How to use Surfshark VPN on your streaming device: Apple TV, Fire Stick, consoles and more explained

The trajectory between the popularity of VPNs and the rise of streaming services shares a very similar upwards gradient.

While the likes of Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV and BBC iPlayer have irrevocably changed the landscape of how we watch TV shows, films and even live sport, the best streaming VPNs have increased the breadth of what we can watch online to a dizzying degree — and Surfshark VPN is one of the most accomplished providers around.

If you're unsure of how a VPN can complement your content watching or what attributes make Surfshark such a good choice for the job, we explain that below.

Then we have all the information subscribers need to get access to Surfshark on various streaming devices. Whether that's a standalone platform like a Fire Stick or Roku, a games console or your Smart TV.

When would I use a VPN for streaming?

Ever tried to access your usual domestic streaming service when traveling on vacation or on business and been told that the content is blocked in your location?

Or perhaps there's a sporting or cultural event being broadcast in another country that isn't being shown where you are?

Both are frustrating situations, but can be overcome by using a VPN.

That's because when you turn on a VPN, all of your internet traffic is automatically transported through an encrypted tunnel to a server managed by your provider. This server will invariably be near to your actual location, but you can choose to channel everything through a server in another country altogether.

When you do this, your laptop, smartphone or streaming device will assume that you are accessing it from the IP address of that overseas server.

So if you're a college football fanatic needing to catch the action when you're outside the States, or a Brit abroad wanting to watch "Love Island U.K." on ITVX, using a VPN lets you overcome the geographical barriers and watch as if you were back at home.

Surfshark: the best cheap VPN

Surfshark sits at #2 on our list of the best VPNs, and it's the best budget option available. It's a powerful VPN and has some innovative features.

What you'll get...

🚀 Fast speeds
📺 Excellent streaming unblocking
✨ Features inc. Alt ID & 100 Gbps servers
🔒 Top-class privacy & security

A 27-month Surfshark plan starts at $1.99/month ($53.73 up front pre-tax). There's also a 30-day money-back guarantee and even a 7-day free trial.

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What makes Surfshark a good streaming VPN?

Put simply, Surfshark is one of the best providers in the business when it comes to streaming.

The reasons are manifold:

• Unblocking prowess: It isn't a given that a VPN will unblock Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+ or other services. In our testing, though, Surfshark showed itself to be one of the strongest providers around for getting around geo-blocks.
• Connection speeds: Surfshark ranks within our top five providers for out-and-out speed; we clocked it at 848 Mbps when using our 1 Gbps line. That should mean it doesn't cause buffering when you stream.
• Easy-to-use apps: It's one of the friendliest, easiest to use providers on the market, regardless of what device you use it on. That makes it particularly ideal if you're new to the world of VPNs.
• Unlimited devices: Surfshark allows the use of its VPN across unlimited devices at any given time. That's good to know if you and your family plan to use it to stream across a multitude of platforms.
• Servers in 100+ countries: From Albania to Vietnam, Surfshark's network of over 4,500 servers is spread around the planet. Meaning you can access content from any of those countries.

Amazon Fire Stick

How to download and use Surfshark VPN on Amazon Fire Stick

Getting Surfshark — or, indeed, most other reputable VPNs — on your Amazon Fire Stick is ridiculously easy. That's because it has a dedicated app that you can get from the Amazon Appstore:

1. Open your Fire Stick and head to the Amazon Appstore
2. Search for Surfshark and hit 'Download'
3. Once downloaded, hit 'Open'
4. Log in with your usual credentials (or set up a new account if you don't already have one). Alternatively, use the on-screen instructions to log in with your smartphone via a QR code
5. Select the server of the country whose content you wish to access
6. If prompted, accept the connection request by pressing 'OK' on the pop-up

Note that only the following Amazon Fire devices support Surfshark at the time of writing:

Amazon Fire TV: 1st gen, 3rd gen, 4K, TV Cube

Amazon Fire TV Stick: 2nd gen, 3rd gen, 4K, 4K Max, HD

Amazon Fire Tablet: 7, 8, 10, Max 11, Kids Tablet

Apple TV

How to download and use Surfshark VPN on Apple TV

Thanks to its dedicated Surfshark app, Apple TV is another really easy device on which to download and use this VPN:

