Setup guide
M3U or Xtream Codes:
which should you use?
Both formats reach the same server. One of them gives you a working programme guide and a VOD library, and the other usually does not.
What is the difference between M3U and Xtream Codes? An M3U playlist is a plain text file listing channel names and stream URLs — simple, universal, and carrying no account information. Xtream Codes is an API login made of a username, password and server URL, which lets the player pull the channel list, the programme guide, the VOD library and your account status directly from the server. If your player supports Xtream Codes, use it: you get a working EPG and categories that update on their own. Use M3U only when the player offers no Xtream option.
Side by side
| Xtream Codes | M3U playlist | |
|---|---|---|
| What you enter | Username, password, server URL | A single long URL |
| Live channels | Yes | Yes |
| Programme guide | Yes, automatically | Only with a separate XMLTV URL |
| VOD library | Yes | Rarely |
| Categories update themselves | Yes | No — reload manually |
| Account expiry visible | Yes | No |
| Credentials exposed in the link | No | Yes — the URL contains them |
| Works in every player | Most, not all | Effectively all |
Which format your player wants
| Player | Use |
|---|---|
| IPTV Smarters Pro | Xtream Codes |
| TiVimate | Xtream Codes |
| IBO Player / IBO Pro | M3U |
| Smart IPTV (Samsung, LG) | M3U |
| VLC | M3U |
| Perfect Player | Either |
| GSE Smart IPTV | Either |
Setting up Xtream Codes
- Open your player and choose the Xtream Codes or "Xtream Codes API" login option.
- Enter any profile name — it is only a label.
- Paste the server URL exactly, including
http://orhttps://and the port if one is given. - Enter the username and password, watching for a trailing space if you paste from an email.
- Save. The channel list loads first, the guide follows within a minute or two.
Setting up an M3U playlist
- Choose the M3U or "Add playlist by URL" option.
- Paste the full M3U URL. It is long and contains your credentials — do not trim it.
- If the player has an EPG or XMLTV field, add the guide URL your provider supplies.
- Save and let it load. Large playlists can take a minute.
Three mistakes that cause most failures
- A trailing space. Pasting from email frequently adds one. It looks identical and fails every time.
- A missing port. If the server URL has
:8080or similar, it is part of the address, not a typo. - Already logged in elsewhere. A single-connection plan used on a second device knocks the first one off, which reads as a login failure. Extra connections are on the pricing page.
Never share your M3U link
Your M3U URL contains your username and password inside the address itself. Anyone you send it to has your whole subscription. Sharing it will trip the connection limit, break your own streams, and can get the account suspended.
We send both formats
Every subscription comes with Xtream Codes credentials and an M3U link, so you are never locked to one player.
Request credentialsM3U and Xtream — questions
What is an M3U playlist?
A plain text file in the M3U format listing channel names and stream URLs. Any player that understands the format can read it. It carries no account information, which is why it usually arrives without a programme guide or expiry date.
What are Xtream Codes?
An API login made of a username, a password and a server URL. Instead of downloading a static file, the player queries the server directly and pulls the channel list, the programme guide, the VOD library and your account status.
Which one should I use?
Xtream Codes, whenever your player supports it. Use M3U only when the player has no Xtream option — for example some smart TV apps and VLC.
Can I convert an M3U URL into Xtream Codes?
Not by yourself, but you rarely need to: a provider issuing an M3U link almost always has the Xtream details behind it. Ask for them. We send both formats with every subscription.
Why does my M3U playlist have no programme guide?
Because the format does not carry one by default. Some providers supply a separate XMLTV EPG URL you add manually; the simpler answer is to log in with Xtream Codes instead.
What is an XMLTV URL?
A separate address that supplies programme guide data for players using an M3U playlist. If your provider offers one, you add it in the player's EPG settings.
Does the M3U link expire?
It stops working when your subscription ends, and some providers rotate URLs periodically. Xtream logins are more stable because the credentials stay the same even if the server address changes.
Is it safe to share my M3U link?
No. Your M3U URL contains your username and password in the address itself. Anyone with the link has your subscription, and sharing it will trip the connection limit and can get the account suspended.
My player asks for a port number — what is it?
Some servers listen on a specific port, written after the domain as :8080 or similar. If a port is part of your server URL, include it exactly. If there is none, leave the field alone.