What is M3U8: How to Open and Convert It

M3U8 is one of the widely used playlist formats worldwide. It is used to access audio and video playback programs. If you are used to streaming video files regularly, you might be aware of it already, as it provides a smooth streaming experience with an internet connection. If not, no worries; you can learn what M3U8 is and how to open and convert to other formats in detail here.

What is an M3U8 File?

M3U8 (MP3 URL Playlist File Format Version 8) is a text file that stores a list of media files’ locations. In this format, the number 8 means UTF-8 decoding, which is a system that stores all the characters on a device. It represents the path on a local hard drive or the URL of media files. Further, it is used to access both audio and video files on the internet. The M3U8 files can be opened and edited using a text editor on different devices.

How to Does an M3U8 File Work

As mentioned previously, M3U8 files store the information about the audio and video files’ location. It uses the HLS (HTTP Live Streaming Protocol) to remit media content of all sizes, including small and bite-sized files. So that the media files can be downloaded and played one by one.

The application will ask for the server for the M3U files to return the contained URLs for the particular segments. Now, the app will download each individual segment and play them in the correct order. Moreover, it provides the best streaming experience with a spotty internet connection on your streaming device.

Example of an M3U8 File

Here is the basic and standard structure of an M3U8 file and an explanation of the components used in this format.

• #EXTM3U: It indicates that it is the start of a playlist.
• #EXT-X-VERSION: This component shows the version of the HLS protocol.
• #EXT-X-TARGETDURATION: It gives the maximum duration of each segment, and it may also vary depending on the duration of each segment.
• #EXT-X-MEDIA-SEQUENCE: It indicates the sequence number of the first media segment in the playlist.
• #EXTINF: It represents the duration of the media segment for each file in the playlist. Also, it provides a path or URL to the files.
• #EXT-X-ENDLIST: This is defined as the end of the playlist.

Applications with M3U8 Support for Different Devices

Here, we have mentioned the popular media players with this format support for various streaming devices.

• Android: Perfect Player, OttPlayer, and VLC for Android.
• iOS: VLC Media Player and Apple iTunes.
• Windows: Roxio Creator NXT Pro 7, Nullsoft Winamp, Songbird, Foobar2000, and Microsoft Windows Media Player.
• Mac: Apple iTunes, Songbird, CocoModX, RealNetworks RealPlayer Cloud, and VideoLAN VLC Media Player.
• Linux: VideoLAN VLC Media Player and XMMS.

How to Open M3U8 Files

The M3U8 format normally doesn’t work with all media players. Hence, you need to choose any of the media players mentioned above that is also compatible with you to access these files. VLC is the finest player that is compatible with all streaming devices.

Hence, open the VLC player and tap the Media tab at the top of the screen. Choose the Open File option and locate the M3U8 files stored on your device. Now, tap Open to load the playlist and stream the file successfully.

How to Create an M3U8 File

Creating an M3U8 playlist is possible through the same player you use to open it. You can load all M3U files that you like to create a playlist to the VLC media player. Once you load all the files, click on the Media tab and choose the Save Playlist to File option to create a playlist in this format.

Alternatively, you can convert different file formats to this format to create a playlist. For instance, you can convert the HTML files to M3U8 format using the ConvertHelper tool.

How to Convert an M3U8 File to Other File Formats

The M3U8 files can’t be converted to any other playable file formats, such as MP4 and MP3, directly, as they are just plain text. Hence, you would require a file converter tool to convert these files to other formats. However, you will encounter an issue with this method since the media files stored in M3U8 are saved in different locations on your device.

To save all the media files in a single location, you need to use the M3UExport Tool. After storing all the media files in a single location, you can use the appropriate converter tool. MusConv is one of the finest converter tools.

Common Questions

How to resolve the M3U8 files not working issue?

To resolve the issue of M3U8 files not working, you need to connect your device to a stable internet connection. Next, make sure you are using the best media players, such as VLC. Finally, ensure the media file links listed in the playlist are correct.

What is the difference between MP4 and M3U8 files?

M3U8 is just a text file with the locations of the media files, but the MP4 format is commonly used for video streaming.

Which player is the best for M3U8?

VLC is the best player for M3U8. You can also try KMPlayer and iTunes to access the M3U files.

Can I convert M3U8 to MP4?

Yes, you can convert this file format to MP4 using the VLC player and the best converter tools.