How to Set Up Surfshark on Fire TV Stick: Full 2024 Guide

Penka Hristovska
Updated on: October 3, 2024 Senior Editor

Surfshark has always been my top VPN choice for Fire TV Stick. It’s one of my favorite VPNs because it has excellent security and privacy, offers great speeds, and comes with excellent streaming support — allowing you to watch all your favorite shows.

Surfshark also has a dedicated app for Fire TV Stick, so it’s really easy to install. Its Fire Stick app is beginner-friendly too, so you don’t have to be tech-savvy to use Surfshark on your Fire Stick device.

In this article, I’ll explain, step-by-step, how to install Surfshark on any Fire TV Stick, why it’s a good option for Fire Stick, and what to do in case it’s not working properly.

TRY SURFSHARK FOR FIRE STICK

What Are the Benefits of Setting Up Surfshark on Your Fire TV Stick Device?

• Streaming support. Surfshark is compatible with 50+ streaming services, including Max, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, and BBC iPlayer. Plus, it’s also a really good Netflix VPN, as it works with 15+ Netflix libraries.
• Fast speed. In my tests, all HD videos and websites loaded instantly, and there was no buffering. 4K videos took about 3–4 seconds to load, and I only experienced minimal buffering when skipping through them.
• Improved privacy and security. Surfshark has all industry-standard security features, including military-grade 256-bit AES encryption, which scrambles your traffic and makes it unreadable to any third party. It also has a kill switch that disconnects you from the internet when your connection to the VPN server drops, as well as an audited no-logs policy. On top of that, Surfshark has advanced security features like DNS leak protection (to prevent any accidental leaks), RAM-only servers (to wipe app data when they’re reset), and perfect forward secrecy, which changes the encryption key for every VPN session.
• Ad and malware protection. Surfshark has one of the best VPN ad blockers on the market: CleanWeb, which blocks ads, trackers, and malicious sites. In my tests, it removed most of the ads on ad-heavy websites — it only missed a couple of pop-up ads, but it still helped sites load faster. It also stopped me from visiting malicious sites 100% of the time.
• User-friendly apps. Surfshark has a beginner-friendly app for Fire Stick devices, which is very easy to navigate. There’s a Quick-Connect button that connects you to the fastest server, a search function that lets you find your preferred server location in a couple of clicks, and I really like that all features are well organized in clearly labeled tabs, so that you can find what you are looking for in seconds.

Which Fire TV Stick Devices Allow You to Install Surfshark?

If you have a 1st Gen Fire Stick, you can still watch your favorite content with Surfshark, but you’ll need to manually set up Surfshark on your router. This setup allows you to protect every device that connects to your router with the VPN. Configuring the VPN on your router is not exactly beginner-friendly, but Surfshark has plenty of helpful tutorials to guide you.

How to Install Surfshark on Fire TV Stick (Step-By-Step Guides)

Method 1: Installing Surfshark on Fire TV Stick via the Amazon Appstore

1. Find the Surfshark app to download. Navigate to the Search bar on your Fire TV Stick home screen and search for the Surfshark app.
2. Download and install the app. Click on the Surfshark app icon to open the app page. Select the Download or Get button to download the app. The installation process is automatic and usually takes 1–2 minutes. Once that’s done, click on the Open button to launch the Surfshark app.
3. Log into your Surfshark account. If you already subscribed to Surfshark, use your credentials to log into your account. If you don’t have one yet, click on Sign Up to create a new account.
4. Connect to a server. If you click on the Connect button, Surfshark will automatically connect you to the fastest server for your location. But if you want to connect to a specific server location, you can select one from the server list on the main dashboard.

Method 2: Sideload The Surfshark App on Your Fire TV Stick

1. Enable installation from unknown sources. On your FireStick, go to Settings, select My Fire TV or Device, then choose Developer Options. Turn on the Apps from Unknown Sources option.
2. Download the Surfshark APK file. Open the browser on your Fire Stick and visit the Surfshar website. From there, download the Surfshark APK file and save it to a location you can easily access.
3. Open the Downloader app. If you don’t have the Downloader app installed on your FireStick, find it in the Amazon Appstore, install it, and then launch it.
4. Enter the APK file URL. In the Downloader app, select the URL field and enter the direct download link or the URL of the location where you saved the Surfshark APK file. Click Go to start the download.
5. Download and install the Surfshark APK file. The Downloader app will retrieve the Surfshark APK file from the provided link. Select Install on the installation prompt to begin the installation process.
6. Log into your Surfshark account. After the installation is complete, click Open to launch the Surfshark app. Enter your Surfshark account credentials to log in or create a new account if you don’t have one.
7. Connect to a server. On the Surfshark app, you will see a list of servers. Choose your desired server location and click Connect.

