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How to watch IPTV on Windows or Mac

On a computer there are two routes: VLC to confirm in thirty seconds that the credentials work, or IPTV Smarters Pro when you want the programme guide and the on-demand library too.

Time needed
5 min
Difficulty
Easy
Method
Xtream Codes or M3U
Models
Windows 10 and 11, macOS 11 or later

Step by step

  1. 1

    Test the line in VLC

    Open VLC and go to Media → Open Network Stream (on Mac, File → Open Network). Paste the M3U URL and press Play: if the channel list appears, your credentials are correct.

  2. 2

    Install IPTV Smarters Pro for daily use

    Download the desktop build from the developer website and install it normally.

  3. 3

    Log in with Xtream Codes

    Choose "Login with Xtream Codes API" and enter the server URL, username and password. That gives you the programme guide and the library, which an M3U URL in VLC does not.

  4. 4

    Turn on hardware acceleration

    If 4K playback stutters, enable hardware decoding in the player video settings. That is almost always the cause rather than the connection.

Worth knowing

VLC shows no programme guide and no categories: it is for confirming the line works, not for watching television every day. Install IPTV Smarters Pro or Kodi for that.

Still stuck?

Send us the device model, the app you installed and what you see on screen. That is usually enough to pinpoint it on the first reply.

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