How to Add an M3U Link or Xtream Codes Login

By The MyVixora Team6 October 2026

Hands typing on a laptop — entering an IPTV M3U link and Xtream Codes login

Quick answer: Your IPTV provider sends you three things: a username, a password and a long M3U link. Most apps give you two ways to use them. Xtream Codes (usually the better choice) asks for a server URL, your username and your password — and the server URL is just the first part of your M3U link, up to but not including /get.php. M3U asks you to paste the whole link in one go. Copy the details from your provider's message rather than typing them, and most login problems never happen.

You've signed up for an IPTV service, the welcome message has arrived, and it's full of unfamiliar terms: M3U, Xtream Codes, server URL, port. Your player app wants the details in boxes that don't quite match what you've been sent.

It's simpler than it looks. This guide explains what each detail is, which login method to pick, and exactly where everything goes in the popular apps. It works for any provider, not just ours.

What your IPTV provider sends you

A typical welcome message contains three things.

Username — a short word or string of numbers. It's not your email address.
Password — another short string. It's case-sensitive.
M3U link — a long web address that starts with http:// and contains your username and password inside it.

The username and password are your account. The M3U link is the same account packaged into a single address that some apps can read directly.

M3U or Xtream Codes: which should you use?

These are two ways for an app to talk to the same IPTV account. Both give you the same channels. The difference is how the app fetches them.

	Xtream Codes	M3U link
What you enter	Server URL, username, password	One long link
Live TV, films and series	Sorted into sections	Often one long list
TV guide (EPG)	Usually loads automatically	May need adding separately
Channel updates	Pulled in automatically	May need a manual refresh
Best for	Almost everyone	Simple players like VLC

An M3U link points the app at a single playlist file. With Xtream Codes, the app logs in to your provider's server and asks for what it needs — channels, films, series and the guide — as it goes. That's why Xtream Codes logins tend to handle on-demand libraries, the TV guide and catch-up more neatly.

Our advice: use Xtream Codes when the app offers it. Use the M3U link when it's the only option, or when you just want to test that a service works.

How to find your server URL

This is the step that trips up most people. When an app asks for a server URL, it doesn't want your whole M3U link — just the start of it.

Take an M3U link that looks like this:

http://example-server.com:8080/get.php?username=abc123&password=xyz789&type=m3u_plus

Your server URL is everything up to, but not including, /get.php:

http://example-server.com:8080

Three things to keep:

The http:// at the start. Some apps fail without it.
The port number — the digits after the colon, such as :8080. Leave it out and the app can't reach the server.
Nothing after the port. No /get.php, no slash at the end.

You'll also notice your username and password are written inside the M3U link. If your welcome message has gone missing, you can read them out of the link.

What a get.php?username link means

Every part of a get.php link does a specific job. Taking the example above:

Part of the link	What it is
`http://example-server.com:8080`	Your server URL — the address and port of your provider's server
`/get.php`	The page on that server that builds your playlist
`username=abc123`	Your username
`password=xyz789`	Your password
`type=m3u_plus`	The playlist format; `m3u_plus` includes channel groups and logos

Some links also end in &output=ts or &output=m3u8. That sets the stream format. Leave it as your provider sent it unless they tell you otherwise.

That's why the same link works in two ways. A simple player like VLC reads the whole thing as an M3U playlist. An Xtream Codes app takes the server URL, username and password out of it and logs in properly.

The wording varies a little between apps, but the steps are nearly identical.

IPTV Smarters and Smarters Player Lite

Open the app and choose Login with Xtream Codes API.
Any name — type anything you like, such as "Home TV". It's just a label.
Username and Password — copied from your provider's message.
Server URL — the short version worked out above.
Select Add User, then pick your profile to load the channels.

Note that IPTV Smarters Pro was removed from Google Play and Apple's App Store in 2026. On iPhone and iPad, the original developer's version is Smarters Player Lite. See IPTV Smarters not working for more on that.

TiviMate

Open TiviMate and choose Add playlist.
Select Xtream Codes.
Enter the server URL, then your username and password.
Select Next. TiviMate checks the login and shows how many channels, films and series it found.
Give the playlist a name and select Done. The TV guide loads automatically.

XCIPTV

XCIPTV opens on a login screen with boxes for your username, password and server URL. Fill in all three, using the short server URL, and sign in. Like TiviMate, it sorts live TV, films and series into separate sections.

VLC on a computer

VLC doesn't do Xtream Codes, but it plays M3U links directly — handy for testing a service on a laptop.

Open VLC and go to Media → Open Network Stream (on a Mac, File → Open Network).
Paste your whole M3U link.
Press Play. The channel list appears in VLC's playlist.

There's no TV guide in VLC, so it's best for a quick check rather than everyday viewing.

Common mistakes, and how to fix them

If the app says your details are wrong, it's almost always one of these:

The whole M3U link in the server URL box. Use only the part before /get.php.
A missing port number. http://example-server.com won't work if the address needs :8080.
A space at the end. Copying text often grabs a hidden space. Delete the last character and retype it if you're unsure.
Letters that look like numbers. O and 0, l and 1 — easy to mix up on a TV keyboard.
The wrong case. Abc123 and abc123 are different passwords.
An expired trial or pass. An expired account gives the same error as a wrong password.

The easiest way to avoid all of these is to open your provider's message on your phone and copy each detail into a notes app first. Check it there, then type it in carefully, or use a phone keyboard app if your TV supports one.

If you've checked all of these and the app still says "authorization failed" or shows an error code, our guide to IPTV authorization failed errors explains what each message means.

Your username, password and M3U link are your subscription. Anyone who has them can use your account, and on most services they'll take up one of your streams while they do — which can stop you watching. Don't post them in forums or screenshots, and be wary of any app or website that asks you to paste your M3U link into it for no clear reason.

If you think your details have been shared, ask your provider to reset them. And if you need more people watching at once, it's usually better to add a connection than to share a login. Our guide to how many devices you can use IPTV on explains why.

M3U and Xtream Codes FAQ

What is the server URL for IPTV?

It's the first part of your M3U link — everything up to, but not including, /get.php. It normally starts with http:// and ends with a port number such as :8080.

Is Xtream Codes better than M3U?

For most people, yes. Xtream Codes sorts live TV, films and series into sections and loads the TV guide automatically. M3U is simpler and works in more basic apps like VLC, but often arrives as one long list.

Yes. Your details work in any compatible player, so you can use TiviMate on one TV and Smarters on a phone. How many can play at the same time depends on how many connections your subscription includes.

Why does my M3U link work in VLC but not in my app?

Usually because the app wants an Xtream Codes login and you've pasted the whole link into the server box. Switch the app to its M3U option, or enter the short server URL with your username and password separately.

The bottom line

Three details, two ways to use them. Pick Xtream Codes when the app offers it, use the short server URL (stop before /get.php, keep the port), and copy rather than type wherever you can. That sorts the vast majority of login problems before they start.

Our setup guides walk through every step on Firestick, Android TV, Smart TVs, iPhone and computers. And if you'd like a login to try this with, MyVixora's free 24-hour trial sends your details within minutes — no card needed.