1. Open up Apple TV and head to the App store
2. Search for Surfshark and hit 'Download'
3. Once downloaded, hit 'Open'
4. Log in with your usual credentials (or set up a new account if you don't already have one). Alternatively, use the on-screen instructions to log in with your smartphone via a QR code
5. Select the server of the country whose content you wish to access
6. If prompted, add VPN configurations by pressing 'Allow' on the pop-up

Note that only Apple TV devices with tvOS 17 or later support Surfshark at the time of writing

Roku

How to use Surfshark VPN on Roku

Unlike Amazon Fire Sticks and Apple TV boxes above, Roku doesn't host native VPN apps on its devices. That means you need to find a workaround — there are two available:

i. Connect your router to Surfshark

1. Download the Surfshark client to your laptop or the smartphone app
2. Find your router's IP address. Our dedicated guide on how to find your IP address will take you through the steps if you don't know how
3. Login to your router’s admin panel by typing your IP address into an internet browser and then entering your router's username and password
4. Within your router's settings menus, find your VPN options. These may be deeply buried within advanced settings,
5. Head to this page on this Surfshark website and find your router type
6. Follow Surfshark's instructions for activating the VPN on your specific router

ii. Set up a virtual router

1. Download the Surfshark client to a Windows PC
2. Open the client and head to the Settings menu
3. Hit 'VPN settings', scroll to 'Protocol' and choose OpenVPN (UDP) or OpenVPN (TCP)
4. Disconnect from Surfshark
5. Search for and open 'Mobile hotspot settings'
6. Toggle the mobile hotspot to 'On'
7. Make a note of network name and password
8. Search for and open 'View network connections' in your PC's Control Panel
9. Right-click 'Data Channel Offload for Surfshark (DCO)' and hit 'Properties'
10. Hit the 'sharing' tab
11. Check the first box allowing other users to connect through the computer's internet connection. Select the name of your hotspot network adapter in the dropdown menu and hit 'OK'
12. Open Surfshark and select the server of the country whose content you wish to access
13. On your Roku settings, select to connect to the internet via the hotspot set up on your laptop

PlayStation + XBox

How to use Surfshark VPN on games consoles

Neither PlayStation or Xbox have dedicated VPN apps available to download from their respective stores. It means that you need to use a workaround to make use of Surfshark on your games console. There are four options you can opt for:

i. Connect your router to Surfshark

Scroll up to the Roku section above for full instructions.

ii. Set up a virtual router

Scroll up to the Roku section above for full instructions.

iii. Set up a shared connection through a Windows PC

1. Download the Surfshark client to a Windows PC
2. Tether your PC to the console via an Ethernet cable. If your PC doesn't have an Ethernet port, you'll need an adaptor to allow connection through USB
3. Configure your Ethernet connection according to the instructions on this dedicated instructions page from Surfshark
4. Open the Surfshark client on your PC
5. Go to the VPN Settings menu within general settings.
6. Open the Surfsfark client and head to the Settings menu
7. Hit 'VPN settings', scroll to 'Protocol' and choose OpenVPN (UDP) or OpenVPN (TCP)
8. Select the server of the country whose content you wish to access and turn on the VPN
9. That's all you need to do on Xbox. If you're on PlayStation, set up a Wired LAN connection by heading to Network Settings within the general settings

iv Set up a shared connection through a Mac (PS only)

1. Download the Surfshark client to a Mac
2. Tether your Mac to the console via an Ethernet cable. If your Mac doesn't have an Ethernet port, you'll need an adaptor to allow connection through USB
3. Go to System Settings on your Mac, then General, Sharing and Internet Sharing
4. Hit 'Wi-Fi' and then 'Ethernet adapter'. Ensure that 'Internet Sharing' is turned on
5. On your PlayStation, set up a Wired LAN connection by heading to Network Settings within the general settings

Smart TVs

How to download and use Surfshark VPN on Smart TVs

Whether you can easily get a dedicated Surfshark app on your Smart TV depends entirely on what model you have. If you're lucky, the process is very easy. If not, it gets a little more complicated.

Start by searching your TV's app store and search for Surfshark. Then follow the appropriate steps below:

If your Smart TV DOES have a dedicated Surfshark app

1. 'Download' the Surfshark app
2. Once downloaded, hit 'Open'
3. Log in with your usual credentials (or set up a new account if you don't already have one). Alternatively, use the on-screen instructions to log in with your smartphone via a QR code
4. Select the server of the country whose content you wish to access

If your Smart TV does NOT have a dedicated Surfshark app

Scroll up to the section above about using Surfshark on a games console.

From there, you can choose your preferred method of the four provided.