What is M3U8?
M3U8 is the UTF-8 version of M3U, also used for HLS streams. What the extension means for IPTV playlists and players, in plain English.
Quick answer
M3U8 is an M3U playlist saved in UTF-8 text encoding, which handles every alphabet. The same extension is used by HLS live streams, where an .m3u8 file lists short video segments. For IPTV users, an M3U8 playlist works in the same players as M3U.
On this page
You will see .m3u8 in two places: as a playlist file from your provider, and inside stream addresses.
Two uses of M3U8
- Playlist: a channel list in UTF-8, so names in Arabic, Greek or Hindi display correctly.
- HLS stream: a live stream split into short segments, listed in an .m3u8 index that the player keeps reloading.
Does it matter?
Not much. Modern players accept both M3U and M3U8. If channel names show strange symbols, the playlist encoding may be wrong; ask for the M3U8 version.
Converting video
Saving live streams to MP4 is outside what most IPTV plans allow and is not needed to watch. Use a player with catch up if you miss a programme: IPTV catch up.
Sources and official links
What is M3U8: questions and answers
Yes, but saved in UTF-8 encoding.
Yes, all major players do.
The playlist encoding may be wrong; use the M3U8 version.
