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How to Use Surfshark with Netflix & Fix It Not Working
The Short Answer
Surfshark works with 10 Netflix regions: the US, UK, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Brazil, Mexico, India, and Singapore. If it’s not working for you, make sure you’re connected to one of these countries and clear your browser’s or the Netflix app’s cache.
Surfshark is a very good VPN in general, and remains a reliable choice for watching Netflix around the world.
Streams rarely buffered with Surfshark, and its unlimited device policy meant I could watch Netflix on as many screens as I wanted.
Based on my testing, it’s still a tier below ExpressVPN and NordVPN, as it unblocks fewer Netflix libraries, slows down over long distances, and is harder to use on devices that don’t support VPN apps.
Occasionally Surfshark stops working with Netflix. This could be due to a number of issues, which you can usually fix with my workarounds below.
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How to Watch Netflix with Surfshark
Beating Netflix regional restrictions with Surfshark is straightforward, especially on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Fire OS, and tvOS devices.
Watch the tutorial video below to see how easy it is to unblock Netflix using Surfshark:
Alternatively, follow the quick instructions outlined below:
Instructions: How to Watch Netflix with Surfshark
- Subscribe to Surfshark and ensure you have an active Netflix subscription.
- Download Surfshark onto your device. Surfshark has native apps for most popular devices, including computers, smartphones, Fire TV, and Apple TV.
- Configure the VPN app for streaming. Go to Settings > VPN settings and change the protocol from Automatic to WireGuard. Enable NoBorders under Advanced Security, and make sure CleanWeb is off so Netflix loads properly (it should be by default).
- Connect to a VPN server in a compatible country. Surfshark unblocks Netflix in Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Singapore, the UK, and the US.
- Open Netflix and start streaming the content. You’ll now have access to video titles that were previously inaccessible.
If you want to unblock Netflix on Roku or game consoles, like PlayStation or Xbox, then you’ll have to install the VPN on your router or share your VPN connection via a Windows mobile hotspot.
Surfshark Servers That Work with Netflix
Below are the Surfshark server locations that successfully unblocked major Netflix regions in my latest tests.
These may change if Netflix block their IP addresses, but they currently offer the most reliable connections.
Avoid Surfshark’s static IP servers, as their fixed IP addresses are almost always blocked by Netflix.
| Netflix Region | Compatible Surfshark Server |
|---|---|
| India | Mumbai |
| Canada | Toronto & Montreal |
| UK | London & Glasgow |
| US | Dallas, Chicago & New York |
| France | Paris & Bordeaux |
| Germany | Frankfurt am Main |
| Italy | Milan & Rome |
| Brazil | Sao Paulo |
| Mexico | Queretaro |
| Singapore | Singapore |
How Good Is Surfshark for Netflix?
Using Surfshark to access geo-restricted Netflix content from the US.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Unblocks 10 regions, including the US and UK | Can’t access Netflix in Australia, Japan, South Korea, or Spain |
| Unlimited simultaneous connections | Discontinued Smart DNS proxy |
| Minimal speed loss over short-to-medium distances | Significant speed loss over long distances |
| Affordable 27-month plan ($2.49/mo) | Sometimes slow to connect on mobile |
| User-friendly apps for Fire TV, Android TV & Apple TV | |
| 7-day free trial |
Expand the sections below for a detailed overview of Surfshark’s Netflix performance.
Reliably Unblocks 10 Netflix Regions
Surfshark has been one of my go-to Netflix VPNs for some time now because it’s one of the few VPNs that unblock US, UK, and Canadian Netflix consistently.
I just wish that consistency extended to more libraries. Some of the most notable misses include Australia, Japan, and Spain.
Here are my Surfshark Netflix test results in full:
| Australia | Brazil | Canada | France | Germany | India | Ireland | Israel | Italy | Japan | Mexico | Netherlands | Poland | Singapore | South Korea | Spain | Turkey | UK | US |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
Bear in mind that Netflix can block VPN IP addresses overnight. However, based on my historical test data, Surfshark maintains reliable access to these regions over time.
