Google Pulls the Plug On Tenor API, Killing GIF Pickers Around the Web (9to5google.com)
- Reference: 0184219884
- News link: https://tech.slashdot.org/story/26/06/30/2131216/google-pulls-the-plug-on-tenor-api-killing-gif-pickers-around-the-web
- Source link: https://9to5google.com/2026/06/30/google-tenor-api-gif-updates/
> The Tenor API has been rejecting new API sign-ups in January of this year, but existing integrations remained in place. This week, though, they're shutting down, and any integrations that remain in place will stop working on July 1. The support page adds details that "any API or Ads Distribution Agreements" with Tenor will be terminated on June 30, while "current integrations" will be "fully decommissioned" as of June 30.
>
> One of the most notable examples here is Twitter/X, which has relied on Tenor for its GIF picker for years. Twitter/X Head of Product Nikita Bier confirmed that the platform has migrated elsewhere, which is why the "recently used" section was purged, and why you might notice fewer GIF options when posting. Other platforms affected [4]include Discord, WhatsApp, and Bluesky.
[1] https://support.google.com/tenor/answer/10455265#whatll-happen-to-the-tenor-api&zippy=%2Cwhatll-happen-to-the-tenor-api
[2] https://9to5google.com/2026/06/30/google-tenor-api-gif-updates/
[3] https://support.google.com/tenor/answer/10455265#whatll-happen-to-the-tenor-api&zippy=%2Chow-will-this-affect-users
[4] https://x.com/anishmoonka/status/2067815887474708652
Shocked (Score:3)
I'm amazed that any company relies on anything from Google...with them shutting things down and deciding not to provide services to huge chunks of the world.
I guess it's time for me to review my use of all things Google, again...
Re:Shocked (Score:5, Informative)
This is a service that was acquired by Google. So in this case even people that were actively avoiding Google products got screwed.
Re: (Score:3)
I'm going to miss that GIF of the polar bear hugging the husky dog. In this case pretty meta, since the bear ended up eating the dog.
Re: (Score:2)
> I'm amazed that any company relies on anything from Google...with them shutting things down and deciding not to provide services to huge chunks of the world. I guess it's time for me to review my use of all things Google, again...
If your concern is that a product you use might be discontinued, there are some simple rules that you can apply to decide whether a given Google product is safe from being discontinued:
(1) Is it used by 100M+ people? If it is, it's safe. If the number is 10M+ it's probably good, but there's a risk. If it's less than 10M, it probably won't last. Unless...
(2) Is it a paid service? Paid services rarely get shut down, and if they do Google bends over backwards to make t right.
If it's free and has a sm
What's a GIF Picker? (Score:1)
Hang on, let me Google it...
/s
Does this mean fewer animated GIFs in chats? (Score:3, Informative)
If so, it's a win in my book.
"forcing" (Score:2)
The way the article is written makes this seem sudden, but Wayback has a discontinuation article at least as far back as January.
[1]https://web.archive.org/web/20... [archive.org]
Maybe third-party cookie blocking killed this. I can imagine automated personality profile builders being done in the background based on GIF's people choose to use.
[1] https://web.archive.org/web/20260113221631/https://support.google.com/tenor/answer/10455265#zippy=%2Cwhatll-happen-to-the-tenor-api
Ambivalent (Score:2)
I'm ambivalent on this... On the one hand - google killing yet another thing they bought and then threw out after picking the parts
On the other hand, I can't stand emojis and pointless animated gifs.
Oh, the humanity! (Score:2)
The Slashdot Tenor API integration seems sadly broken, otherwise I would post an animated gif here to demonstrate how sad I am. Maybe a tiny violin playing a sad song...