Hey there! Are you looking to get the Surfshark VPN app set up on your NVIDIA Shield TV? You‘ve come to the right place.
In this detailed guide, I‘ll show you exactly how to install and configure Surfshark VPN on the NVIDIA Shield streaming device.
By using Surfshark on your Shield TV, you can unlock a ton of benefits:
- Browse and stream anonymously
- Access extra content from other countries
- Enjoy faster streaming speeds
- Block annoying ads and malware
- Protect all your devices with one VPN account
Let‘s not waste any time – here‘s how to get Surfshark working on your NVIDIA Shield TV box with the fastest method possible!
Why You Should Use Surfshark VPN on NVIDIA Shield
Before we dive into the installation steps, I wanted to quickly go over the main reasons for using a VPN like Surfshark on your NVIDIA Shield TV:
Encrypt Your Streaming Activity
One of the biggest reasons to use Surfshark or any VPN with the NVIDIA Shield is to encrypt your streaming activity.
Without a VPN, your Internet Service Provider can monitor and log every website and streaming service you access on the Shield TV.
Surfshark encrypts all traffic out of your NVIDIA Shield device and routes it through their private servers. This prevents your ISP from snooping on what you‘re watching.
Surfshark also gives you an anonymous IP address to keep your streaming habits completely private.
Access Extra Content
Many popular streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Disney+ and others block content based on your location.
For example, Netflix USA has way more movies and shows compared to other country libraries.
Surfshark allows you to bypass geographic restrictions by connecting to a server in another country.
So you can switch your virtual location to the USA and access the full US Netflix catalog on your NVIDIA Shield TV!
Surfshark has servers in over 65 countries, so you can virtually hop around the world to unlock extra content.
Speed Up Streaming Performance
Believe it or not, using Surfshark VPN can actually improve streaming speeds on your NVIDIA Shield device.
How is this possible?
Well, many Internet providers intentionally slow down traffic from popular streaming sites like Netflix and YouTube. This is known as bandwidth throttling.
The VPN encryption hides the fact you are streaming video from your ISP. This prevents the bandwidth throttling and results in faster loading streams.
Independent speed tests confirm Surfshark provides plenty of extra bandwidth for buffer-free 4K streaming.
Block Annoying Ads and Malware
Another great benefit of Surfshark is that it blocks ads, trackers and malicious websites through their CleanWeb feature.
Whenever you use shady streaming sites on the NVIDIA Shield, Surfshark will filter annoying ads and protect you from malware and phishing attacks.
Use One Account on Unlimited Devices
One Surfshark subscription allows you to connect an unlimited number of devices simultaneously.
So a single account can protect all the gadgets in your household – phones, tablets, laptops, Fire TV Sticks etc.
This means you can install Surfshark on both your NVIDIA Shield TV and other streaming devices for full protection on a single plan.
Now that you know the benefits, let‘s get Surfshark installed on your Shield TV.
Step 1: Subscribe to Surfshark VPN
First things first – you‘ll need a Surfshark VPN account before installing the app.
Visit the Surfshark website and click ‘Get Started‘ to sign up.
Surfshark offers several pricing options:
- 1 month plan – $12.95
- 6 month plan – $6.49/month
- 24 month plan – $2.21/month
I recommend going with the 24 month plan since it‘s the best deal at only $2.21 per month.
Plus, the 2 year plan comes with an extra 2 months FREE!
So it works out to just $2.05 per month, which is an absolute steal in the VPN world 😲
Once signed up, Surfshark will email your account credentials that we‘ll need later.
Now on to the app installation!
Step 2: Enable Third Party App Installation
Since Surfshark VPN isn‘t available on the Google Play Store, we need to enable installation from unknown sources:
- Go to Settings > Security & Restrictions on your NVIDIA Shield TV.
- Locate and select the "Unknown Sources" option.
- Click OK on the pop-up warning to enable this setting.
This allows you to install apps from outside the Google Play Store like the Surfshark APK file.
Step 3: Download the Surfshark APK
Next, we need to download the Surfshark Android APK file:
On your computer, visit Surfshark.com/download.
Under ‘Android‘, click Download to grab the APK file.
Now you need to get this APK onto your NVIDIA Shield TV box.
There are a couple ways to do this:
- Email – Email the APK file to yourself and open it on Shield TV
- File sharing app – Upload to Google Drive and download inside Shield TV browser
- USB stick – Copy the APK physically via a USB flash drive
I prefer using a USB drive, but pick whatever transfer method works for you.
The key is getting the SurfsharkVPN.apk file onto your NVIDIA Shield TV.
Step 4: Install the Surfshark APK
Once you have the APK file on your device, it‘s time to install Surfshark VPN:
- Open the File Explorer app on your NVIDIA Shield TV.
- Navigate to where you saved the Surfshark APK download.
- Select the SurfsharkVPN.apk file.
