US. The Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security issued a Final Determination on June 20, 2024 prohibiting Kaspersky Lab and its affiliates from “providing anti-virus software and cybersecurity products or services in the United States or to US persons”, under the ICTS authority. The deadline for Kaspersky to provide updates was 12:00 AM EDT on September 29, 2024. After that date, US Kaspersky users stopped receiving virus definition updates. Kaspersky transferred most of its US customer base to UltraAV during the same window.
The order targets the company, not the user. Running an old Kaspersky build is not a federal crime. But it is a security mistake. An antivirus that no longer receives signature updates is roughly as protective as no antivirus at all, and Kaspersky has every incentive to stop investing in code that cannot be sold to US customers. There is no legal path for a US person to obtain new Kaspersky software or updates.
What to do instead: If you are still on Kaspersky, switch. We covered this in Best AdBlock and privacy apps for Android (no root required). Built-in Google Play Protect plus a privacy-focused browser handles most of what an antivirus did on Android. On Windows, Microsoft Defender is now competitive with paid antivirus suites.
Bottom line: Kaspersky is the one app on this list with no fully legal current-version path for US users. Move to a supported alternative rather than running stale software.
8. RedNote (Xiaohongshu)
RedNote, the English brand for Xiaohongshu, surged in early 2025 when hundreds of thousands of US users joined the app in protest against the imminent TikTok ban. According to Similarweb data, the platform gained nearly 3 million US users on January 13, 2025 alone. A US official told CBS News that RedNote could face the same divest-or-ban requirement under PAFACA, but no formal action has been taken in the year since. The app remains fully available in the US and is not restricted on government devices in any state we could find.
That status could change. RedNote’s parent company, Xingin, is mainland China based and would clearly fall within PAFACA’s “foreign adversary controlled application” definition if the next administration or Congress chose to apply the law. For now, it is fully legal.
Where to get it legally: App Store, Google Play and Aptoide all carry the current version. The Aptoide build is sometimes a step behind on day-zero releases.
Bottom line: Free to install today, possibly the next subject of a PAFACA enforcement action tomorrow. Worth knowing the app and the data flow before you sign up.
How to install banned or restricted apps legally in the US
The legal path varies by ban type. The short version: for everything except Kaspersky, you can install through one of the official routes below.
Use the US App Store or Play Store first
After the January 22, 2026 deal, TikTok, CapCut, Lemon8 and the other ByteDance apps are back on both Apple and Google’s US storefronts. WeChat, DeepSeek and RedNote never left. Install through your usual store before doing anything else. This is also the most straightforward path under the Apple Developer Program License Agreement and Google’s Play Console policies.
Aptoide for older versions or backups
Aptoide is a third-party Android app store that distributes APKs signed by their original developers. For TikTok, CapCut, WeChat, DeepSeek and RedNote, the package signature on Aptoide matches the Play Store signature, which is what Android uses to verify updates. We covered the practical workflow in Best alternatives to Google Play Store in 2026. Aptoide is legal to use in the US and the apps available through it are the same APKs Play would deliver.
Samsung Galaxy Store and the developer’s own site for DJI Fly
Some apps will never come back to Google Play. DJI Fly is the obvious example. The legal path is through DJI’s Download Center (a direct APK from the developer) or the Samsung Galaxy Store, which is preinstalled on Samsung phones.
F-Droid for open-source replacements
F-Droid carries about 3,800 reviewed open-source apps. None of the apps on this banned list are open source, but F-Droid is the best source if you want privacy-respecting alternatives to ByteDance, Tencent or Kaspersky software. Our privacy apps round-up lists the best of these.
Web clients when an app is unavailable
DeepSeek, TikTok, RedNote and WeChat all maintain functional web clients that work without an app. If your phone or device cannot install one of these apps for any reason, the browser version is a legal fallback that runs the same accounts.
Things you should not do
We are not recommending any of the following, and most are either illegal or against the terms of service of the platforms involved.
- Do not use a VPN to access an app banned for the geography you are physically in. It can violate the app’s terms and, depending on the destination, the destination country’s law.
- Do not download Kaspersky from a US-targeted source after September 29, 2024. The ban targets the company, not users, but obtaining new Kaspersky software is no longer something the company can legally provide to you.
- Do not install any of these apps on a federal or state-issued device if your employer is one of the 39 plus states or federal agencies that prohibit them. These policies are enforced.
FAQ
Is TikTok banned in the United States in 2026? No. TikTok was banned for less than 24 hours, on January 18, 2025, before enforcement was delayed by executive order. A divestiture deal closed on January 22, 2026, restructuring TikTok’s US business as TikTok USDS. The app is back on the US App Store and Play Store. It remains banned on federal government devices and on most state government devices.
Can I still use my old Kaspersky software in the US? Using the software is not illegal. But Kaspersky is prohibited from providing updates after September 29, 2024, so your installation is no longer receiving new virus definitions. Running stale antivirus is functionally close to running none, so we recommend switching.
Is DJI Fly available in the US? Yes, but not on Google Play. The official paths are Apple’s App Store, the Samsung Galaxy Store, and DJI’s own Download Center. The FCC’s December 2025 Covered List addition blocks new DJI hardware imports, but the FCC has confirmed that existing drones will continue to receive firmware and software updates at least until January 1, 2027.
Are CapCut and Lemon8 still available in the US? Yes. Both are part of the TikTok USDS structure following the January 22, 2026 deal. They returned to the App Store and Play Store after the brief January 2025 outage, and have remained available since.
Is DeepSeek banned in the United States? No, not for private users. Several states and federal agencies have banned DeepSeek on government-issued devices, and the No DeepSeek on Government Devices Act is pending federal legislation that would extend that. Private use on personal devices is unrestricted.
Why was WeChat targeted in the first place? The Trump administration argued in 2020 that WeChat’s data flowed to mainland China and could be exploited under Chinese intelligence laws. A federal court blocked the consumer ban on First Amendment grounds, and the order was rescinded in 2021. What remains are state and federal device-level restrictions for government employees.
Is sideloading legal in the United States? Yes. There is no federal law against installing Android apps from sources other than Google Play, and Apple has begun allowing alternative app stores in some configurations. The legality of an individual app depends on the app, not the install method.
Will RedNote be banned next? Possibly. A senior US official told CBS News in January 2025 that RedNote falls within PAFACA’s scope, and that “this appears to be the kind of app that the statute would apply to”. No formal action has been taken since. Watch for a Treasury Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) review or a fresh PAFACA designation.
