Do I need dedicated software to download an m3u8 stream?

ffmpeg alone is enough. It is free and open source: give it the m3u8 URL and it fetches the segments and muxes them into an MP4. You do not need to buy a dedicated downloader to do what the commands on this page do.

Can a Chrome extension save m3u8 streams?

Some can, but extensions of this kind often request broad permissions such as reading and changing data on all sites, so decide carefully before installing one. For reliable results without that trade-off, we recommend the ffmpeg approach.

The saved file won't play, or the audio is out of sync.

This usually means the audio format needs adapting for MP4. Re-run the command with -bsf:a aac_adtstoasc, and add -movflags +faststart if the file is not seekable. See section 4, Troubleshooting, above.

Is downloading an m3u8 stream legal?

Downloading your own content, or content the rights holder permits you to save, is fine. Downloading material you know was uploaded in breach of copyright can be unlawful — in some jurisdictions even for personal use, and for video and music it may carry criminal penalties. Check with the rights holder if you are unsure. This page is not legal advice.

Can I download m3u8 on a phone alone?

A desktop computer is the practical choice: installing ffmpeg on iOS or Android is awkward, and apps claiming to replace it are hard to assess for quality and safety. If you already have the .ts files, our MP4 converter does work in a mobile browser.

How do I turn the downloaded TS files into MP4?

Use our in-browser MP4 converter. It needs no ffmpeg install and no upload — the conversion runs entirely in your own browser.

How to Download M3U8 Streams (FFmpeg)

An m3u8 is a playlist, not the video itself, so “Save as” won't work. The reliable way is to let ffmpeg fetch the segments and mux them into an MP4.

⚠️ Only download content you own, content whose rights holder permits it, or content that is otherwise cleared. Downloading illegally uploaded content may be a criminal offense in your jurisdiction.

1. Install ffmpeg

# macOS (Homebrew)
brew install ffmpeg

# Windows (winget)
winget install ffmpeg

# Ubuntu / Debian
sudo apt install ffmpeg

2. Basic download

Point ffmpeg at the URL and use -c copy — fast and lossless since nothing is re-encoded.

ffmpeg -i "https://example.com/stream.m3u8" -c copy -bsf:a aac_adtstoasc output.mp4

3. Choosing a quality variant

A master playlist contains multiple qualities. List them first, then pick one with -map:

# ストリーム一覧を確認
ffprobe "https://example.com/master.m3u8"

# 例: 2番目のバリアント（プログラム1）を保存
ffmpeg -i "https://example.com/master.m3u8" -map 0:p:1 -c copy output.mp4

4. Troubleshooting

HTTP 403 — some origins check Referer or User-Agent: add -headers "Referer: https://…".
Audio desync or unseekable output — retry with -bsf:a aac_adtstoasc and -movflags +faststart.
DRM-protected streams cannot be saved (not even with ffmpeg).

Already have TS files?

If you already have .ts files, use our in-browser MP4 converter — no command line needed. To just watch a stream without saving it, open the online player.

FAQ

Do I need dedicated software to download an m3u8 stream?: ffmpeg alone is enough. It is free and open source: give it the m3u8 URL and it fetches the segments and muxes them into an MP4. You do not need to buy a dedicated downloader to do what the commands on this page do.
Can a Chrome extension save m3u8 streams?: Some can, but extensions of this kind often request broad permissions such as reading and changing data on all sites, so decide carefully before installing one. For reliable results without that trade-off, we recommend the ffmpeg approach.
The saved file won't play, or the audio is out of sync.: This usually means the audio format needs adapting for MP4. Re-run the command with -bsf:a aac_adtstoasc, and add -movflags +faststart if the file is not seekable. See section 4, Troubleshooting, above.
Is downloading an m3u8 stream legal?: Downloading your own content, or content the rights holder permits you to save, is fine. Downloading material you know was uploaded in breach of copyright can be unlawful — in some jurisdictions even for personal use, and for video and music it may carry criminal penalties. Check with the rights holder if you are unsure. This page is not legal advice.
Can I download m3u8 on a phone alone?: A desktop computer is the practical choice: installing ffmpeg on iOS or Android is awkward, and apps claiming to replace it are hard to assess for quality and safety. If you already have the .ts files, our MP4 converter does work in a mobile browser.
How do I turn the downloaded TS files into MP4?: Use our in-browser MP4 converter. It needs no ffmpeg install and no upload — the conversion runs entirely in your own browser.