Like all premium VPNs, Surfshark can stop working at times. If you can’t access a website, or you’re struggling with poor connection speeds, you might be wondering how to fix Surfshark. Here are nine things we found that have helped us out:
- Change Surfshark’s protocols. OpenVPN is usually recommended.
- Connect to a different server. This simple click can help when servers get overcrowded.
- Restart Surfshark. It can help if the app is buggy.
- Restart your device. It’s not guaranteed to work, but we’ve had success with this in the past.
- Turn off apps that may interfere with Surfshark. These include other VPNs, antivirus software, firewalls, etc.
- Turn off IPv6 addresses on your device.
- Update Surfshark’s app.
- Use custom DNS settings.
- Contact the Surfshark support team.
If nothing solves your problem, you can also switch VPN providers. NordVPN makes for a fantastic Surfshark alternative thanks to its reliable unblocking, high speeds, and secure infrastructure. Try it today with a 30-day money-back guarantee:
For more details on fixing Surfshark, keep reading the article below.
Are you connected to Surfshark and your internet connection is acting up? Maybe you wanted to unblock Netflix and it’s not working? Don’t worry, we got you covered. We researched all the reasons Surfshark might not be working and how you can get it up and running again.
If you’ve been worried about Surfshark not working, these 9 quick fixes below should help get you back to streaming, downloading, or whatever you were doing with Surfshark before the problem appeared.
If you don’t want to bother fixing Surfshark, you can also get a subscription to a more reliable VPN. In our experience, NordVPN performed better than Surfshark in all important testing parameters.
Surfshark Not Working: 9 Quick Fixes
Before attempting any of the fixes below, you should first make sure that the Surfshark VPN app is the problem. This is fairly easy — just disconnect from Surfshark and see if the problem persists. For example, if your internet connection is slow after you disconnected from Surfshark, your network’s probably at fault, not the VPN connection.
If you’re trying to stream content on a geo-restricted site but are still getting an error message, you may just need to reconnect to Surfshark and open an incognito/private browser window or clear your cookies and cache. Or just switch to a more privacy-friendly browser like Mozilla — rather than one like Google Chrome.
Otherwise, it’s pretty clearly the VPN’s fault. But don’t worry. In our almost six years of using Surfshark, we’ve discovered a lot of tricks to get the VPN app working again. Here are the top fixes.
1. Change the protocols Surfshark uses
Sometimes, connectivity issues may arise from the VPN protocol that Surfshark is running clashing with the infrastructure of your network, or the site you’re trying to access. The quickest way to avoid this problem is to change the protocols Surfshark uses. Here’s a quick guide on how to do it:
- Open Surfshark’s settings from the left-hand menu. We’re using a Mac as an example, but Surfshark’s apps can be similar across devices. We’ve offered other examples later on.
- Click on “VPN Settings” and open the “Protocol” menu.
- Choose a different protocol. OpenVPN is usually a good option to ensure fast connection speeds. But it’s not available on all devices.
- Repeat until you find a protocol that works.
This won’t have a huge impact on the IP addresses you can have, but it could improve your VPN connections.
Note:
The protocols available can differ based on your device as you can see above.
2. Connect to a different Surfshark server
VPN servers can get overcrowded at times. Due to leaks, some might just not work for a given period, rendering their IP addresses useless. It’s a common problem with all premium VPN services. If you’re worried about Surfshark not working because of this, change the VPN server you’re connected to.
The process for this is pretty simple, too. Just pick another country from the list in Surfshark’s main dashboard, and the VPN will connect to a new server. If you need a server in the same country, try picking a different city.
Surfshark servers aren’t usually slow, but it can happen. If you think your VPN traffic speed isn’t ideal, hop servers and fish for a new IP address.
3. Restart Surfshark
Turning something off and on again might be simple advice, but it’s usually effective. We’ve had problems with numerous premium VPNs, that we solved by just turning the app off, and then opening it up again.
