What is M3U?

M3U (MP3 URL) files are plain text playlists containing file paths or URLs to media files. Each line represents one media item, and the extended format (M3U8) includes metadata like track names, durations, and logos using #EXTINF tags. M3U files don't contain actual audio/video - they just point to media locations, similar to shortcuts.

M3U is used by music players (Winamp, VLC, iTunes), IPTV streaming services, internet radio stations, and podcast apps. It's the standard format for creating playlists that work across different media players and platforms. M3U8 (UTF-8 encoded) is used by HTTP Live Streaming (HLS) for adaptive video streaming on websites and mobile apps.

Did you know? M3U playlists can contain both local files and internet streaming URLs!

History

M3U was originally developed for Winamp media player to organize MP3 collections and became the universal playlist standard.

Key Milestones

  • 1996: Created for Winamp player
  • 1998: Extended format with metadata
  • 2005: IPTV adoption begins
  • 2009: Apple adopts M3U8 for HLS
  • 2015: Standard for streaming services
  • Present: Universal playlist format

Key Features

Core Capabilities

  • Simple Format: Plain text file
  • URL Support: Local files and streams
  • Metadata: Track info with #EXTINF
  • Universal: All media players support
  • Streaming: Internet radio/TV
  • Easy Creation: Editable in text editor

Common Use Cases

Music Playlists

Organize audio libraries

IPTV

TV channel streaming

Internet Radio

Radio station streams

HLS Streaming

Adaptive video delivery

Advantages

  • Simple text format
  • Universal player support
  • Supports streaming URLs
  • Easy to create and edit
  • Tiny file sizes
  • Cross-platform compatible
  • Standard for IPTV

Disadvantages

  • Limited metadata support
  • No embedded artwork
  • Breaks if files move
  • Encoding issues (use M3U8)
  • No DRM support
  • Absolute vs relative path confusion

Technical Information

Format Specifications

Specification Details
File Extension .m3u (basic), .m3u8 (UTF-8)
MIME Type audio/x-mpegurl, application/vnd.apple.mpegurl
Format Type Plain text playlist
Content File paths, URLs, metadata
Encoding ASCII (M3U), UTF-8 (M3U8)
Typical Size 1-50 KB

Common Tools

  • Players: VLC, Winamp, iTunes, Kodi
  • Creators: M3U Builder, Playlist Creator, text editors
  • IPTV: TiviMate, IPTV Smarters, Perfect Player
  • Converters: MediaHuman, M3U Editor, online tools