Have you purchased your first Internet Protocol Television and now you are wondering how to use IPTV on VLC using the M3U link? Well! in that case, your search is finally over because in this article I came up with the complete instructions for my visitors to help them play their favorite channel directly on the VLC media player.
This process is a little bit trickier and here I am going to provide two different methods so just make sure to stick with this article until the very end. As if you miss anything here then you might not be able to understand the proper steps and end up having some problems.
Besides this, I am also going to provide you with a quick guide on what is an M3U File and how you can get one to stream live TV channels on a computer. That’s why if you don’t want to miss this precious information then just make sure to stick with me until the very end of this article.
What is IPTV M3U File
An M3U is a file used to create a playlist for audio and sometimes video that includes the information of that content like location, track name, etc. Similarly, this file can store information about live TV channels, and VODs because the M3U playlist also supports media playback through the URL.
This file has all the data of the channels that are provided by the IPTV provider that includes name, icon, URL, and much more. The file was first created for the WinPlay3 but nowadays many 3rd-party media players like VLC, iTunes, Winamp, and others support this M3U playlist.
It is the easiest way of streaming live channels from your provider because you don’t need to have any other application as you can use a pre-installed media player for this. Another benefit is that some operating system doesn’t support IPTV players and this is where the M3U file comes in handy.
If you are interested in this file and want to learn more about this then I have written a complete guide on this. You can simply follow this link and start reading the article: What is IPTV M3U Playlist
How to Get IPTV M3U File
Now as we know what is an M3U file and what is the use of this file you might be wondering how to get an IPTV M3U file. If so then don’t worry I got your back, basically, this playlist file is provided by the IPTV sellers to the customers. To get the IPTV M3U link or file you simply needed to purchase a service from the sellers and after that, you will receive a link through email.
But there is still a problem because many IPTV sellers have entered this market and most of them are scammers. Even some providers offer the worst service and have low-resolution channels that are really annoying. This is why I have already written various articles on how to get the best IPTV service and the best IPTV sellers as well.
If you are new to this website then you probably need to read those articles first because with this you will be able to get the right service for you. Although I prefer to use the IPTVTrends because they are very reliable and have 99.99% server uptime providing almost zero buffering.
They are also very good to its customers as they reply to all the questions, help to set up their service and also provide instructions if you are having any issue. Other than this they are very cheap as compared to the service they are offering so if you are new you should probably check out their service.
How to use IPTV on VLC using the M3U URL
Once you have purchased an IPTV service from IPTVTrends or any other provider you will receive an activation email after making an order. When the email is received there you will find account information that includes username, password, M3U URL, Portal URL, and package detail as well.
After receiving that email you don’t simply go to need the M3U URL from there because the user and pass are required for Xtreme Codes API. In case you are willing to use the direct login method then you may need to follow this method instead: Install IPTV Smarters Pro
Ok so let’s continue with this article first of all you need to download a VLC media player for your Windows, Mac or Mobile depending on where you want to use it. to download it you can simply go to the Videolan website or open the Play Store or Apple Store and then grab the app for you.
Once you have the application now let’s follow the steps given below to use IPTV on VLC:
1 Launch the VLC media player on your device and then from the above menu click on the Media option.
2 It will show various options there now simply click on the Open Network Stream.
3 From the Open Media window make sure to stay on the Network tab and then paste the M3U URL you get from the service provider.
4 After that simply click on the Play button located under the Open Media window.
5 At this time you need to wait for a while until VLC downloads channel information and then you will see the List of Channels appears on the VLC Playlist.
6 Once the channels are loaded simply hover to any name and then double click on it or press the Play button to start streaming channels on VLC.
That’s it you have now successfully set up your IPTV service on VLC and now you don’t need to use any other app. It will show all the channels as well as the VODs that you can stream easily.
Download M3U Playlist and Use IPTV on VLC
In the above guide, we learned the simple process to use IPTV on VLC using the M3U Playlist URL. But the problem is you need to paste that URL each time you want to stream any channel which wastes some of your precious time. That’s why this is the alternative way that I personally use sometimes.
In this section, we won’t use the M3U link but instead, download the playlist and then use it as a file. This is way simple and even saves our time because we don’t need to copy and paste the URL. The best part is that file will remain on your computer and you can share it with your friends too.
To use IPTV on VLC using the M3U Playlist file just follow these simple steps:
1 Open the email that you received from the provider and then copy the M3U URL from there.
2 Now open a New Tab on the browser and then paste the URL that you copied.
3 After that hit the Enter button and then the file will start downloading automatically.
4 Once the file is downloaded now launch VLC and click on the Media from the above Menu.
5 At this time select the Open File option instead of the Network Stream.
6 It will then open the File Manager and now go to the Downloads (or another folder where you download the file).
7 From there find the M3U with having .M3U8 or .M3U extension and then select Open.
8 After that you just need to wait for a while and then the List of Channels will appear there.
Now you have successfully imported channels through the M3U Playlist file and now whenever you need to watch TV just import the file by following the same steps. This really an amazing way of streaming channels because we don’t need to use that link again and again as we can save some time with this guide.
Conclusion
There is no doubt that the Internet Protocol TV is an amazing alternative to the old-fashioned cable network as we can access channels on almost any device. Since there are plenty of apps already available for mobiles, tablets, or Smart TVs but there are only a few working apps available for Mac, Windows, Raspberry, or Linux.
But in this article, I have provided a simple method to use IPTV on VLC using M3U Playlist and Link as well. It is because this media player is supported by almost every Operating System. That’s why unless your device supports this media player you are free to watch your favorite TV channels without interruption.
However, if you know any other app except this that you use for streaming then please make sure to share it with us. Also, if you find this article helpful then don’t forget to leave your precious comments here. I will be very glad to hear from you and if you have any questions then don’t hesitate to ask.