Google ends Tenor API, affecting GIF features on major apps

Google has shut down the Tenor API, a widely used service that powered GIF search and sharing features across many popular social media and messaging apps. The change, effective June 30, 2026, disrupts a core function for platforms including X, Discord, WhatsApp, Bluesky, and Facebook Messenger, forcing them to migrate to alternative providers.

The decision is part of what Google describes as an effort to focus resources on strengthening its core products. The company acquired Tenor in 2018 and will continue to operate the service within its own ecosystem, including Gboard, Google Messages, Google Chat, and the standalone Tenor website. However, third-party access via the API has been terminated. Google had stopped accepting new API signups and integrations in January, with all existing agreements ending on June 30.

For users, the immediate effect is a change in the GIF search experience within affected apps. Some platforms are showing empty results or different catalogs as integrations break. Popular Tenor GIFs that users regularly shared may no longer appear, and features like "recently used" sections have been reset. X's Head of Product, Nikita Bier, confirmed the platform...