- Click Install when prompted.
After the install finishes, click Open to launch Surfshark for the first time.
Step 5: Login to Your Surfshark Account
When Surfshark VPN opens, you‘ll see a screen asking you to log in:
- Enter the email address you used to sign up.
- Input the password you set during registration.
- Click Login to continue.
The first time logging in from a new device, Surfshark may require email verification just to confirm it‘s really you.
Once you‘re logged in, Surfshark is ready to secure your NVIDIA Shield TV!
Step 6: Connect to the VPN
On the Surfshark home screen, tap the Connect button to establish an encrypted VPN tunnel.
By default, Surfshark will connect you to the fastest server based on your location.
You can also click Locations to manually select a server in a certain country. As we discussed earlier, this allows you to access geo-restricted content.
For example, connecting to a server in the USA will make streaming services think you‘re located there.
Once connected, you‘ll see the Surfshark VPN logo at the top of the NVIDIA Shield screen.
This means all your streaming activity is now safely routed through the encrypted VPN tunnel. Well done!
Now let‘s talk about some of the settings available in the Surfshark app.
Surfshark App Settings on NVIDIA Shield
The Surfshark app provides lots of options to customize your experience.
Under Features, you can toggle on extras like:
- CleanWeb – Blocks ads, trackers and malware
- Whitelister – Allows splitting traffic between VPN and regular connection
- MultiHop – Chains together multiple VPN servers for extra encryption
There are also important settings under Settings > VPN Settings:
- Kill Switch – Prevents data leaks if the VPN connection drops
- Auto-Connect – Connects automatically when Shield TV starts up
- Protocol – Lets you switch between protocols like IKEv2 and WireGuard
- Camouflage Mode – Hides VPN usage from your ISP
Browse through all these preferences to optimize Surfshark for your needs.
Troubleshooting Tips
Surfshark is very reliable on NVIDIA Shield TV boxes. But in case you run into connection issues, here are some troubleshooting tips:
Slow speeds
- Try switching VPN protocols in the app settings (WireGuard is fastest)
- Connect to a different server location that may have less traffic
VPN won‘t connect
- Restart both the Surfshark app and your NVIDIA Shield device
- Clear the Surfshark app cache and data then re-login
- Make sure your Surfshark subscription is active
Connection keeps dropping
- Toggle Airplane mode on/off to force the VPN to reconnect
- Enable ‘Auto-Connect‘ in settings to automatically restore the VPN
- Use Surfshark‘s ‘Quick Connect‘ feature when this occurs
Other issues
- Try contacting Surfshark‘s customer support via live chat or support ticket
- Post in the Surfshark user community forums for help
Stuck on something? Don‘t worry, Surfshark‘s awesome support teams got your back!
Getting Help From Surfshark Support
If you need any assistance getting up and running with Surfshark VPN, the provider has great customer support options:
- Live chat – Instantly chat with a support agent on Surfshark.com
- Support tickets – Submit a help request and they‘ll email you back
- Email – Directly contact them at [email protected]
- User forums – Post questions in Surfshark‘s community forums
I‘ve always had quick and effective results reaching out to their friendly support staff.
So don‘t hesitate to contact them if you have any issues.
Now let‘s wrap things up with answers to some frequently asked questions:
FAQs About Surfshark VPN on NVIDIA Shield TV
Here are the answers to some common questions people have about using Surfshark on the NVIDIA Shield TV:
Is Surfshark compatible with NVIDIA Shield TV?
Yes! Surfshark has an Android VPN app that works great on the NVIDIA Shield TV.
What are the main benefits of Surfshark VPN?
Surfshark offers strong encryption, unlimited device connections, ad blocking, bypassing geo-restrictions, improving streaming speeds and more.
Does Surfshark work with Netflix?
Absolutely! Just connect to a server in the US, UK, Canada or other country and you can access foreign Netflix libraries.
Will Surfshark slow down my NVIDIA Shield?
No, Surfshark has minimal impact on speed thanks to advanced protocols like WireGuard. Many users report faster streams with Surfshark enabled.
How much does Surfshark cost?
Prices start at $12.95/month. But the best deal is their 2 year plan at just $2.21 per month total.
Can I use Surfshark on other devices too?
Yep! One account supports unlimited device connections so you can install Surfshark on all your phones, tablets, computers etc.
Is Surfshark safe and trustworthy?
Absolutely! Surfshark is located outside surveillance alliances and undergoes annual audits to verify their strict no-logs policy.
Does Surfshark offer a money back guarantee?
Yes, they have a 30 day money back guarantee so you can test drive their service.
Well there you have it folks!
You now know step-by-step how to install and configure Surfshark VPN on the NVIDIA Shield TV box.
I hope this guide helped explain the process in an easy-to-follow way. Don‘t hesitate to reach out if you have any other questions!
Thanks for reading and enjoy safe streaming!
