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XSPF M3U
File conversion

Convert XSPF to M3U

Verified by Adam B.· reviewed by FE Editorial ·updated Jun 20, 2026
QUICK ANSWER
Is it possible to convert XSPF to M3U?
Yes - XSPF converts to M3U.

Open the .xspf in VLC, go to Media > Save Playlist to File, and choose M3U; the resulting .m3u holds the same track list in a simpler line-by-line format. XSPF can carry rich per-track metadata (album, artwork, annotation) that M3U cannot store, so that extra data is dropped.

5 programs
Also to M3U: ZPL · WPL · VPL

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Tested on macOS, Windows & Linux
Last verified Oct 2026

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Why convert XSPF to M3U?

M3U is supported by far more players and devices than XSPF - car stereos, portable media players, Kodi, Plex, and most mobile apps read it, while XSPF support is limited mainly to VLC and a few open-source players. Converting makes the playlist portable to almost any playback environment.

How to convert XSPF to M3U

VLC media player OPEN-SOURCE

Open the .xspf via Media > Open File, then go to Media > Save Playlist to File and select M3U from the format dropdown.

MediaMonkey APP

Import the .xspf playlist into MediaMonkey and save it as .m3u using the playlist export function.

Programs that convert XSPF

Playlist Manager
VLC media player
MediaMonkey
VLC media player for Mac
VLC media player for Linux

About these formats

.XSPF XSPF - XML Shareable Playlist Format (pronounced 'spiff')

An XSPF file is a plain-text XML playlist that lists the locations of songs or videos to play in order - it contains no audio itself. Open it in VLC media player to play the listed tracks.…

Open .XSPF details →
.M3U M3U Media Playlist (MP3 URL)

An M3U file is a plain-text playlist that lists the locations of audio or video - it contains no media itself. Open it in VLC to play the listed tracks or IPTV channels, or in any text…

Open .M3U details →

Quality & what to watch

  • Both XSPF and M3U are plain-text pointer files containing no audio; conversion only rewrites the track list and leaves the actual audio files untouched.
  • XSPF can store structured metadata per track (creator, album, artwork URL, annotation); M3U's extended format keeps only a title and duration - all richer metadata is lost.
  • File paths in the .m3u must still resolve on the playback machine; if paths were relative or machine-specific in the .xspf, fix them in the .m3u after conversion.

Frequently asked questions

Will my audio files move or change during conversion?
No - the conversion only rewrites the playlist file; audio files stay exactly where they are.
What metadata is lost when going from XSPF to M3U?
Album name, artwork URL, track annotation, and other structured XSPF fields are dropped; only the file path and optionally a title and duration survive.
Should I save as M3U or M3U8?
Choose M3U8 if any track names contain non-Latin characters; M3U8 is UTF-8 encoded and handles them correctly.