How to add an M3U playlist on Apple TV

Apple TV has no built-in way to open an M3U playlist, so you need a player app. Here is the whole process with Zapline, plus what to do when a playlist refuses to load.

Step by step

1. Install a player. Install Zapline on your Apple TV from the App Store. Apple TV cannot open an M3U file on its own — it needs a player app to read the list and turn it into channels.
2. Create a profile. Open the app and create a profile. Each profile keeps its own playlists, favourites and watch history, which is handy when several people share the TV.
3. Choose how to add the playlist. Pick 'M3U URL' if your provider gave you a web link, or 'Xtream Codes' if they gave you a server address with a username and password.
4. Enter the address. Type the playlist URL exactly as your provider supplied it, including http:// or https://. Typing long URLs with the Siri Remote is painful, so paste it from your iPhone using Continuity Keyboard if you can.
5. Wait for the import. The app downloads the list and imports the channels. Large lineups of hundreds of thousands of entries are stored in a local database, so the first import takes a moment and every launch afterwards is instant.

If the playlist will not load

Almost every failed import comes down to one of these:

• The URL is incomplete. It must start with http:// or https://. A bare domain will not work.
• The link has expired. Many providers issue time-limited URLs; ask for a fresh one.
• The connection limit is reached. Most subscriptions allow a fixed number of simultaneous devices. Close the stream elsewhere and try again.
• It is not actually a playlist. If the link opens a web page in a browser rather than downloading a file, it is not an M3U.

Keeping it up to date

Providers add and remove channels constantly. Zapline re-downloads a remote playlist in the background when you open it and its channels are more than a day old, so the lineup stays current without you doing anything. You can also refresh manually at any time.