Users have been advised to back up their content and, instead, migrate to Lemon8—another ByteDance-owned app with similar features.

TikTok Notes never really found its audience. Despite testing in Canada, Australia, and Vietnam, adoption stayed low. The platform functioned like Instagram, allowing users to post photos and slideshows, but it failed to gain traction in the competitive world of social media. Now, ByteDance is pulling the plug.

A notice sent to users stated: “This decision was not made lightly.” TikTok is encouraging those who liked Notes to move over to Lemon8, describing it as a “lifestyle app that offers a similar experience” but with “even more features.”

Lemon8 isn’t new. It launched in Japan in 2020 before expanding to the U.S. and Southeast Asia. The app blends elements of Instagram and Pinterest, offering users the ability to share curated lifestyle content with creative tools, filters, and stickers. ByteDance appears to be placing it as its long-term player in the photo-sharing space.

A TikTok spokesperson confirmed the transition: “We’re excited to bring the feedback from TikTok Notes to Lemon8 as we continue building a dedicated space for our community to share and experience photo content, designed to complement and enhance the TikTok experience.”

ByteDance’s decision to push Lemon8 is not just a product reshuffle. With the U.S. about to ban TikTok over national security issues, the company is hedging its bets. Lemon8 is being positioned as a potential fallback.

Last November, ByteDance made it easier for users to link their TikTok accounts to Lemon8 and cross-share content. This wasn’t just about convenience but strategy. If TikTok faces regulatory issues in key markets, ByteDance wants an alternative that can still keep its creators engaged.

Lemon8 had around 12.5 million active users globally as of December 2024. That’s a fraction of TikTok’s audience, but ByteDance is banking on its ability to scale. Unlike Notes, which was a direct Instagram competitor, Lemon8 leans more into lifestyle content—fashion, travel, food—giving it a different appeal.

The challenge, however, is competition. Instagram and Pinterest are topping in this space, and breaking into their user base won’t be easy. ByteDance will need more than cross-promotion with TikTok to make Lemon8 a success. It will need a strong monetisation strategy, creator incentives, and an identity that differentiates it from the competition.

The decision to restore the app follows assurances from US authorities that tech companies would not face penalties for hosting it.

The widely popular social media platform, owned by Chinese firm ByteDance, was initially removed in January when Apple and Google complied with legal requirements barring its distribution. 

However, former President Donald Trump, who returned to office this year, issued an executive order on 20 January, delaying the enforcement of the ban by 75 days. 

The goal was to provide ByteDance more time to negotiate the sale of TikTok’s US operations to a company outside Chinese ownership, as mandated by law.

Attorney General Pam Bondi later sent a letter to Apple, confirming that hosting TikTok would not lead to financial penalties. This clarification enabled the app’s return to digital storefronts, alongside ByteDance’s other applications, including video editor CapCut and social platform Lemon8.

Despite the temporary extension, the future of TikTok in the US is still uncertain. Trump has proposed a scenario in which the US government could hold a 50% stake in TikTok through a joint venture with American technology firms. 

Meanwhile, companies such as Oracle and Microsoft have shown interest in acquiring the platform.

The issue over TikTok has been ongoing for years, with US officials noting concerns about data security and the potential risks of Chinese government influence over American user data. 

The Biden administration previously signed a law in April 2024 requiring ByteDance to divest TikTok’s US operations or face a complete ban. The Supreme Court upheld this ruling on 17 January, reinforcing pressure on ByteDance to find a buyer.

TikTok has shown gratitude to Trump for the reprieve, stating, “President Trump has provided the necessary clarity and assurance to our service providers that they will face no penalties for providing TikTok to over 170 million Americans and allowing over 7 million small businesses to thrive.”

Even with the uncertainty, rival social media platforms have been making strategic moves to capitalise on TikTok’s vulnerability. Platforms such as X and Bluesky have introduced vertical video features, while Meta has developed a video editing tool to compete with CapCut.

Analysts suggest that TikTok’s return to app stores does not guarantee its long-term presence in the US. The 75-day extension only buys ByteDance more time to negotiate a deal, and the outcome of ongoing discussions will ultimately determine the platform’s fate in the American market.

But there is a price. Trump said he wants the popular social media app to be at least half owned by U.S. investors.

TikTok stopped working for its 170 million American users late on Saturday before a law shutting it down on national security grounds took effect on Sunday.

U.S. officials had warned that under Chinese parent company ByteDance, there was a risk of Americans’ data being misused.

Trump said he would

“extend the period of time before the law’s prohibitions take effect, so that we can make a deal to protect our national security.”

“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,” he wrote on Truth Social.

Trump said the executive order would specify there would be no liability for any company that helped keep TikTok from going dark before his order.

Trump had earlier said he would most likely give TikTok a 90-day reprieve from the ban after he takes office, a promise TikTok cited in a notice posted to users on the app.

“A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S. Unfortunately, that means you can’t use TikTok for now. We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office. Please stay tuned,” a message notified users of TikTok, which disappeared from Apple (AAPL.O), opens new tab and Google app stores late on Saturday.

Even if temporary, the unprecedented shutdown of TikTok is set to have a wide-ranging impact on U.S.-China relations, U.S. politics, the social media marketplace and millions of Americans who depend on the app economically and culturally.

The U.S. has never banned a major social media platform. The law passed overwhelmingly by Congress gives the incoming Trump administration sweeping authority to ban or seek the sale of other Chinese-owned apps.

Reuters reported that other apps owned by ByteDance, including video editing app CapCut and lifestyle social app Lemon8, were also offline and unavailable in U.S. app stores as of late Saturday.

It was not clear if any U.S. users could still access the app, but it was no longer working for many users, and people seeking to access it through a web application were met with the same message that TikTok was no longer working.

[News Source: Reuters. Image Credit]

This new integration aims to simplify photo-sharing for users, allowing creators to cross-post content seamlessly between TikTok and Lemon8, while maintaining the unique features of each platform.

Launched in Japan in 2020, Lemon8 is a visually-oriented app akin to Instagram and Pinterest, offering users a creative space to share photo slideshows and discover lifestyle content in beauty, fashion, and travel. 

Users are provided with a range of editing tools, including filters, effects, and text templates, which support the creation of rich and interactive posts. 

Following its initial success in Japan, Lemon8 has expanded to various international markets, including the United States and Southeast Asia.

ByteDance intends for this unified login feature to strengthen its creator ecosystem, enabling users to explore new formats for visual expression. 

The company’s statement emphasised its current goal to enhance the platform experience, noting that this integration will enable deeper community connections and support creative exchange among users.

This development also comes as the United States investigates TikTok over Chinese ownership, leading to talks of a possible app ban. 

ByteDance’s introduction of Lemon8 as a “sister app” may serve as a precautionary measure, giving TikTok creators an alternative platform within the ByteDance ecosystem. 

However, given the interconnected ownership structure, Lemon8 may still face regulatory challenges if restrictions on TikTok move forward.

Notably, the photo-sharing functionality aligns with TikTok’s evolving content approach, which has gone beyond its signature short video format. 

Since introducing photo carousels in 2022, TikTok has gradually expanded its photo abilities, experimenting with dedicated photo-sharing platforms like TikTok Notes.