Why is the Tenor API being discontinued?
Google discontinued the Tenor API on June 30, 2026, with no extension or exceptions, which broke GIF and sticker search in third-party apps such as Discord, WhatsApp and Bluesky. The replacement most teams point to is KLIPY, built by ex-Tenor employees with the same API structure, so migration is often just swapping the base URL from https://tenor.googleapis.com to https://api.klipy.com/. GIPHY also publishes a Tenor compatibility guide for developers who prefer its API.
Send it in the team chat the day the Tenor endpoints start returning errors.
For the moment you realize every GIF picker you shipped now points at a dead service.
The reaction when a changelog says the API is gone with no deprecation window.
Post it when you open the old Tenor integration code one last time before deleting it.
For the thread arguing about what replaces the old GIF stack.
When a user reports the GIF button in your app stopped working overnight.
The mood of checking your error dashboard the morning after the shutdown.
A quiet one for the retrospective slide about third-party API risk.
What actually happened
Google shut down the Tenor API on June 30, 2026. Reports describe it as a hard cutoff with no extension and no exceptions, so any app still calling the old endpoints lost GIF and sticker search.
The impact was broad because Tenor powered GIF pickers inside many third-party clients, not just Google's own products. If your app called the Tenor API directly, the break was on your side of the wire.
How to migrate your code
The most common path is KLIPY, a service led by ex-Tenor employees that keeps the same API structure. In many codebases the change is the base URL:
Before: https://tenor.googleapis.com
After: https://api.klipy.com/
You then generate a free API key in KLIPY's partner dashboard and keep your existing request and response handling. Check each endpoint you use against their docs before shipping, since a matching structure does not guarantee identical fields.
If you would rather move to GIPHY, its Tenor compatibility guide walks through mapping Tenor calls onto the GIPHY API. Budget time for response-shape differences either way.
Choosing what to do next
Swap the base URL to KLIPY if you want the smallest diff and your integration is mostly search and trending calls.
Move to GIPHY if you already use it elsewhere or want one vendor for GIFs and stickers with a documented migration path.
Keep a fallback in your client so a future provider change degrades to a static placeholder instead of a broken picker.
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Tone and expectations
Tell users plainly when a feature is gone and when it returns. A short changelog entry beats a silent broken button.
Do not promise a date you have not verified with the new provider. Migration guides change, and a missed date costs more trust than a vague one.
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FAQ
Is Tenor discontinued?
The Tenor API was shut down on June 30, 2026. Tenor as a brand and its consumer surfaces are separate from the developer API, so check the current status of any specific endpoint before relying on it.
What will replace Tenor?
KLIPY is the most direct replacement because it keeps the same API structure and was founded by ex-Tenor employees. GIPHY is the other common choice and publishes a Tenor compatibility guide.
Why did Klipy replace Tenor?
Klipy did not replace Tenor by policy; it filled the gap after Google shut the Tenor API down. Its pitch is a drop-in migration, so teams can swap the base URL instead of rewriting their integration.
Is there a free Tenor API alternative?
KLIPY offers a free API key through its partner dashboard, and GIPHY has its own free tier terms. Read each provider's current limits before you commit, since quotas change.
Can I use memecub instead of a GIF API?
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