M3U or Xtream Codes: what is the difference for your IPTV player?

After ordering, you receive login details in one of these two formats, sometimes both. They give access to the same service: only the way you enter them in the player changes.

The M3U format

An M3U playlist is a web address pointing to a file that lists the channels. You paste it as it is into the player, in a field often called “Playlist URL” or “Add playlist”.

• Advantage: accepted by almost every player, including general media players.
• Limitation: the address is long, so tedious to type with a remote. The programme guide (EPG) sometimes needs a second address.

The Xtream Codes format

The Xtream Codes format is made of three separate pieces of information:

1. the server address (sometimes followed by a port, for example :8080);
2. the username;
3. the password.

• Advantage: shorter to type, with the programme guide and categories loaded automatically in most players.
• Limitation: the player must support this format, which is the case for most recent IPTV apps.

Which one should you choose?

Situation	Recommended format
Recent IPTV player on a TV, box or phone	Xtream Codes
General media player on a computer	M3U
Typing with a remote control	Xtream Codes
Player with only a “URL” field	M3U

The most common typing mistakes

• A missing capital letter in the password.
• A space copied by mistake at the start or end of the address.
• The port missing from the server address.
• Mixing up http:// and https:// when the player requires it.

These checks are part of the troubleshooting guide. The entry steps for each device are detailed in the setup guides.