Tried Installing Surfshark on a Fire TV Stick, But It’s Not Working? Try These Troubleshooting Steps

Check Your Internet Connection

Unstable or weak internet connectivity can lead to connection errors and slow performance. So if your Fire TV Stick is not connected to a reliable internet connection, your VPN might have trouble maintaining a stable connection.

To test your connection, you can run a speed test on your Fire TV Stick or another device connected to the same network. If the speed test results indicate a weak connection, you can try moving your Fire Stick closer to your Wi-Fi router. By reducing the distance between the devices, you can improve the signal strength and potentially enhance the stability of the network connection. Alternatively, you can consider getting a Wi-Fi range extender. This device helps boost the strength of the network signal and extends the coverage area of your Wi-Fi network.

Check Your Surfshark Subscription

If your account’s expired, you will not be able to use Surfshark on your Fire TV Stick. You can check the status of your subscription by logging into your Surfshark account via a web browser. If your subscription’s expired, just renew it to solve the issue.

Connect to a Different Server

You won’t be able to connect to Surfshark if the server you pick is experiencing issues. This might be because the server is under maintenance. Connecting to a different server will usually fix the problem.

Clear App Data and Cache

If cached data becomes corrupted, it can stop your app from functioning properly and might prevent Surfshark from establishing a stable connection to the server. To clear the app data and cache for Surfshark, navigate to the home screen of your Fire TV Stick and select Settings > Applications > Manage Installed Applications > NordVPN > Clear Cache.

You should know that this process will reset any personalized settings and remove your saved login information in the Surfshark app. You may need to re-enter your credentials or reconfigure specific settings after clearing the app data and cache.

Update Surfshark’s App

Outdated apps might have bugs and cause connectivity issues. To update the Surfshark app, go to the app store on your Fire Stick, find the app, and click on the Update option. I prefer enabling automatic updates for my Surfshark app. This way, I don’t have to manually check for updates and the app store automatically updates it for me.

Reset Your Fire Stick to Factory Settings

Resetting your Fire TV Stick to factory settings resolves a lot of software issues. A reset reverts your Fire Stick to its original state and removes any settings that might prevent the Surfshark app from working properly. To reset your Fire Stick to factory settings, go to Settings > My Fire TV > Reset to Factory Defaults.

Reinstall the Surfshark App

Changes to the app may cause connectivity issues. Reinstalling Surfshark on your Fire Stick device is the easiest way to solve this and will also get rid of any corrupted files. To uninstall the Surfshark app, go to Settings > Applications > Manage Installed Applications. Find the Surfshark app on the list, select it, and select Uninstall. Once that’s done, install the Surfshark app again on your Fire TV Stick.

Restart Your Fire TV Stick or Router

Resetting your devices reestablishes network settings and clears the cache, which may resolve connectivity issues. It’s simple to reboot your Fire Stick and router. You need to disconnect your Fire Stick and router from their power sources and wait for a couple of minutes before reestablishing the power connection.

Alternatively, you can restart your Fire Stick through its settings. Navigate to Settings > My Fire TV > Restart.

Sideload the Surfshark App

Surfshark’s customer support reps recommend sideloading the provider’s app on your Fire Stick if the app store app keeps experiencing issues. To sideload the Surfshark Fire Stick app, just follow these steps.

Contact Surfshark Support

Surfshark has really good customer support via live chat and email. It also offers a lot of resources through its extensive support library, which has plenty of troubleshooting guides, support articles, and an excellent FAQ section.

Surfshark’s live chat and email reps were always helpful and knowledgeable. I didn’t have to wait for more than a couple of seconds to get connected to an agent via the live chat feature, and the email support reps replied within a day.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use Surfshark on multiple Fire TV Stick devices simultaneously?

Yes, Surfshark allows unlimited simultaneous connections. So, you can install it on multiple Fire Stick devices and use it at the same time on all of them. In addition to Fire Stick apps, Surfshark has apps for Android, iOS, Windows, and macOS.

Can I watch streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video with Surfshark on Fire TV Stick?

Yes, as Surfshark is compatible with 50+ streaming services, such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, and Disney+. Plus, the provider also has a really intuitive Fire Stick app that you can easily download and install from the Amazon app store (just follow these steps).

Can I use Surfshark to watch regional sports events and live broadcasts on Fire TV Stick?

Yes, as Surfshark offers great streaming support, and it also comes with a really user-friendly Fire Stick app — the interface is very simple to navigate with your remote, and all settings and features have helpful explanations. Here’s how to install Surfshark on your Fire Stick, so you can start using it to secure your sports streaming sessions.

Does Surfshark slow down my internet connection on Fire TV Stick?

Yes, all VPNs slightly reduce your internet speed because of the encryption process and your traffic usually has to travel a little further to reach its the VPN server. However, Surfshark is a top VPN, and you’ll barely even notice any slowdowns.

When I tested Surfshark, my speeds were great. All HD videos loaded instantly and didn’t buffer, and 4K videos took 3–4 seconds to load, which is pretty impressive.

Read more about Surfshark in our full review