What is .m3u8 Format? How to Open m3u8 Files? (PC / Mobile / Web)

What is an m3u8 File?

M3U8 is a text-based multimedia playlist file format using UTF-8 encoding. It's an extended version of the M3U format (hence the extra 8😀), specifically designed for the HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) streaming protocol, developed by Apple and becoming one of the mainstream standards for internet streaming media transmission. It's a plain text file that stores URL addresses of video slice files (usually .ts or .mp4) and some control information.

File Structure

M3U8 file structure mainly includes basic tags, media segment declarations, and playlist type identifiers

• Basic Tags

#EXTM3U
#EXT-X-VERSION:3
#EXT-X-TARGETDURATION:10

• Media Segment Declarations

#EXTINF:10.0,
http://example.com/segment1.ts
#EXTINF:9.5,
http://example.com/segment2.ts

• Playlist Type Identifier

#EXT-X-PLAYLIST-TYPE:VOD

Core Principle

M3U8 is a plain text index file. Its core function is to store a sequence of URL addresses for video slice files (usually .ts segments or .mp4 fragments) and playback control instructions. Through this playlist, the player can fetch and splice these media segments in order, achieving smooth streaming media playback experience. This design makes M3U8 the cornerstone of modern adaptive bitrate streaming technology, supporting dynamic switching between different quality video streams based on different network conditions, ensuring the best viewing experience.

How to Open m3u8 Files?

An m3u8 file is essentially a text playlist file that records URLs or paths to video segments, so it's not video itself, but a "directory" of videos. To "open m3u8," you can handle it in different situations:

Directly View Content

The m3u8 file itself is plain text and can be opened with Notepad / VS Code / Sublime Text, showing content like:

#EXTM3U
#EXT-X-VERSION:3
#EXT-X-TARGETDURATION:10
#EXTINF:10,
segment1.ts
#EXTINF:10,
segment2.ts
#EXTINF:10,
segment3.ts
#EXT-X-ENDLIST

Player Playback

Desktop Players

• VLC Media Player (recommended, cross-platform):

  • Open VLC → Media → Open Network Stream → Enter m3u8 address or select local m3u8 file.

• PotPlayer: Drag the m3u8 file in.

• IINA (Mac): Open directly.

Web Online Playback

Browsers may not necessarily play it directly, requiring library support like hls.js. This site supports M3U8 Player Online, supporting browser terminal adaptation, while also supporting streaming media formats like HLS, DASH, MPD, and M3U8 to MP4 Converter.

References

HTTP_Live_Streaming

hls.js

VLC Media Player