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How to set up Surfshark on Android TV

Updated:

In this tutorial, you will learn how to install the Surfshark VPN app on your Android TV or Android box. 

You will need an Android TV or Android box running Android 5.0 or later and an active Surfshark subscription, which you can purchase on our pricing page.

 

You will learn how to:



Install the app

 

  1. Open Play Store on your Android TV and search for Surfshark.

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  2. Press Download or Install.

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Log into your Surfshark app

 

  1. Once the installation is complete, you can either click Open or find the Surfshark icon in the installed apps menu and press on it.

  2. If you already have an active Surfshark VPN subscription, log in as an existing user.

    If you don't have the subscription yet, feel free to sign up by clicking Create Account.

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  3. Enter the email address you used when registering and your password. Click Log in.

    Alternatively, you can log in using the Surfshark app on your mobile device. To do that, open your Surfshark app on a mobile device, go to Settings -> My Account -> Enter login code, and enter the code on your Android TV screen.

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Connect to a VPN

 

Once you log in, you will see the homepage of the Surfshark app. Here you can see the VPN connection status, the list of locations, and a button to connect.

  1. Tap the Connect button, and the app will instantly connect to the fastest server available.

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    When connecting to a VPN server for the first time, accept the connection request in the pop-up window. This will allow the Surfshark app to start and manage the VPN tunnel.

  2. You can choose the default connection to be the Faster server or the Nearest country.

    Click this button, as in the screenshot below, to set your preferred default location.

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    Choose the Fastest server or the Nearest country.

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  3. As soon as you connect, you will see the connection status on the homepage of your app.

    If it's green and says Connected, your internet connection is secured from now on!

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Choose and manage locations

  1. You will find the list of locations on the left side of your screen. Use the search bar or scroll down until you find a specific country. Click on the flag icon of your preferred location, and you will instantly connect to it.

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  2. If you want Surfshark to remember your favorite locations, press the star on the right side. This server will now appear on the list of your Favorite servers.

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  3. The bubble icon next to the star indicates how loaded the Surfshark servers are in a specific location. In other words - how many people are connected to servers in that location.

    The first bubble in this picture indicates that Surfshark servers in Germany are under a heavy load. The second bubble shows that only a few people are connected to Surfshark servers in Japan.

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  4. You may have noticed Static IP and MultiHop tabs at the top of your Surfshark app.

    Here’s what they do:
    Static IP -  you will get the same IP address each time you connect
    MultiHop - you will connect via two different VPN servers in different countries and add an extra protection layer.

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Manage Surfshark features

Open the Features tab. You will see two features there.

CleanWeb - is a smart feature that will block ads and malicious sites on the web. Learn more about it here.

Bypasser - allows you to choose which apps or websites to exclude from the VPN connection. Learn how to use it here.

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Manage Surfshark settings

You can customize your Surfshark app to suit your personal preferences. Go to the Settings tab, and you will find the necessary settings that will help you fine-tune the app or fix connectivity issues.

Your account details
Language - choose the one that works best for you
The current version of your Surfshark app
Auto-connect - stay connected to a VPN at all times, hassle-free
KillSwitch - a security-focused setting that will disconnect you from the internet if the VPN unexpectedly drops
Use small packets - if you experience slow speed when connected to a VPN, you may want to turn on this setting
Protocol - it determines the way that your data is transferred via a VPN tunnel. Learn more about how it works and why you may want to switch protocols
Analytics - decide if you wish to provide our developers with anonymous data about the technical performance of your Surfshark app
Diagnostics - feel free to provide us diagnostics with a short description of your issue if you experience any kind of trouble with Surfshark VPN.

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Make sure your connection was successful

 

It's always recommended to check whether your connection was successful after setting up a VPN for the first time. This can be easily done by doing an IP leak test and a DNS leak test which is available on our website. Click here to find out how to make sure your connection was successful.

 

 

Congratulations - you have successfully installed and configured your Surfshark VPN app! Enjoy everything good that the internet has to offer, worry-free.


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