An M3U link and Xtream Codes are two ways to load the same IPTV subscription into a player app. An M3U link is one long web address that contains the whole channel list. Xtream Codes is a login made of three parts: a server address, a username and a password. If your app offers an Xtream Codes login, use that. It loads faster, sorts films and series properly and brings the TV guide along. Use the M3U link for apps that only accept a playlist address.
What an M3U Link Is
M3U started as a simple text format for music playlists. IPTV uses the same idea. The file is a plain list, and every entry has a channel name, a group such as Sports or Kids, a logo and the address of the stream.
You rarely see the file itself. Your provider gives you a link, and the app downloads the list from that link each time it starts. A typical link looks like this:
http://server-address/get.php?username=YOURNAME&password=YOURPASSWORD&type=m3u_plus&output=tsLook closely and you will find your username and your password inside the link. That is why an M3U link works on its own, without a login screen. It is also why you should treat it like a password.
You may also meet the ending .m3u8. It is the same format saved with UTF-8 text encoding, so names with accents show up correctly.
What Xtream Codes Are
Xtream Codes was the name of a management panel that many IPTV providers used. The panel has been gone for years, but apps still use its login format, usually called Xtream Codes API. When a guide says that you log in with Xtream Codes, it means these three fields:
- Server address, also called URL, host or portal. It starts with http:// and often ends with a port number, for example :8080.
- Username
- Password
The app uses them to ask the server for live channels, films and series separately. That is the reason an Xtream login feels tidier: films arrive with posters and descriptions, series are grouped by season, and the TV guide loads without a second address.
M3U and Xtream Codes Side by Side
| M3U link | Xtream Codes | |
|---|---|---|
| What you enter | One long address | Server address, username, password |
| Loading time | Slower with a large list, because the whole list is downloaded at once | Faster, because the app asks for one category at a time |
| Films and series | Often one long list | Separate sections, series grouped by season |
| TV guide (EPG) | Some apps need a second address for it | Comes with the login |
| Subscription end date | Not shown | Most apps show it |
| Where it works | Almost every player, including VLC and TV apps that load a list by MAC address | Apps with an Xtream Codes login screen |
Both methods use the same account and the same streams. Picture quality does not change with the method. The difference is only how the app receives the list.
A third method: portal with MAC address
MAG boxes and apps such as MyTVOnline use a portal address, sometimes together with the MAC address of the device. If your app asks for a portal, tell our support which device you use and we will send the right details.
Which Method Each App Uses
This table comes from our own setup guides. For each app we list the method we use in the guide and where you type the details.
| App | Method in our guide | Where you enter it |
|---|---|---|
| IPTV Smarters Pro | Xtream Codes | In the app |
| TiviMate | Xtream Codes | In the app |
| OTT Navigator | Xtream Codes | In the app |
| Televizo | Xtream Codes | In the app |
| XCIPTV | Xtream Codes | In the app |
| 9Xtream | Xtream Codes | In the app |
| GSE Smart IPTV | Xtream Codes | In the app |
| IPTV Blink Player | Xtream Codes | In the app |
| Purple IPTV | Xtream Codes | In the app |
| IBO Player | M3U link | On the app's website, with Device ID and Device Key |
| IBO Player Pro | M3U link | On the app's website, with MAC address and Device Key |
| BOB Player | M3U link | On the app's website, with Device ID and Device Key |
| CAP Player | M3U link | On the app's website, with MAC address and Device Key |
| HOT IPTV | M3U link | On the app's website, with MAC address |
| Smart IPTV (SIPTV) | M3U link | On the app's website, with MAC address |
| Net IPTV | M3U link | On the app's website, with MAC address |
| SET IPTV | M3U link | On the app's website, with MAC address |
| Flix IPTV | M3U link | On the app's website, with MAC address |
| BayTV | M3U link | On the app's website, with MAC address |
| SmartOne IPTV | M3U link | On the app's website, with MAC address |
| SS IPTV | M3U link | On the app's website, with a connection code |
| VLC Media Player | M3U link | In the program, under Open Network Stream |
| MyTVOnline | Portal | In the app |
Several of the apps in the M3U group also have a button for Xtream Codes on their website, for example IBO Player, IBO Player Pro and CAP Player. Either way loads the same content.
How to Turn an M3U Link into an Xtream Login
You do not need to ask for new details. Everything is already in your M3U link. Take this example:
http://tv.example.com:8080/get.php?username=anna84&password=k7Pq2x&type=m3u_plus&output=ts- Server address: everything before /get.php, so http://tv.example.com:8080
- Username: the text after username= up to the next & sign, so anna84
- Password: the text after password= up to the next & sign, so k7Pq2x
It works the other way round too. Put your three Xtream details into the pattern above and you have your M3U link.
Keep Your Link Private
Anyone who has your M3U link can watch on your account, and a subscription only allows a limited number of connections at the same time. So a shared link usually shows up as streams that stop for no clear reason.
- Do not post the link, or a screenshot that shows it, in a forum, a review or a social media group.
- Only enter it on the official website of your player app. Check the address twice, because lookalike sites exist for the popular players.
- If you think someone else has your link, message our support. We change the password and send you a new link.
If the List Does Not Load
The app says the login is wrong
Copy and paste instead of typing. Usernames and passwords are case sensitive, and a space at the end is enough to break them.
The server address is not accepted
Keep the http:// at the start and the port number at the end, and leave out everything from /get.php onwards. Do not change http into https unless we gave it to you that way.
The channels load but the TV guide stays empty
With an M3U link, some apps need a separate guide address. Switch to the Xtream Codes login if your app has one, or ask our support for the guide address.
The list takes minutes to load
That is normal for a large M3U list on an older TV. An Xtream Codes login loads much faster on the same device.
Questions People Ask
Is Xtream Codes better than M3U?
For everyday use, yes. It loads faster, sorts films and series into their own sections and brings the TV guide with it. The streams are the same, so the picture quality does not change.
Are M3U and M3U8 the same thing?
Almost. M3U8 is an M3U file saved with UTF-8 text encoding. Players treat them the same way.
Can I use both methods at the same time?
Yes. Both belong to the same account. Keep in mind that every device that is playing counts as a connection, whichever method it uses.
Where do I find my M3U link and my Xtream details?
They are in the message you received from Smootv with your trial or subscription. If you cannot find it, message our support and we will send it again.
Does an M3U link expire?
The link stays the same as long as your username and password stay the same. It stops working when the subscription ends and works again after you renew.
Is an M3U file itself legal?
M3U is only a playlist format, like a list of web addresses. What matters is whether the streams in the list are offered with the rights to them.
Not Sure Which One Your App Needs?
Tell us the name of your app and your device on WhatsApp or Telegram. We will send the right details and set it up with you.
