What is M3U URL in IPTV? A Complete Guide

M3U File/M3U URL, in general, is a plain text URL that carries audio and video content. Generally, IPTV services and their subscribers access M3U files a lot, as IPTV playlists are distributed in this format. Say for example, if you subscribe to an IPTV service, they’ll provide you with an M3U URL that carries the service’s content like live TV Channels, on-demand videos, etc. You need an internet connection to load any M3U file and access its holding.

Are M3U Files Legal?

There is no way that you can judge the legality of an M3U URL. Since many IPTV providers are accused of streaming copyrighted content without a license, users need to be careful before subscribing to it. Even if the service seems legal, it is advisable to mask your IP address while streaming. For this, we recommend using a VPN service like NordVPN. This will hide your IP Address and unblock geo-restricted content, keeping you safe and secure.

Devices Compatible With M3U Files

If you own any of the below-mentioned devices, you can easily access the M3U file offered by your IPTV provider via an IPTV Player and catch-up with entertainment.

• Android-based devices like Smartphones, Smart TVs, Firestick, etc.
• Apple devices like the iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV.
• Windows PC and Mac.
• Streaming devices like MAG, Formuler, Enigma2, Dreamlink, Avov.
• Gaming consoles like Xbox and PS5.

How to Play/Open M3U URL on your Device

As mentioned earlier, you cannot directly access M3U files on your device and start streaming. You need to install a compatible IPTV player for this. Some players are readily available in the app stores, while others need to be sideloaded. Remember, IPTV players don’t offer any content on their own. They are just a medium that’ll help you process the M3U file.

A list of famous IPTV Players is given below.

NOTE: There’s no assurance that you can find all these IPTV Players on all the supported devices. You need to browse through the respective app stores on those devices and find which player is available at that point.

There are two distinct categories of IPTV Players available right now. One requires you to just paste the M3U URL in the app and start streaming. But, the other type of IPTV player requires you to activate the URL and your device. Both types are explained below with relevant examples.

a) Steps to Play M3U URL Directly on a Device

Here is a quick demonstration of how to use the VLC media player to stream M3U URLs directly on a device without activation.

1. At first, open the MP3 URL file with a text editor and copy the URL of the playlist.

2. After that, launch the downloaded VLC media player app on your device.

3. Select the Media option & click on the Open Network Stream.

Note: Mac users need to select the File option and click on the Open Network Stream option.

4. Now, click on the Network option and enter the M3U URL link that you copied.

5. At last, click on the Play option to begin playing the content.

Alternate Method: You can also add the M3U file to the VLC media player in another method. Click on the View tab and select the Playlist option. Once the playlist mode appears, find the M3U file and drag & drop in to the Playlist section. Then, double-click the M3U file, and the files will be all set to play.

b) Steps to Play M3U URL via Activation

Some IPTV Players require you to activate your device’s MAC address to play M3U URLs. Here is an example of this method using Room IPTV.

1. First, install the Room IPTV Player on your device.

2. Then, visit the official website [https://www.roomiptv.com/] of Room IPTV from a browser and click on the Activate option.

3. Choose a method of activation and enter your device’s MAC address. The device should be the one with which you are going to stream the URL.

4. After activation, choose a plan and pay for it.

5. Once done, the app gets activated on the device on which you’ve installed.

6. Now, you can paste the M3U URL and start playing its contents.

Can I Build My Own M3U Playlist?

Yes, you can create an M3U Playlist. Several media players like VLC, Windows Media Player, etc have the provisions to save audio files as M3U links. These M3U links can be shared between devices via relative paths rather than absolute locations.

Here is an example of how to create an M3U Playlist using VLC Media Player.

1. Within the VLC media player, right-click on the blank space.

2. Then, click on the Add Folder or Add File option so as to upload the audio file or the folder.

3. Press the Ctrl + Y keys in order to build a new M3U playlist.

4. After that, choose a specific location and then rename the file at your convenience.

5. Select the type as M3U playlist and hit the Save option.

Can I Convert an M3U File to Another Format?

Just like M3U, there are lots of other format files circulated in the IPTV world. They are M3U8, HTML, XSPF, JSON, etc. You can convert an M3U URL to any of these formats using the IPTV players that have the facility to do so. However, you cannot convert the M3U file into other formats like MP4, MP3, or other multimedia formats.

For example, if you are using the VLC media player, click on the Media option. Then, select the Save Playlist File option and go with the prompts to select and change your M3U file format. Likewise, find the respective options of your IPTV player and change the M3U link to the desired format.

In addition, you can also convert the M3U file to text format. To do that, open the text file using any text editor and save it to formats like HTML, TXT, or other similar text formats. Another easiest way to convert the M3U file to text format is by renaming the file to .TXT and then running it using a text editor. Otherwise, you can use a software tool like the Convert Helper.

Frequently Asked Questions