Like M3U, the M3U8 is also a familiar playlist file format that can be made with simple and plain text. This file gives you complete paths, relative paths, and URLs of certain media files or folders. Most of the IPTV services deliver their content in this format as it is easy to access using the media players. If you are not aware of M3U8, no worries! We have provided in-depth details on what is an M3U8 link and how to open, access, and convert it to other formats on your devices.
What is M3U8 Playlist
An M3U8 file is a UTF-8 encoded with an M3U file. Both audio and video players can read this as it reports the location of the media files. Using this playlist format, you can create your own playlist with your desired audio and video files. In addition, an M3U8 file can also provide you with references to online files for an internet radio station.
Further, it lets you open and access the media files stored quickly. It also allows you to listen to the same audio files again and again using the shortcut to play certain tracks. With that, the M3U8 files also contain detailed information about the content in the playlist.
Supported Devices and Players of M3U8 Format
You can access the playlists in this format using the M3U8 player on the streaming devices mentioned below.
| Device | Players |
|---|---|
| Android | Pocket IPTV OTT Player |
| Windows | KMPlayer GOM Media Player VLC Media Player |
| Mac | Clementine Vidmore Player Songbird |
| Linux | Clementine XMMS VLC Media Player |
How to Open an M3U8 File
You can open these playlists using the VLC Media Player. Here is how to do it.
1. Launch the VLC Media Player on your device.
2. At the top of the screen, hit the Media tab.
3. When you get the menu on the screen, select the Open File option or press the Ctrl + O keys on the keyboard.
4. Select the file you want to open.
5. Once done, hit the Open button to access it on your device
How to Create an M3U8 File
You can access the same VLC media player to create the M3U8 files. For instance, the VLC Media Player supports creating an M3U8 file with the files you loaded to the players. Follow the procedure to make the playlist in this format using VLC.
1. Launch the VLC Media Player on your streaming device.
2. Hit Media at the top of the screen.
3. Tap the Save Playlist to File option and choose M3U8 playlist as the file type.
4. Click Save to create the files in M3U8 format.
FAQ
VLC is the best media player that supports the M3U8 format.
You can use the FFMPEG software on your PC to download these files.