To make sure you really quit the app, don’t forget to open the Task Manager on Windows, and turn Surfshark’s process off as well. Make sure you’re completely out of the app.
On Mac, hover the Surfshark icon in your Dock, tap the touchpad with two fingers, and press “Quit.”
Log out and log in again if you have to, re-entering the credentials you created when you signed up.
4. Restart your devices
If Surfshark is still not working after everything you tried, you might want to restart your device. If you have any pending updates when you do so, make sure you install them as well. Older versions of operating systems can clash with apps like Surfshark.
If restarting your device didn’t solve the problem of Surfshark not working, you might also want to restart your router. This is pretty easy to do. On most routers, you just need to press the power button once to turn it off, and then once again to turn it back on.
5. Turn off clashing apps
VPN apps can conflict with other apps on your device, like your firewall, antivirus, or even other VPNs or proxies. If Surfshark is not working properly, you might need to deactivate all these apps temporarily.
We’ve experienced this before. Since we test a lot of VPNs, we might have several installed on a device at any given time. On occasion, these apps will clash and make VPNs like Surfshark malfunction. So turning off clashing apps helped us a lot in the past, and it can help you too.
Just don’t forget to turn security-enhancing apps back on after trying this. You don’t want to browse the web without a good antivirus active.
6. Turn off IPv6 on your device
IPv6 is the latest Internet Protocol (IP), the communication protocol that helps identify and locate computers on networks. Unfortunately, Surfshark doesn’t support IPv6 addresses at the moment. When you change your IP address with Surfshark, your IPv6 info might leak and be available to the websites you visit, rendering the VPN useless.
Luckily, there’s an easy workaround: deactivate IPv6 addresses on your device.
How to turn off IPv6 on your Mac
Different computers will have different ways for you toggle this, but here’s how to do it on a Mac:
- Open “System Preferences” and click on “Network.”
- Click on your network. It’s usually at the top, labeled as “Wi-Fi.”
- Open your network’s “Details.”
- Click on “TCP/IP” in the left-hand menu.
- Toggle IPv6 to “Link-Local Only.”
- Click “OK,” provide your password when prompted, and try connecting to Surfshark again.
How to turn off IPv6 on your Windows PC
On a Windows PC, you can deactivate IPv6 by following this guide:
- Open your “Network and Internet” settings from the Control Panel.
- Click on “Network and Sharing Center.”
- Select the “Change Adapter Settings” option.
- Right-click on your connection and open its “Properties.”
- Uncheck the box next to “Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6).”
- Try reconnecting to Surfshark to see if the problem persists.
But wait, is the Surfshark VPN trustworthy if it doesn’t support IPv6? Yes. In fact, the average premium VPN service doesn’t support IPv6 addresses. It will just change your IPv4 info and take some measures to hide the IPV6 details.
7. Update the Surfshark app
Using an old version of Surfshark can hurt the VPN service. To see if you’re running the latest version of Surfshark, follow these steps:
- Open the Surfshark VPN Settings.
- Select the “App Settings” menu.
- Click on “Check” next to your app’s version.
If you’re not running the latest version of Surfshark VPN, you’ll probably get a prompt to install it. Alternatively, you can go to Surfshark’s site and download their official installer for your device. You’ll automatically get the latest Surfshark app this way.
8. Use custom DNS settings
Custom DNS settings give you more control over DNS queries. You’re not relying on Surfshark’s DNS to do the job all the time, which is good because it can be slow at times.
So it’s a great way to get Surfshark working if it was slow before. To change your DNS settings, you’ll need to open your router’s admin panel and replace the DNS values. Here’s a recommended configuration for Surfshark:
DNS1: 162.252.172.57
DNS2: 149.154.159.92
You can also use the Surfshark Smart DNS feature to generate your own addresses. If you’re not sure how to change your DNS settings, read our guide on what exactly a DNS server is.
