Getting a VPN on smart TV models is easy on some systems and impossible on others. On the official websites of the 7 big VPN providers, none lists an app for Samsung Tizen, LG webOS or Roku, while Android TV, Google TV and Fire TV get apps from all 7. Apple TV gets 6 of 7, starting with tvOS 17. So the real question is which system your TV runs. Below is the answer for each one, plus fixes for Samsung and LG.
NordVPN has native apps for Android TV, Fire TV and Apple TV, and one account covers up to 10 devices at the same time.
NordVPNLightning-fast streamingYes, if your TV runs Android TV, Google TV, Fire TV or tvOS 17 and later. No, if it runs Samsung Tizen, LG webOS or Roku OS: none of the 7 providers lists an app for them, so you route the VPN around the TV. NordVPN’s help center agrees: most smart TVs have no built-in VPN, except Android-based TVs.
System | TV brands | VPN app? | What works instead |
|---|---|---|---|
Android TV / Google TV | Sony, Philips, TCL, Hisense, Chromecast | Yes, 7 of 7 | App is enough |
Fire TV | Fire TV, Fire TV Stick | Yes, 7 of 7 on Fire OS, 5 on Vega OS | App is enough |
Apple TV (tvOS 17+) | Apple TV 4K, Apple TV HD | Yes, 6 of 7 | Router for the 7th |
Samsung (Tizen) | Samsung | No | Router, PC hotspot, Smart DNS |
LG (webOS) | LG | No | Router, PC hotspot, Smart DNS |
Roku | Roku players, Roku TV | No | Router or a streaming stick |
Hisense VIDAA and others | Hisense VIDAA, Vizio, Panasonic | None listed | Router or a streaming stick |
Not sure which system your TV runs? Watch for the logo while the TV boots, or open Settings and look for an About or system information page, which usually names the operating system.
All 7 cover Android TV and Fire TV, 6 of 7 cover Apple TV, and none has an app for Samsung or LG.
VPN | Android TV | Fire TV | Apple TV | Samsung/LG | Smart DNS | Devices |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NordVPN | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | 10 |
Surfshark | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | Discontinued Feb 2, 2026 | Unlimited |
ExpressVPN | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ MediaStreamer | 10 to 14 |
Private Internet Access | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | Unlimited |
Proton VPN | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Not listed | Not listed | 10 (paid) |
IPVanish | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Not listed | Not listed | Unlimited |
CyberGhost | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | Not for streaming | 7 |
Source: official VPN websites, checked October 19, 2026 | ||||||
The table follows the VPNs’ official websites as of October 19, 2026, plus StreamFix reviews such as our NordVPN review. The full VPN comparison ranks all 7 according to our review methodology.
Sony, Philips, TCL and some Hisense models run Android TV or Google TV, as does Chromecast with Google TV, per ExpressVPN’s device list. NordVPN, Surfshark and Proton VPN all point you to Google Play on the TV, and Proton VPN adds that no sideloading is needed.
Open Google Play on the TV
Use the store on the TV, not the one on your phone.
Install the app
Search for the provider by name. Surfshark needs Android 7.0 or later, Proton VPN Android 8 or later.
Sign in
Log in with your existing account.
Choose a server
Pick a server in the country of the streaming service you want to watch.
Open the streaming app
Start it after the VPN connects.
Not every box with Android inside runs Android TV. Some budget boxes run phone Android, and IPVanish says its Android TV app works properly only on a box running the true Android TV operating system.
Surfshark installs from Google Play on Android TV devices with Android 7.0 or later, and it allows unlimited simultaneous connections. Our Surfshark review covers the apps in detail.
SurfsharkBest value for moneyNo, not with an app. Samsung TVs have no built-in VPN, and Surfshark explains that Tizen doesn’t allow traditional VPN app installs. ExpressVPN, Private Internet Access (PIA) and CyberGhost say the same. You still have three good ways to get there.