If Surfshark can’t unblock the library you want, switch to Windscribe. It unblocks 32 Netflix regions, which is more than any other VPN I’ve tested.
4K Video Playback over Most Distances
In my tests, Surfshark reduced my download speed by 4% when I connected to a server in my home state.
That’s a negligible loss (I rate any loss under 10% as excellent) and it ensured my Netflix stream loaded in 4K.
When I aggregated all my Surfshark speed tests from across the world, my internet speed decreased by 17% on average. That’s a strong result, though it slowed down over long distances, losing 21% to Australia and 33% to South Africa.
Available on Most Devices
Surfshark provides user-friendly apps for desktop, mobile, Apple TV, Android TV, and Fire TV.
It allows unlimited simultaneous connections.
That said, Surfshark doesn’t have a Smart DNS tool, so there’s no straightforward way to change your Netflix region on devices that don’t support native VPN apps (such as game consoles, LG smart TVs, and Roku).
You main options are: manually set up Surfshark on a compatible router, purchase a pre-flashed router, or switch to a VPN service with a Smart DNS proxy.
The last option is by far the easiest. For devices without native VPN support, I recommend ExpressVPN.
How to Fix Surfshark Not Working with Netflix
Netflix blocks VPNs as it doesn’t have the rights to broadcast its licensed content everywhere. As a result, your VPN may stop working with Netflix.
Surfshark is one of the better VPNs for Netflix, but you may still run into the Netflix proxy error or find that you can only access Netflix’s original content.
Netflix’s ‘Pardon the interruption’ streaming error message.
Here are some easy workarounds to help get Surfshark working again with Netflix.
1. Connect to a Compatible Country
As mentioned above, Surfshark only works with Netflix in the US, UK, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Brazil, Mexico, India, and Singapore.
To stream geo-blocked Netflix content, you must connect to a server in one of these countries. Connecting to a server outside of these countries means you’ll likely hit the proxy error or only see Netflix Originals.
You can use uNoGS to check if the title you’re trying to access is available in one of the supported countries.
The server locations list in the Surfshark iOS client.
2. Connect to a Different VPN Server in the Same Country
Netflix blocks VPN services by blocking IP addresses from known VPN servers.
However, not all servers in a country are necessarily blocked. For example, I couldn’t access the UK Netflix library while connected to Surfshark’s Edinburgh server, but I could with its Glasgow server.
You may need to try several different servers before you unblock the Netflix location you want to access.
3. Clear Your Browser Cache and Cookies
Most websites, including Netflix, collect location data through browser cookies and cache files. This data is used to determine your physical location, even if you’re connected to an overseas VPN server.
Clearing your cache ensures that the browser uses the current data provided by your VPN’s IP address and should force it to show you the correct regional library.
Here’s how to clear your browser cookies and cache in Google Chrome:
- Go to your Google Settings. Open Chrome and click the three vertical dots in the top-right corner.
- Navigate to your browsing data. Click Settings > Privacy and security > Delete browsing data
- Choose a time frame. For best results, click More > All time.
- Check the following boxes: Browsing history and Cookies and other site data.
- Click Delete data.
- Restart Chrome. Closing and reopening the browser works.
If you’re using the Netflix app on your mobile, you’ll need to clear the cache of the app.
On iOS, you can just delete and reinstall the Netflix app. The process is slightly less straightforward on Android.
Here’s how to clear the Netflix app’s cache on Android:
- Open your device’s settings.
- Tap Apps.
- Find and select Netflix.
- Tap Storage and cache.
- Tap Clear cache.
4. Switch to OpenVPN
If you can access your Netflix library, but the content is stuck on the loading screen, you may need to change the encryption protocol.
I normally recommend WireGuard, but if that fails, OpenVPN is your next best bet.
