Guide · M3U file

How to open an M3U file: step by step on any device

· Checked with BurgTV 1.3.7 (TV) · 1.2.1 (Android) · 1.0.15 (iPhone/iPad)

An M3U (or M3U8) playlist is a list of stream addresses. To open it you need a player. Here is how to do it on Fire TV, Google TV, Android phones, iPhone and iPad with BurgTV, what a playlist line looks like, and how to fix the errors people run into most. You bring the source: BurgTV provides no content.

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BurgTV on a TV: the screen for adding a playlist, with M3U, Xtream Codes, Jellyfin and Portal
BurgTV on a TV: the screen for adding a playlist, with M3U, Xtream Codes, Jellyfin and Portal

What an M3U file is

An M3U is a plain text file. It starts with the line #EXTM3U; then every entry has an information line (#EXTINF) followed by the address of a stream. It contains no video at all: it only tells the player where the streams are. Most sources hand it out as a link (an address starting with http:// or https://).

M3U or M3U8: what’s the difference?

The structure is the same. M3U8 means the text is encoded in UTF-8, so names with accents or non-Latin letters display correctly. The .m3u8 extension is also used by HLS, a streaming format that splits one video into short segments: in that case the M3U8 describes a single stream, not a list of channels. BurgTV handles both: a channel list in M3U or M3U8, and the HLS streams inside it.

What a playlist looks like inside

A made-up example with two entries. The addresses use example.com, a domain reserved for examples:

#EXTM3U url-tvg="http://example.com/guide.xml.gz"
#EXTINF:-1 tvg-id="demo1.example" tvg-logo="http://example.com/logo1.png" group-title="Demo",Demo Channel 1
http://example.com/live/demo1.m3u8
#EXTINF:-1 tvg-id="demo2.example" group-title="Demo",Demo Channel 2
http://example.com/live/demo2.ts

What each part means

  • url-tvg in the first line (also written x-tvg-url or tvg-url): the address of the TV guide. BurgTV loads it by itself, compressed .gz files included.
  • tvg-id: links the channel to its programs in the guide. When it is missing, BurgTV tries to match the channel by its name.
  • tvg-logo and group-title: the channel logo and the category it is listed under.
  • The text after the last comma: the channel name you see in the list.
  • The line below #EXTINF: the stream address. On TV and Android it must start with http:// or https://.

How to open an M3U on the TV, step by step

  1. Install BurgTV: on Fire TV and Google TV from download.burgtv.com (see the install guide), on iPhone and iPad from the App Store.
  2. Add the playlist from the Welcome screen at first launch, or later from Settings > My Lists > Add playlist, and choose M3U Playlist.
  3. In Playlist URL, enter the full address, from http to the very last character, and press Continue.
  4. Wait for the list to load: a large playlist can take a minute the first time. Channels, categories and, if the playlist points to one, the TV guide then appear.

On the TV, if your M3U address contains username= and password=, BurgTV recognizes it and adds it as Xtream Codes, which also brings in the TV guide automatically.

On Android phones, iPhone and iPad

Go to Settings > Content sources > Add, pick the M3U URL tab and paste the address. You add the playlist on each device: nothing is copied automatically between TV and phone. On iPhone, Safari can play a single HLS stream (an .m3u8 address), but it does not turn a playlist into a list of channels: for that you need a player app.

BurgTV opens M3U playlists from a link (http or https); it does not import a .m3u file saved on the device (in version 1.3.7 the TV menu still reads “Import from URL or local file”, but only the link option is available). If you only have the file, check whether the source you already use offers the same playlist as a link: most do. If you received a server, username and password instead, use Xtream Codes; if you have a portal address with a MAC, use Portal.

Common errors and how to fix them

  • “The server returned no content” (TV) or “Empty response from server” (Android): the address answered but sent nothing back. Check that the link is complete, then try again later: the source may be temporarily down.
  • “Error loading playlist: HTTP 404” or “Server error (HTTP …)”: the number comes from the source’s server. 404 means the address does not exist, often because the link was cut while copying it; 401 or 403 mean access was refused, for example because the credentials inside the link are no longer valid.
  • “The URL is not a valid M3U playlist” (Android, iPhone): the address returns something else, such as a web page. Make sure you are using the playlist link, not the address of a website.
  • It works in VLC but not in BurgTV: first check that you pasted exactly the same address. Then look at the stream lines: on TV and Android BurgTV plays http and https addresses, not rtmp, udp or rtsp.
  • The list loads but some channels won’t start: the problem is that single stream, which may be offline at the source or need more bandwidth. See how to reduce buffering.
  • No programs next to the channels: see blank TV guide: causes and fixes.
  • Can’t add a second playlist on the TV: the free plan includes 1 playlist; Premium makes them unlimited.

What’s next?

Add a TV guide (EPG), set up Xtream Codes, or browse all the guides.

Frequently asked questions

What exactly is an M3U file?

A text file with a list of stream addresses. It contains no video: it is the list a player reads to play the streams.

What is the difference between M3U and M3U8?

M3U8 is the same format encoded in UTF-8; the extension is also used for single HLS streams. BurgTV opens both.

Can I open a .m3u file saved on my device?

BurgTV opens playlists from a link (http or https), not from a file saved on the device. If you only have the file, check whether your source offers the same playlist as a link.

How many M3U playlists can I add?

On TV and Android the free plan includes 1 playlist and Premium makes them unlimited. On Android every feature is included until November 10, 2026. On iPhone and iPad, Premium is bought in the App Store.

My M3U has no TV guide. What can I do?

On the TV, add an XMLTV source in Settings > TV Guide > Additional EPG sources. On Android and iPhone, enter the guide address when you edit the playlist in Content sources.

Is opening an M3U legal?

Yes. The player is neutral; legality depends on the source. Use only playlists you have the right to use.

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