In this article, we will examine the most common issues you may encounter when connecting to Surfshark and how to solve them.
Test different networks
Check if you can connect your device to the VPN on other networks. Try Wi-Fi, Ethernet (if possible), and mobile hotspots.
If you cannot connect to any of these, the connection may be blocked:
- You may be connecting from a country with network restrictions.
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You may have IPv6 on your network, which we suggest disabling:
Change the connection protocol
Go to the Surfshark application and click on Settings > VPN Settings > Protocol.
- Try switching the connection protocol to OpenVPN UDP/TCP or WireGuard and connecting again.
NOTE: This does not apply to all router setups or Linux devices, but we still recommend trying what is available.
Disable possibly interfering apps
Your antivirus program or a different VPN application is another thing that may be blocking your connection.
Make sure that your antivirus software has an exception for Surfshark and that any other VPN applications that may be installed are removed.
Update the Surfshark app
You may have an outdated Surfshark application. As various network restrictions are always created, our team is working on bypassing them in every single update.
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Updating your app will help solve this issue if this is the root cause of connectivity issues.
If none of the above help, check out our device-specific guides:
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