A router with the VPN set up covers every device on its Wi-Fi, your Samsung TV included. It also saves device slots: NordVPN says the router uses only one slot, and ExpressVPN says its router counts as only one active connection. NordVPN notes that a router from your internet provider probably can’t run a VPN, and its guides cover ASUS, DD-WRT, OpenWRT and TP-Link. ExpressVPN calls its router option Fortify. Our guide to a VPN on a router shows how to check yours and set it up step by step.
Windows can turn a PC into a mobile hotspot and share its Wi-Fi, Ethernet or cellular connection with other devices over Wi-Fi, as Microsoft describes. Connect the VPN on the PC, switch on the hotspot and join that network from the TV. NordVPN lists this method for Samsung TVs, and Surfshark recommends it too. The PC has to stay on while you watch.
Smart DNS changes only the DNS server the TV uses, with no app and no encryption. Three of the 7 providers offer it for streaming:
ExpressVPN MediaStreamer: register your IP address on the ExpressVPN website, then enter the DNS address on the TV. MediaStreamer can’t change locations.
NordVPN SmartDNS: included with any NordVPN subscription. Allowlist your IPv4 address first, because IPv6 doesn’t work with it yet.
PIA Smart DNS: generate an address for each device and country in the PIA control panel. PIA says it suits many smart TVs.
On a Samsung TV, provider guides put the DNS field under Settings > All Settings > Connection > Network > Network Status > IP Settings > DNS Settings > Enter Manually.
No app here either: PIA says LG TVs can’t run VPN apps yet, and CyberGhost calls webOS a closed ecosystem. The three Samsung routes work here too.
One LG tip: keep the TV’s region on the country you are really in, as LG’s help center advises. The VPN server is what changes the location the streaming apps see. On models from 2021 and later (webOS 6.0+), the setting sits under Settings > All Settings > General > System > Location. On models from 2020 and earlier (webOS 5.0 and older), it’s Settings > All Settings > General > Location.
ExpressVPN lists both MediaStreamer and its Fortify router for LG and Samsung, and the router counts as only one of the 10 to 14 connections your plan allows. Our ExpressVPN review explains both.
ExpressVPNGreat for streamingYes, both run apps. Apple added third-party VPN support in tvOS 17, available for Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD. Surfshark and PIA name tvOS 17 or later as the requirement, and NordVPN, Proton VPN and IPVanish have apps too. CyberGhost points Apple TV owners to a router.
On Fire TV, the app comes from the Amazon Appstore, and all 7 providers have one for Fire OS. On the newer Vega OS sticks, 5 of 7 list an app, as our guide to a VPN on Firestick explains. ExpressVPN runs on Fire OS 6 and later and on Vega OS, while IPVanish needs a second-generation Fire TV Stick or newer.
NordVPN says its app can’t be installed on Roku OS, and IPVanish says a Roku can’t connect to a VPN by itself. Roku has no DNS setting either, so PIA sets up Smart DNS for Roku on the router. ExpressVPN lists Vizio and Panasonic with router and Smart DNS options only, and it names Hisense only among its Android TV and Google TV models, not with VIDAA.
Two fixes work: a router with the VPN, or a streaming stick. A Fire TV Stick, a Chromecast with Google TV or an Apple TV plugged into HDMI brings its own app store, so the VPN runs on the stick and the TV only shows the picture. For a single TV, the stick is usually the cheaper and quicker fix.
With Google Cast, the phone only sends commands. Google’s developer documentation describes the receiver, the app on the Chromecast or TV, as the part that conveys the stream from the online service. The Chromecast or TV fetches the video itself, so a VPN running only on your phone doesn’t change the location the streaming service sees. Run the VPN on the TV, the stick or the router instead.
If the TV runs Android TV, Google TV, Fire TV or tvOS 17, install the app and you’re done. On Samsung, LG, Roku or VIDAA, a router covers every device, using a single slot with NordVPN or ExpressVPN, while a streaming stick is the faster fix for a single TV. If you only need one app on one TV and can’t touch the router, use Smart DNS or a hotspot from a Windows PC.