Follow these steps to switch to a different VPN protocol within the Surfshark app:
- Go to the Settings page.
- Click or tap VPN settings.
- Ensure the protocol is set to OpenVPN.
- Restart Netflix.
Surfshark Compared to Other Netflix VPNs
Surfshark is clearly a strong option for Netflix, but a handful of VPNs performed better in my tests.
Compare Surfshark to two of my top-rated Netflix VPNs in the table below.
Keep reading to learn about the pros and cons of each VPN versus Surfshark.
1. ExpressVPN: Best VPN for Netflix Overall
Ranked #1 out of 47 VPN services
ExpressVPN is the most reliable choice for Netflix. It unblocks the most popular Netflix libraries in 4K across all devices.
It’s very straightforward to use: open the app, connect to your target location, and start streaming. Connections are quick, and there are no extra settings to configure.
While Surfshark is cheaper, doesn’t impose a device limit, and works with Mexican Netflix, it can’t match ExpressVPN’s consistency or user experience.
ExpressVPN unblocks most major Netflix libraries with ease.
Consistent Access to the Most Popular Libraries
No VPN matches ExpressVPN’s reliability with Netflix. While rivals lose the cat-and-mouse game of IP bans, ExpressVPN has consistently unblocked the same 18 libraries over the past five years.
The VPN unblocks the following: Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Poland, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Turkey, the UK, and the US.
Apart from Netflix Mexico, ExpressVPN unblocks every library Surfshark does, plus 8 more.
ExpressVPN also provided 4K playback in every region it unblocked. In my experience, I never observed buffering or sudden frame rate drops.
User-Friendly Apps for All Devices
ExpressVPN lets you stream Netflix on virtually any device, thanks to its router support and Smart DNS tool (MediaStreamer).
Unlike Surfshark, ExpressVPN lets you use MediaStreamer to configure your device’s DNS settings to unblock US and UK Netflix. Just keep in mind that it doesn’t work with any other regions.
In practice, this makes it much easier to stream Netflix on devices without native VPN support.
I’ve used MediaStreamer myself to watch UK Netflix on my Xbox Series X. It takes a couple of minutes to set up, but it’s much simpler than hosting a hotspot on my laptop.
If you want to cover every device in your household, or one that doesn’t let you edit its DNS settings (like Roku), you’ll need to set up ExpressVPN on your router.
Surfshark has nothing equivalent: ExpressVPN sells its own router with a user-friendly companion app. I’m a massive fan, but you do have to buy the router in addition to the VPN subscription.
2. NordVPN: Fastest Netflix VPN
NordVPN is a great Netflix VPN that consistently unblocks 17 Netflix libraries in 4K.
I recorded impressive download speeds using its NordLynx protocol, which translated to buffer-free streaming even during peak hours.
While it costs more than Surfshark and imposes a device limit, its overall quality and Netflix success rate are significantly better.
NordVPN works reliably with US Netflix.
Consistently High Netflix Bypass Rate
NordVPN stands out for its ability to unblock geo-restricted Netflix libraries on the very first attempt.
In my tests, it almost always assigned me a server that immediately accessed US Netflix. No other VPN I’ve tested picks a working US server as consistently.
That consistency doesn’t translate to its Smart DNS tool: it regularly fails to load US Netflix.
It also fails to unblock the Indian Netflix library, which is regularly one of the 10 largest Netflix catalogs.
If you need access to this region, Surfshark is actually a better option.
Meshnet Bypasses the Password-Sharing Ban
Meshnet is a feature unique to NordVPN that lets you route your internet traffic through another internet-connected device, such as a home PC or laptop.
I used it to connect remotely to a device on my home network, which gave me my residential IP address while abroad.
For Netflix, this means you can access your home library while traveling without triggering Netflix Household restrictions.
To do this, you just need NordVPN installed on both your travel device and the host machine back home.
I got a residential IP address for free using Meshnet.
