What is the M3U file format?
.m3u (short for MP3 URL) is a file extension used by playlist files. .m3u files are supported by many multimedia players and do not store actual multimedia data - they hold only references to media in the form of file lists and file locations. .m3u files typically contain references to audio files, although they can also hold references to video files and internet radio streams.
.m3u file structure
.m3u files store data in plain text format. A basic .m3u file is simply a list of file paths or URLs, one entry per line. The Extended M3U variant begins with the literal header line #EXTM3U and uses #EXTINF: directive lines to supply per-track duration and title metadata immediately before each entry. File references can be relative or absolute paths, or full remote URLs pointing to live streams.
Additional information
.m3ufiles are used for queuing media to be played by a given multimedia player in a particular order.- The format was originally developed for the Winamp media player, but is now widely supported by other players and streaming software.
- The sibling format .m3u8 is identical in structure but saved as UTF-8, making it better suited for filenames containing non-ASCII characters;
.m3uuses the local system codepage. - Common alternatives include .pls and .xspf playlists.
Security & safety
RISK: MEDIUMThe M3U file itself is harmless text. The real risks are contextual: (1) IPTV M3U lists frequently point to pirated/illegal streams - loading an unknown M3U can expose you to copyright issues and to malicious or fake stream URLs; (2) entries are arbitrary URLs, so a malicious M3U could point a vulnerable player at a crafted stream - keep your player updated; (3) 'M3U converter/IPTV' searches surface adware-laden downloaders. Inspect an unfamiliar M3U in a text editor before loading it, and only use channel lists from sources you trust.
Format details
in a nutshellFULL NAMEM3U Media Playlist (MP3 URL)
DEVELOPERNullsoft (Winamp) - originated the format; no formal standard ownersince Late 1990s (Winamp)
CATEGORYAudio Files
MIME TYPEaudio/x-mpegurl
TYPEPlain-text playlist - a list of media file paths/URLs, one per line (optionally with #EXTINF metadata)
Programs that open M3U files
Windows5 apps
Winamp
Freemium Drag the .m3u into the playlist pane - the player M3U was invented for. Note Winamp is only sporadically maintained; VLC is the safer pick. 
VLC media player
Open-source Media → Open File → select the .m3u (or paste an M3U URL via Open Network Stream). Plays the listed audio/video/IPTV channels. 
Foobar2000
Free File → Open the .m3u to load it into a lightweight, highly configurable audio player. 
Notepad / Notepad++
Open-source Open the .m3u as text to read or edit the entries/paths. Use this to fix broken paths or reorder tracks. 
macOS3 apps
VLC media player
Open-source Open the .m3u or an M3U URL; the standard cross-platform choice for playlists and IPTV. 
TextEdit
Built-in Open as plain text to inspect/edit entries (Format → Make Plain Text before saving).
Apple Music (Music.app)
Built-in File → Import to add an M3U's tracks to the library (it imports the referenced local files, not streams). Replaces iTunes since macOS Catalina (2019). 
Linux2 apps
Android1 app
VLC for Android
Open-source Open the .m3u from a file manager, or add an IPTV M3U URL via the network stream option.
iOS1 app
Technical details
deep spec| File type | Plain-text playlist - contains file paths or URLs pointing to media, not the media data itself |
| MIME type | audio/x-mpegurl (also recognized as audio/mpegurl) |
| Character encoding | Local/ANSI system codepage; the sibling .m3u8 format uses UTF-8 instead |
| Extended M3U header | #EXTM3U on the first line signals the Extended M3U variant with per-track metadata support |
| Per-track metadata directive | #EXTINF:<duration_seconds>,<title> placed on the line immediately before each media entry |
| Comment and directive marker | Lines beginning with # are treated as directives or comments and are not interpreted as media entries |
| Supported entry types | Relative file paths, absolute file paths, and full remote URLs (HTTP, HTTPS, RTSP, MMS) |
| Line endings | Both LF (Unix-style) and CRLF (Windows-style) are accepted by compliant players |
| Originating application | Nullsoft Winamp; no formal standards body has ever ratified the format |
| Sibling format | .m3u8 - structurally identical to Extended M3U but saved as UTF-8, required by HLS streaming |
| HLS (HTTP Live Streaming) | Apple's HLS adaptive-bitrate streaming protocol uses .m3u8 files built on the Extended M3U structure |
| Typical use cases | Ordered local music queues, internet radio playlists, IPTV channel lists |
| File size | Usually a few bytes to a few kilobytes - stores text references only, not audio or video data |
| Common alternatives | .pls (Shoutcast), .xspf (XML-based), .wpl (Windows Media), .asx (Windows Media) |
| Released | Late 1990s (Winamp) |
| Specification | en.wikipedia.org |
M3U conversions
Possible
.M3U .M3U8GUIDE
Yes - open the .m3u in Notepad++ or VS Code and re-save it as UTF-8; that is all the conversion requires.
How to convert
.M3U .TXTOnline converter
Yes - an M3U file is already plain text, so the fastest way is to rename the file extension from .m3u to .txt.
How to convert
.M3U .PLSGUIDE
Yes - load the M3U in VLC, then use Media > Save Playlist to File and pick PLS as the format.
How to convert
.M3U .XSPFGUIDE
Yes, VLC can convert an M3U to XSPF in seconds by loading the playlist and saving it in the XSPF format.
How to convert
.M3U .WPLGUIDE
Yes - open the M3U in Windows Media Player and save it as a new WPL playlist.
How to convert
Not possible
Community Q&A
asked by usersNo questions yet - be the first to ask about M3U files.
Frequently asked questions
What is an M3U file and how do I open it?
It's a plain-text playlist that lists the locations of audio/video to play in order - it holds no media itself. Open it in VLC to play the tracks/channels, or in any text editor to view and edit the entries.
What's the difference between M3U and M3U8?
They're the same playlist format; the difference is text encoding. .m3u uses the local codepage, .m3u8 uses UTF-8, which correctly handles non-Latin characters. M3U8 is also the manifest format for HLS streaming (IPTV, Twitch, etc.).
Why do the songs in my M3U playlist not play?
An M3U only points to files - it doesn't contain them. If the referenced songs were moved, renamed, or aren't on this device, the player can't find them. Fix the paths in a text editor or rebuild the playlist where the files actually are.
How do I load an IPTV M3U into a player?
In VLC use Media → Open Network Stream and paste the M3U URL (or Open File for a downloaded .m3u). The list of channels then appears in the playlist. Make sure you have the rights to the stream.
Can I convert an M3U to MP3 or MP4?
Not directly - an M3U contains no media, only references. To get audio/video you play or download the files it points to. For HLS .m3u8 streams, ffmpeg can fetch and merge the segments where you're allowed to.
How do I edit an M3U playlist?
Open it in a text editor (Notepad++, VS Code, TextEdit in plain-text mode). Each line is a track path/URL; reorder lines, fix paths, or delete entries, then save. For UTF-8 (channel names with accents), save as .m3u8.
References
1Wikipedia - M3U (format, EXTM3U, M3U8/UTF-8)en.wikipedia.org
2Apple - HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) uses M3U8 manifestsdeveloper.apple.com
