Netflix chooses your catalog from your IP address, and it blocks the VPN servers it recognizes. Any VPN can move your IP address to another country. Getting Netflix to accept that new location is the harder part, and that’s where VPNs differ most.
Surfshark has a strong streaming reputation for its price, but one thing changed recently: it no longer offers Smart DNS, which affects how some TVs reach a foreign library. So which Netflix libraries does it actually unblock, and what do you do when Netflix detects it?
How to Watch Netflix With Surfshark
- Subscribe to Surfshark through our discount link, which adds free months and keeps the 30-day money-back guarantee.
- Install the app on your phone, computer, or streaming device, and sign in.
- Connect to a server in the country whose Netflix library you want.
- Open Netflix and sign in. If your usual catalog still shows, clear your cookies or restart the app.
Which Netflix Libraries Surfshark Unblocks
Surfshark works with Netflix. In our tests, it unblocked 10 Netflix libraries: the US, the UK, Canada, Japan, Australia, South Korea, Malaysia, Turkey, Ukraine, and Iceland. The American, Canadian, and Japanese libraries also worked in its Fire TV app, so the results aren’t limited to a computer.
| Netflix library | Surfshark locations | Result |
|---|---|---|
| US | 24 cities | Unblocked |
| UK | 4 cities | Unblocked |
| Canada | Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver | Unblocked |
| Japan | 1 location | Unblocked |
| Australia | 5 cities | Unblocked |
| South Korea | 1 location | Unblocked |
| Malaysia | Kuala Lumpur | Unblocked |
| Turkey | 1 location | Unblocked |
| Ukraine | Kyiv | Unblocked |
| Iceland | 1 location | Unblocked |
Speed isn’t a problem either. Surfshark’s US server lost 10.5% of our speed. Even the Australian and Malaysian servers, which lost close to half of our connection over the long distance, left far more bandwidth than Netflix recommends for 4K.
If your library isn’t in the table, the 30-day money-back guarantee leaves time to test it on your own account before you commit.
How to Use Surfshark With Netflix
The setup takes a few minutes on any device, and nothing has to be configured beyond choosing the right country.
1. Get a Surfshark Subscription
Surfshark’s Starter plan costs under $2.50 a month on the two-year term. Check the current Surfshark discount before paying, since the number of free months changes during sales.
2. Install Surfshark and Connect to a Server
Download Surfshark from its website, the App Store, Google Play, or Amazon’s Appstore on a Fire TV, then sign in. The app is ready to use straight away, with WireGuard selected automatically.
Next, connect to the country whose catalog you want. For American Netflix, Surfshark lists 24 US cities, and the one closest to you usually connects fastest.
3. Open Netflix and Confirm the Library
With the VPN connected, open Netflix in the app or a browser and sign in. The home screen should now show the catalog of the country you chose. To be sure, search for a title that’s licensed only there; uNoGS keeps a searchable list of what each country’s Netflix offers.
Surfshark Features That Help With Netflix
Beyond unblocking, a few Surfshark features make Netflix easier day-to-day:
- WireGuard by default. The app connects over WireGuard on its Automatic setting, and our speed results came from it. Dausos, Surfshark’s own newer protocol, arrived on macOS first.
- Geo-spoofing in the browser extension. The Chrome and Firefox extension makes the browser report the same location as the server, and in our tests it unblocked services the desktop app couldn’t.
- Unlimited devices. Every phone, laptop, and TV in the house can connect at once, one of the strengths our Surfshark review found.
- Apps for streaming devices. Fire TV, Apple TV, and Android TV support Surfshark’s own apps. Samsung sets, an LG smart TV, Roku, and game consoles don’t support VPN apps. Without Smart DNS, they require a VPN router or a connection shared from a Windows PC.
- Servers in 100 countries. Surfshark’s 4,500+ servers cover the countries behind most Netflix libraries people look for, from Brazil to India.
How to Fix Surfshark When Netflix Detects It
Netflix keeps adding VPN servers to its block list, so an error screen or your home catalog can appear on a server that worked last week. Most cases take a minute to fix.
Switch to Another Server in the Same Country
Netflix blocks individual IP addresses, so a different server in the same country often still works. Disconnect, choose another city or server there, and reload Netflix. In the US, the UK, Canada, and Australia, Surfshark lists several cities to choose from.
Clear Cookies and the App Cache
Your browser stores location data from before the VPN connected, and Netflix can read it. Delete cookies and cached data, restart the browser, and try again. On Android, clear the Netflix app’s cache in the app settings; on an iPhone, reinstall the app.
Use the Extension’s Geo-spoofing
If the desktop app keeps getting detected in a browser, install Surfshark’s extension for Chrome or Firefox and enable Geo-spoofing on its Home screen.
The browser then reports the server’s location along with its IP address, which is often enough for a library that blocked the app.
Check Your Netflix Plan
Netflix’s ad-supported plan is sold in only a few countries, and outside them, it shows a region error instead of the catalog. So switching libraries with any VPN requires the Standard or Premium plan. If everything else checks out and Netflix still won’t start a stream, the plan is the likely cause.
Enable NoBorders and Camouflage Mode on Restricted Networks
On a school, office, or hotel network that blocks VPNs, Surfshark may fail to connect. NoBorders is enabled by default and switches the server list to ones that work under those restrictions.
For stricter networks, change the protocol to OpenVPN, and Camouflage Mode, Surfshark’s obfuscation, disguises the VPN traffic automatically. The same two settings help in countries that block VPNs. China is the strictest case, and using Surfshark in China relies on them.
Contact Support or Try Another VPN
Surfshark’s live chat is open 24/7, and its agents can point you to servers that currently work with a specific library. For causes that aren’t specific to Surfshark, such as DNS settings or a stale Netflix app, the fixes for a VPN that Netflix blocks apply as well.
If Netflix keeps detecting Surfshark on the one library you care about, NordVPN unblocked more Netflix catalogs in our tests, and it’s our top choice among the best VPNs for Netflix.
Verdict
If the library you want is one of the big English-language or East Asian catalogs, Surfshark is an easy recommendation at its price. For a less common catalog, treat the first week as a test. Surfshark’s seven-day free trial on Android and iOS lets you open your own Netflix libraries before paying anything.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Surfshark blocked by Netflix?
No. Netflix blocks individual Surfshark servers from time to time, but the VPN as a whole isn't blocked, and connecting to a different server in that country usually restores access.
Why is Surfshark not working with Netflix?
Netflix has usually flagged that server's IP address, or the browser still holds location data saved before the VPN connected. A different server and cleared cookies fix most cases.
Does Surfshark work with Netflix US?
Yes. Surfshark has servers in 24 US cities, and connecting to one of them switches Netflix to the American library on phones, computers, and streaming devices that run its app.
Does Surfshark have Smart DNS for Netflix?
No. Surfshark discontinued Smart DNS, so Samsung and LG TVs, Roku, and game consoles reach other Netflix libraries only through a VPN-enabled router or a computer acting as a hotspot.
Can Surfshark unblock Netflix Japan?
Yes. Surfshark's Japanese server unblocks Netflix Japan, one of the largest anime catalogs on Netflix, and its speed is high enough for HD and 4K streams.
Can you use Surfshark's free trial for Netflix?
Yes. The seven-day trial in Surfshark's mobile apps is a full subscription, so Netflix libraries are unblocked the same way as on a paid plan, with up to three devices during the trial.