Shutdown tracker / Google / GIF search API
Google killed the Tenor API. Here is plan B.
Google sunset the Tenor API on June 30, 2026 after rejecting new sign-ups since January. GIF pickers that relied on it - Discord, WhatsApp, X, Bluesky - had to migrate. Tenor.com itself still works; the developer API does not.
Tenor API watch - live
Key dates
- Jan 2026New Tenor API sign-ups rejected
- Jun 30, 2026Tenor API shut down for everyone
- Jul 2026Platforms migrate pickers (X already moved)
Why it happened: Google is trimming non-core services. The Tenor site, Gboard and Google Chat integrations stay - only the public developer API died.
What to switch to
Giphy API
The obvious successor - biggest library, mature SDKs and picker components.
Stipop
Sticker + GIF API popular with chat apps.
Klipy
Ad-supported GIF API positioning itself for ex-Tenor devs.
Self-hosted library
Curate your own GIF set and serve from a CDN.
Options listed alphabetically by fit, not ranked - pick by your constraint (price, stack, control). No winner is declared.
How to migrate
- Find every Tenor call in your codebase (search "tenor.googleapis.com" and "g.tenor.com").
- Register for the replacement API (Giphy is the closest match) and map endpoints.
- Swap the picker component and re-test rate limits - quotas differ from Tenor.
- Ship, then monitor 4xx spikes: cached Tenor URLs in old messages may still 404.
Sources
More shutdowns
Facts current as of July 2026 - dates come from official announcements (see sources). Always verify against the vendor before making migration decisions.
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