[2024 Update] What is M3U8 File and How to Watch It?
Summary: The article will generate information about what is M3U8. You will get to know the best video downloader to stream M3U8 format files with ease.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Everyone downloads their favorite videos from the web on their mobile phones or PC. Has it ever happened that you are unable to play or share the video with your friends because the video format is M3U8?
This is because the M3U8 file format is incompatible with most media players, and many users have reported it online. To play uninterrupted M3U8 format on the device, you may use StreamFab M3U8 downloader to convert M3U8 to MP4 format.
In this article, we will show you in-depth what is M3U8 and one of the most reliable ways to play the M3U8 video file through the best M3U8 downloader.
What is an M3U8 File?
A file having the M3U8 extension refers to a UTF-8 Encoded Audio Playlist file. Plain text files can be further used by both audio and video players to describe the location of the media files.
For instance, an M3U8 file might render references to a user about online files for a web radio station. Another may be present on the PC to make a playlist for a user series of videos and a piece of personal music.
Irrespective of the way you chose, the effect would be the same. It's easy to access your file rapidly and start to play whatever your playlist points to.
What is the M3U8 URL? How do you generate an M3U8 URL?
M3U8 URLs are based on HTTP live streaming. Apple originally developed this format to ease the process of streaming videos. Currently, it's popular to stream live matches, live TV, and many other live-streaming videos from different websites.
Finding the M3U8 link is very simple. Just apply the steps below to find the M3U8 URL for your desired video:
Step 1: Open your preferred browser like Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, or Mozilla Firefox.
Step 2: Open the website. Search for the video you want. Play the video to get the M3U8 URL.
Step 3: Right-tap with your mouse. Press on either “Inspect” or “Inspect element.” For those who prefer shortcuts, tap 'Ctrl+Shift+I' for the browser.
Step 4: Press on the 'network.' After tapping, click 'XHR.'
Step 5: Search the “Index.m3u8” link. Right-tap and copy the link. You are done.
How to Open M3U8 File?
It's elementary to edit and read M3U8 files by text editors, which includes Notepad by Windows. Although if you open it with Notepad, you will only be able to read your file references. You won't be able to listen to any music files since there's a distinction between text editors and media management programs.
If you are hunting for a reliable program to open and use M3U8, try VLC, Songbird, or Apple's iTunes. You can also open the file format on Linux with XMMS. On the other hand, Mac users can rely on CocoModX to open.
How to watch M3U8 files
To play M3U8 file, you must have media player software, Streamfab M3U8 Downloader. This software can ease the overall process for you and is specially designed for streaming & downloading videos from numerous video-sharing platforms.
StreamFab DRM M3U8 Downloader
- Allows users to pre-select the subtitles along with audio based on the UI language
- Saves every downloaded content in MP4 files
- You can download any M3U8 video file with the best quality up to 1080p, along with 5.1 sound channels.
- Full support to meta information such as cast, genre, storyline, name
- Downloading procedure takes place at 3x speed. Facilitates bulk download for latest releases and episodes
- Save the subtitles like SRT files or remix them into your chosen video format.
- Download TV series shows, videos & movies during background playback.
How to download M3U8 content from StreamFab M3U8 downloader?
Proceed with these easy steps to get your desired M3U8 video:
Step 1: Set up StreamFab M3U8 downloader
Get done downloading, installing, and launching the StreamFab M3U8 downloader. You can download its free trial program or take the premium to use advanced features.
Step 2: Open the targeted website
Head to the M3U8 website where you want to download videos from into the top part of the address bar on your Homepage. Access it with the help of an in-built browser.
Step 3: Finalize particular resolution to download
Start playing the video to download to watch offline. After the beginning of the playback, at the top-left corner of the screen, tap on the 'download' icon. Confirm the desired resolution in your next pop-up.
Step 4: Begin the downloading procedure
After setting up your preferences, click the 'download' button to initiate the downloading process.
Quick Tip: To ensure using StreamFab M3U8 downloader in its best potential, make sure your PC has Windows 7/8/10/11 OS. Check if the hard disk space is 40 GB & RAM is 4GB.
Frequently Asked Questions
A: Users often face difficulty accessing M3U8 because the error, 'Cross-domain Access denied' is caused by a firewall or proxy blockage. Some video might be blocked in your location, or for a specific reason, the firewall flashes dangerously, so M3U8 is not working correctly.
A: To play M3U8 files in HTML, use MS Edge browser for desktop and Opera mini browser for mobile. To play the M3U8 directly, add a chrome extension named Native HLS Playback from the chrome browser application.
A: Proceed with the steps below:
Step 1: Use your web browser to see the live broadcast URL.
Step 2: Visit the channels menu, choose one channel, and tap on Status. Then, copy your live broadcast URL and share it with the viewers.
Step 3: Finally, open the information page to access the live broadcast URL
A: Go to your main toolbar, and tap on the green adds file icon to open the file finder window. On your PC, search and choose the M3U files. Tap on 'Open' to get them and convert them to the MP3 format. Drag & drop the M3U files into your program for conversion is also suitable.
Conclusion
Many users are unaware of what is M3U8; they know that their PC contains files in this particular format. Unfortunately, they cannot access it since it's incompatible with most media players. So if you require exporting every media file from this format, then the StreamFab M3U8 downloader is ideal for you.
With this professional tool, you can stream and play all the M3U8 file formats in your desired resolution and MP4 format with turbo speed.