Is CapCut coming back? ByteDance editing app still dark despite TikTok’s return and new Meta alternative
Nearly a day after TikTok was restored to U.S. users in a dramatic game of chicken with the federal government, another popular service owned by China-based ByteDance is still dark.
CapCut, the video-editing app used by many TikTok creators, has remained inaccessible in the United States as of Monday morning. Instead, visitors are greeted by a message explaining that CapCut has been swept up in the same law that required ByteDance to divest its U.S. operations or face a ban, which went into effect on Sunday.
Although the law doesn’t force ByteDance to shut down, app stores in the United States face serious penalties for hosting ByteDance apps, which lawmakers say pose a national security threat due to influence from Beijing. In response, ByteDance appears to have decided to block U.S. users from its apps altogether.
Even so, TikTok reemerged on Sunday afternoon just hours after the block took effect and following social media posts from President-elect Donald Trump, who said he plans to sign an executive order that would give TikTok more time.
Upon TikTok’s return, a new greeting for users credited “President Trump’s efforts” with bringing it back.
Where does all this leave CapCut?
Even if Trump is able to grant an extension after he is sworn in as president today, it’s hard to say exactly what will happen next. Should TikTok ultimately find a buyer in a way that complies with the law, it’s unclear if such a move would even include CapCut.
In the short term, CapCut users in the United States have been left wondering if they’ll ever be able to use the software again. The app’s message currently says CapCut is “working to restore our service,” but it does not offer timeline or say if CapCut will offer refunds to customers who have paid for subscriptions.
Fast Company has reached out to ByteDance for comment and will update this post if we hear back.
To make all this drama even more nail-biting, TikTok competitor Instagram—owned by Meta Platforms—just announced a new video-editing tool called Edits, which is being described as, well, a CapCut clone.
In addition to CapCut, other ByteDance apps and services remained dark for U.S. users as of Monday, including the digital card game Marvel Snap.
