Updated
Updated · PCGamesN · Jun 30
Google Shuts Tenor API on June 30 as Discord, WhatsApp and X Switch GIF Providers
Updated
Updated · PCGamesN · Jun 30

Google Shuts Tenor API on June 30 as Discord, WhatsApp and X Switch GIF Providers

3 articles · Updated · PCGamesN · Jun 30

Summary

  • Google confirmed Tenor's API went offline June 30, ending third-party access to the GIF library it bought in 2018.
  • Discord, WhatsApp and X had already moved off Tenor, so GIF search remains available for users despite online fears of a broader shutdown.
  • Discord has tested Klipy and Giphy since spring and now labels its GIF search box "Search Klipy," while WhatsApp switched to Klipy in January.
  • X also replaced Tenor with an unidentified GIF source, reflecting a wider migration after Google made the API private and stopped new sign-ups earlier in 2026.

Insights

Why is a Google fund investing in the replacement for the API that Google itself just shut down?
Is the death of free APIs an inevitable trend in a profit-driven tech industry?