Private Internet Access covers nearly every path in that chart: native apps for Android TV, Google TV, Fire TV and Apple TV, Smart DNS for the TVs without an app, and unlimited devices on one account.
Private Internet AccessPerfect for travelersStart with the server location, then work down the list:
Connect to a server in the country of the streaming service, not just a nearby one.
Try another server in the same country.
Restart the streaming app and clear its data, or reinstall it.
Keep the TV’s region or country setting on the country you are really in, as LG advises; the VPN server sets the location the streaming apps see.
With a router setup, check that the router’s VPN connection is actually up.
If Netflix shows a proxy message, our guide to the Netflix proxy error walks you through it.
To turn the VPN off, disconnect in the app on Android TV, Google TV, Fire TV or Apple TV, or switch it off on the router or the hotspot PC. For Smart DNS, set the TV’s DNS back to automatic in the same network menu where you entered it.
NordVPN gives you native apps for Android TV, Fire TV and Apple TV, SmartDNS for Samsung and LG with any subscription, and a router setup that uses only one of your 10 device slots. Set it up on the router once, and every device on your Wi-Fi uses it.
Counting screens? NordVPN covers up to 10 devices at once, while Surfshark, PIA and IPVanish allow unlimited connections, which matters once the TV, the phones and the laptops all share one account. Still choosing between the two most popular options? Our NordVPN vs Surfshark comparison puts them side by side, and the Private Internet Access review covers PIA’s TV apps in depth. Once the TV is connected, browse all streaming platforms on StreamFix, or see how to watch US streaming services from anywhere and UK streaming services from anywhere. Our Netflix overview and BBC iPlayer overview show where each service is available and what you need to watch it. The card below shows where Netflix, Disney+ and Prime Video are available around the world, so you can pick the right server country before you switch on the TV. To watch from another country later, pick a server there in the app or on the router, then restart the streaming app so it loads the new location. With PIA Smart DNS, you generate a new address in the control panel for each country you want. Every figure in this guide comes from official provider and manufacturer pages, checked on October 19, 2026. Following your team on the road? Read our guide to using a VPN to watch football abroad. New to this? Our explainer on VPN for streaming covers how it works and what it changes.
Usually not. NordVPN notes that most smart TVs have no built-in VPN feature, except Android-based TVs, which can install VPN apps from Google Play. According to Surfshark, Samsung TVs have no built-in VPN at all.
Not with an app, because Tizen doesn’t allow VPN app installs. You can use a router with the VPN, share the VPN from a Windows PC through a mobile hotspot, or set up Smart DNS such as ExpressVPN MediaStreamer, NordVPN SmartDNS or PIA Smart DNS.
Not on the Roku itself. None of the 7 big providers lists a Roku app, and Roku has no DNS setting on the device, so the VPN or Smart DNS goes on your router. A Fire TV Stick or a Chromecast with Google TV in the HDMI port is the simpler alternative.
Casting won’t carry it. With Google Cast, the TV or Chromecast fetches the stream from the service itself and the phone only acts as a remote, so the phone’s VPN doesn’t apply. Install the VPN on the TV or a streaming stick, or share it from a Windows PC through a mobile hotspot.
TVs running Android TV or Google TV, such as models from Sony, Philips, TCL and Hisense, can install VPN apps from Google Play. Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD on tvOS 17, as well as Fire TV devices, run them too. Samsung, LG and Roku TVs need a router, a hotspot or Smart DNS.
The VPN sends the TV’s traffic through a server in the country you choose, so the streaming service sees that country as your location. Streaming apps then show what’s available there, and you keep paying for your subscriptions as usual.
Using a VPN is legal in the EU, the US and most other countries. Your streaming subscription is paid as usual, and the VPN only changes the location the service sees.
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