4 Options to Uninstall Surfshark VPN on All Major Platforms

The ever-changing internet has become more and more treacherous with each passing day. As such, there are not a lot of digital products that cater to internet safety. Although, a VPN is an exception. While it started as a virtual private network that would facilitate secure communication between remote branches, today, it has evolved as a web service. We expect a lot from this tech, but we have to rely on providers for our fair share. Sometimes there’s a need to uninstall it, which applies to Surfshark VPN too.

After all, these vendors are of varying quality. Thus, there are times when a user has to remove a VPN client from the system. We are not saying that Surfshark is a mediocre product, but different people have various needs. Also, maybe they have found a better alternative to this service and want to uninstall Surfshark VPN. We are here to aid such readers.

Note — Surfshark is a mid-tier service provider, well known for being affordable yet offering premium quality service. Although you are free to uninstall the app, drop by and give our Surfshark VPN review a read to learn more about it. You can also refer to the online guides available on the Surfshark VPN website to learn more about the uninstallation process.

1. Uninstall Surfshark VPN from Windows

Uninstallation on Windows can be somewhat tricky. If you are lucky enough, you won’t encounter a single problem. However, if you fail to remove the leftover files or TAP drivers, other VPNs will have a hard time running on your system. Thus, we have prepared two distinct methods for removing the VPN from your device. But before that, you must ensure that you have successfully disconnected and exited the app by following these steps:

Click on the Connect button on the app.
- You can also right-click on the app icon in the system tray and click on Disconnect.
Exit the app.
After that, press Ctrl + Alt + Del or Ctrl + Shift + Esc on your keyboard to launch Task Manager.
Now, select Surfshark and click on End Task.
Doing so will terminate all the background processes of the app.
Once done, the app is ready for removal.

Automatic uninstallation using third-party software

There are numerous third-party uninstallers available on Windows. Either select one or use the one in our example. For this uninstallation, though we are unaffiliated, we are using Total Uninstaller. We used it for demonstration because it saves time and is suitable for beginners. All you have to do is follow the instructions below:

Download Total Uninstaller.
Now, wait for the download to finish and open the Download folder.
Then, double-click on the file to launch the installation.
Once it finishes, run the app.
The app will auto scan the device and list all the installed apps.
In this list, you will find more than one Surfshark app but worry not. The rest are TAP adapters necessary to initiate a VPN connection.
Thus, select Surfshark VPN and click on the Run Analysis button.
The app will scan your device and mark any file related to Surfshark.
Now, click on uninstall and select Yes.
After the uninstallation finishes, click on Scan Leftovers.
Click on Delete Leftovers, and the app will get removed.
Repeat the process till you remove all the other peripheral apps related to Surfshark VPN.

Manually uninstall Surfshark VPN

Those who do not trust third-party sources or want to perform the uninstallation by themselves can use these steps:

Go to the Start menu.
- Press the Windows key on your keyboard or click on the Start icon.
Then, locate Settings from the menu and click it.
Now move your cursor to Apps and open the related menu.
Click on Uninstall Apps.
Here you will find a list of all the installed apps on your Windows device.
From this list, locate Surfshark and click it.
Then, click on Uninstall to begin the process.
On the final menu, click on Finish.

You have now uninstalled the app. It’s time to get rid of the leftover files. Hence,

First, open the Windows Registry.
1. You have to launch the Run box and enter the following: regedit.
2. Press the Windows key + R on your keyboard to open Run. Alternatively, go to the Start menu and enter “run” in the search box.
Now click on the Registry window and press Ctrl + F on your keyboard to launch the Find In Page feature.
In the search box, enter Surfshark and then manually select and delete each file.

2. Remove Surfshark VPN from Mac computers

Mac users can also use a third-party cleaner to uninstall Surfshark VPN. But they can also do it via the Apple App store and by directly dragging the app to Trash. Hence, removing an app isn’t as complicated on a macOS device. However, we recommend exiting the app and terminating all background processes before executing the uninstallation. For that, follow these steps:

Launch the Force Quit Utility on your Mac device.
- Do it by pressing Cmd + Opt + Esc on the keyboard.
Then, locate the Surfshark app and click on Force Quit.
Now open the Activity Monitor.
- You can also find it in the Utility folder.
On the “Activity Monitor”, select All Processes.
From the list, select anything related to Surfshark. Now you can safely remove the app.

Uninstall Surfshark VPN automatically

You will need a third-party uninstaller. Go to the Apple App Store to get one.

First, download any third-party uninstaller and run it on your Mac.
Then, click on Auto-scan.
Now, select Surfshark from the list of installed apps.
Click on Remove and that’s it.

Manually uninstall from macOS

Removing the Surfshark VPN app on Mac by hand is effortless:

Go to Application Folder.
Then locate the Surfshark VPN app and select it.
Now drag the app to the Trash Bin.
The app has been uninstalled.

3. Surfshark VPN Android uninstallation

Android is getting better at managing installations. Now you can uninstall an app directly from the home page. Although you can do the same by visiting the Google Play Store, we recommend the former method since it’s simpler. Here’s how to proceed:

Long-press the Surfshark app icon until it floats.
Either drag it to the end of the screen where there is an Uninstall segment. Or, on the pop-up menu, select Uninstall.
The device will duly prompt you for permission. Select Yes, and your uninstallation process will finish.

4. Uninstall Surfshark VPN on iOS

The removal process is even easier on iOS devices. Just long-press the Surfshark icon until you see a red “X” icon appear. Touch the cross and the device will ask for confirmation. Proceed with OK. You can also remove the app by going to Settings → General → iPhone Storage or iPad Storage → tap Surfshark → select Delete App.