Surfshark has its own app for Apple TV, so on a current box you install it from the App Store and sign in, the same as on a phone. The app needs tvOS 17 or later. Older Apple TVs that can't update have two workarounds: a router running Surfshark, or a Windows laptop sharing its VPN connection as a Wi-Fi hotspot. Surfshark's Smart DNS, the method most older guides recommend, was retired on February 2, 2026. Everything below follows Surfshark's help center as it stood on November 4, 2026.

What you need

You need an Apple TV running tvOS 17 or later and a Surfshark subscription. ExpressVPN, which also makes a tvOS app, says every Apple TV 4K model is compatible and an Apple TV HD works if it can run tvOS 17. To check, open Settings, then System, then Software Updates on the Apple TV.

One Surfshark subscription covers an unlimited number of devices, so the Apple TV doesn't use up a slot you need for your phone. Surfshark offers a 7-day free trial on its 1-year and 2-year plans bought on its website, which covers up to 3 devices during the trial, and a 30-day money-back guarantee after that. Current prices are on our Surfshark listing.

Install Surfshark on Apple TV

  1. Open the App Store on the Apple TV, search for Surfshark and install the app.
  2. Open it and choose "Log in" or "Continue with Apple."
  3. Sign in with your Surfshark email and password. Typing with the remote is slow, so the faster route is the QR code on the screen: scan it with your phone's camera, or enter the code shown under it in the Surfshark app on a device where you are already signed in (Settings, then My account, then Enter login code).
  4. Pick a location from the row at the bottom of the screen. Use search, or scroll right through the list.
  5. The first time you connect, tvOS asks to add a VPN configuration. Press "Allow."

When the connection is up, the app shows your new IP address and a Disconnect button. To keep your usual countries at the top of the list, select a location and press the star, or long-press a location to add or remove it from your favorites. If you pay for a Surfshark Dedicated IP, it appears in the location list too.

The Apple TV app is simpler than the desktop and phone apps. Its Settings tab covers your account: log out, delete your account, report a bug, and read the privacy policy and terms.

If the app won't connect

Surfshark suggests deleting the VPN profile and starting again:

  1. Open the Apple TV's own Settings app and select Network.
  2. Select Connection Details, then Delete VPN, and confirm.
  3. Open Surfshark and connect again. tvOS will ask you to allow the VPN configuration once more.

Older Apple TVs: use a router or a Windows hotspot

If your Apple TV can't run tvOS 17, you can cover it from outside the box.

Put Surfshark on your router

A router running Surfshark protects every device on your network, the Apple TV included. The router needs a built-in OpenVPN or WireGuard client. Surfshark says most routers supplied by internet providers don't have one, nor do Arris, Belkin, Cisco, TRENDnet, TotoLink, Ubee or Google WiFi routers on their standard firmware; Linksys routers work only if they appear on Tomato's supported list. It suggests Asus routers as the easier option, or custom firmware such as DD-WRT, which can damage a router if installation goes wrong. Expect a slower connection, and you lose most app features, such as the Kill Switch, Bypasser and CleanWeb. Surfshark's help center has step-by-step guides for common router models.

Share a Windows laptop's connection

A Windows laptop running Surfshark can share its VPN as a Wi-Fi hotspot. It is quicker to set up and needs nothing new:

  1. In the Surfshark app on Windows, open Settings, then VPN settings, then Protocol, and choose OpenVPN (UDP) or OpenVPN (TCP). Then disconnect.
  2. Open "View network connections" from the Windows search bar and leave that window open. You will see your Wi-Fi adapter and one called "OpenVPN Data Channel Offload for Surfshark."
  3. In Windows Settings, open Network & internet and turn on Mobile hotspot. Note the network name and password, or edit them.
  4. A new adapter appears in the network connections window. Right-click the Surfshark adapter, choose Properties, open the Sharing tab, tick "Allow other network users to connect through this computer's Internet connection" and pick the new hotspot adapter from the list. Click OK.
  5. Connect Surfshark on the laptop, then join the hotspot's Wi-Fi network from the Apple TV.

The laptop has to stay on and connected for as long as you watch, so this suits travel better than everyday use.

Smart DNS no longer works

Older guides, including the earlier version of this page, told you to activate Surfshark Smart DNS and type its addresses into the Apple TV's DNS settings. Surfshark stopped supporting Smart DNS on February 2, 2026, and says devices still set to use it may lose their internet connection. If you set it up on your Apple TV, open Settings, then Network, select your network, open Configure DNS and set it back to Automatic. Surfshark's own replacement suggestions are the tvOS app, a router or a Windows hotspot.

Streaming with a VPN on Apple TV

Streaming services choose what to show in each country, and many try to detect and block VPN traffic, so a VPN that plays a show today may not tomorrow. Surfshark's own Netflix guide tells you to connect to a server in your home country and forbids using its service against the law or a website's rules. So the use Surfshark supports is watching the services you already pay for while you travel, with your connection encrypted on hotel or other shared Wi-Fi. Check each streaming service's terms before you rely on a VPN with it.

Surfshark lists more than 4,500 servers in 100 countries, including servers in 19 US states. If you want to compare it with other VPNs that have Apple TV apps, our guide to the best VPNs for streaming covers NordVPN, ExpressVPN and more.