9. Contact the Surfshark customer support team
Surfshark’s customer support team is fast and helpful. We’ve contacted them on several occasions, and each time, we received a prompt and useful response. For example, we once reached out because Surfshark wasn’t unblocking Netflix US. We got to speak with a human in under a minute, and they helped us access the site.
If no other trick helped you use Surfshark, don’t be afraid to reach out to their customer support team. They should be able to identify what’s causing Surfshark to malfunction for you, and how you can fix it. They’ve got some of the best reps in the business.
Bonus tip: Get another VPN
If you’ve been trying to fix Surfshark to no avail, stop worrying about it and get a better VPN! NordVPN is the best performer in all of our VPN tests. It’s the fastest option on the market, it has top-notch security and a comprehensive server network.
The Surfshark VPN cost is smaller, but not by a lot. We highly recommend NordVPN if you’ve been having consistent issues with Surfshark on your device and are ready to move on.
Surfshark Not Working With Netflix: How to Fix
Netflix is notoriously hard to unblock with a VPN. Even premium apps can sometimes struggle to access its foreign libraries. If Surfshark is not working with Netflix, here are a few things you can do:
- Log into Netflix before turning the VPN on. This is our go-to trick to unblock resilient libraries like US Netflix. Don’t forget to refresh the Netflix page after connecting to Surfshark.
- Use a different browser than you normally do. Even if you’re connected to a VPN, you can still be identified by your browser fingerprint. If you’ve never tried Mozilla Firefox, it’s an excellent user and privacy-friendly streaming browser.
- Change your server location and refresh Netflix. It might be just an overcrowded VPN server that’s causing the issue.
- Reinstall the Netflix app if you’re trying to do this from a mobile device.
- Check the availability of the show or movie you’re after on Unogs. It might not be on Netflix anymore.
- Contact Surfshark support. If all else fails, Surfshark support should help you access Netflix.
- Get a Surfshark alternative. If you’ve had problems with Surfshark and you’d rather try something else, get one of the Surfshark alternatives we recommend below. From our research, NordVPN is the best pick that has worked with Netflix for us.
Surfshark Not Working With Prime
Surfshark might not be working with Amazon Prime for a few reasons. Usually, it’s because Amazon got your location through other means, not your IP address. This can include your device data, browser fingerprint, or email. In some cases, Surfshark might even leak your actual IP address to Amazon Prime. So if Surfshark is not working on Prime, here’s what you can do:
- Switch browsers and open Prime in an incognito tab. This can help you hide your browser data from the streaming platform. Alternatively, you can also just clear your browser cache.
- Log into Prime before connecting to a Surfshark server. We’ve had success with this trick numerous times.
- Change your Surfshark server, then try connecting to Prime again. Servers get overcrowded sometimes, which can lead to poor performance.
- Contact the Surfshark support team. If your VPN is acting up, the support team can help you identify and solve the problem.
- Get another VPN. If you’ve been encountering too many issues with Surfshark, you might want to try a more reliable VPN like NordVPN.
Surfshark Not Working On FireStick
Fire TV Sticks are Amazon tech, so it might be harder to get around Prime restrictions with a VPN installed on the device. But Surfshark on the Stick can malfunction when accessing any streaming platform. Here are a few potential tricks to get your Surfshark working on a Fire TV Stick:
- Change your Fire TV Stick account. Your location data could be stored on your main account. You might want to install a VPN on your router to change your new account’s default location before signing up.
- Connect to a new Surfshark server.
- Clear your app cache, especially from the app you’re trying to access with Surfshark. You can do this from your Applications settings.
- Contact the Surfshark support team. They can help you solve the problem of Surfshark not working on FireStick.
- Try a different VPN. Most premium VPNs have apps you can install directly on a Fire TV Stick, so it doesn’t hurt to try more reliable options like NordVPN.
Surfshark Not Working with Torrents
Surfshark allows P2P file sharing on its multiple servers, which is great if you’re dealing with ISP throttling. If Surfshark is not working with torrents, though, here are a few things you can try:
- Change the Surfshark server you’re connected to. This can help if your download speed is really low.
