M3U8 Player — Online HLS Player

Paste an m3u8 URL to play the HLS stream directly in your browser. No VLC or other apps needed.

Video data is processed entirely in your browser.

How to use

  1. Paste the m3u8 URL (https://….m3u8) into the input field.
  2. Press Play — the browser fetches the playlist and starts playback.
  3. Quality is selected automatically from the stream's bandwidth variants.

If you have split .ts files instead of a stream URL, join them with the MP4 converter first, then play the result.

If you don't have the m3u8 URL

If you are developing or operating an HLS stream, you can find its playlist URL with your browser's developer tools. This is the standard way to check that a stream is being served correctly.

  1. Open the page in Chrome and open developer tools (Windows: F12 / Mac: ⌘ + Option + I).
  2. Select the Network tab and type m3u8 into the filter box.
  3. Reload the page and start playback — requests to .m3u8 appear in the list.
  4. Right-click the entry, choose Copy → Copy link address, and paste it into the field above.

You may see both master.m3u8 (the variant list) and index.m3u8 (a single rendition). Try the master playlist first so quality is selected automatically.

This procedure is intended for checking streams you own or are authorised to access. For anyone else's stream, follow that service's terms of use and applicable copyright law. Streams protected by DRM (Widevine and similar) will not play even if you obtain the URL.

Why a stream may not play

  • CORS restrictions — if the origin server doesn't allow cross-site access, browsers cannot play it (this cannot be bypassed).
  • Expired URL — many stream URLs are signed with an expiry. Grab a fresh URL from the source page.
  • DRM protection — streams encrypted with Widevine etc. will not play.
  • Mixed content — an http:// stream cannot be loaded from this https:// site.

FAQ

Can I play an m3u8 file on iPhone or Android?
Yes. This player works in mobile browsers: Safari on iPhone plays HLS natively, and other browsers play it through hls.js.
Do I need VLC to play an m3u8 file?
No. Just paste the URL on this page and it plays in your browser — no app install, no sign-up.
What is the difference between HLS and m3u8?
HLS is the streaming protocol; m3u8 is the playlist file format HLS uses. An “HLS player” and an “m3u8 player” are effectively the same thing.
Can I play a local .m3u8 file?
A .m3u8 file is a text playlist. Open it in a text editor, copy the stream URL inside, and paste it here. If it lists local .ts files instead, convert them to MP4 with our converter and play that.