- Make sure there are enough seeders for the file you’re downloading. If there are no seeders, you won’t be able to download, no matter what VPN you use. You can usually find this information on the site you got your tracker from.
- Restart the file download in your torrent client.
- Look for a different tracker for the file you want.
- Contact the Surfshark support team to see if there’s anything they can do.
- Use a different VPN that allows P2P file sharing, like NordVPN or any other great torrenting VPNs. Across our vast testing, we’ve rarely come across torrenting issues with NordVPN.
The Best Surfshark Alternatives
If Surfshark keeps letting you down, you should look into getting an alternative. There are a lot of benefits to Surfshark, like its unlimited simultaneous connections, dedicated IP address, smart DNS features, and plenty more. We love it. But we also know issues can arise.
There are also a lot of reliable VPNs on the market that we’ve tested extensively and have had little problem with.
From our research, NordVPN is the best Surfshark alternative. It has the fastest servers out of all VPNs, locations in over 60 countries, and a robust security suite. Plus, in our experience, it’s extremely reliable when unblocking streaming platforms, or downloading torrents.
Best of all, it comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Here are our top three best Surfshark alternatives.
| Feature |  NordVPN |  ExpressVPN |  CyberGhost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Servers | 5,400+ servers across 60 countries | 3,000+ servers across 94 countries | 6,000+ servers across 100 countries |
| Torrents / P2P allowed? | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Works with Netflix USA? | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Simultaneous connections | 6 | 5 | 7 |
| Works with | Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux | Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux | Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux |
| VPN protocols | OpenVPN, IKEv2/IPsec, NordLynx (WireGuard) | OpenVPN, IKEv2, L2TP/IPsec, Lightway | OpenVPN, IKEv2, WireGuard |
| Price | From $3.19 per month | From $6.67 per month | From $2.19 per month |
| Money-back guarantee | 30 days | 30 days | 45 days |
| Website |
ExpressVPN and CyberGhost both have their pros and cons. CyberGhost is very user-friendly, and ExpressVPN is a great pick if you want to install a VPN on your router. ExpressVPN also offers peak performance, but at a steeper price point.
But if you’re looking for the best Surfshark alternative, it’s undoubtedly NordVPN. You can find out more in our NordVPN review.
Conclusion: Surfshark Not Working and How to Fix it
Surfshark not working is an annoying problem, especially if you’ve spent a lot of money on the app and you can’t use it to its full extent. In most cases, connecting to a different server, clearing your browser cache, or just using a privacy-friendly browser is everything you need to get the VPN service working again.
If that doesn’t work, you can always contact Surfshark’s support team. In our experience, they were able to solve all of our technical problems with ease.
If nothing works, you should also consider a Surfshark alternative. There are a lot of good VPNs out there, but from our research, NordVPN comes on top in all categories that matter. You can try all its premium features for free through its 30-day money-back guarantee.
Want to know more about troubleshooting tips with other popular VPN providers? Check out our articles below:
- ExpressVPN Not Working? Try These Fixes
- CyberGhost VPN Not Working? How to Fix Common Issues
- NordVPN Not Working: How to Fix Common Issues
Not sure why Surfshark isn’t working, and what you can do about it? If our article didn’t clear everything up, check out the FAQ section below.
There are a lot of reasons for why Surfshark might not be working. These include overcrowded servers, IP leaks due to IPV6 addresses, sites recognizing Surfshark IPs, or general connectivity issues. If you can’t get it working again, check our list of the five best VPNs to find an alternative.
After researching dozens of Surfshark alternatives, we found that NordVPN is the best pick. It’s fast, reliable, secure, and it has a positive track record of unblocking all types of sites. You can find out more about why we picked this provider in our NordVPN review.
The best fix for Surfshark not working depends on what the problem is. But most commonly, you can fix Surfshark by changing servers, updating the app, clearing your browser’s cache and cookies, rebooting your computer, or ultimately contacting Surfshark’s support team.
