# M3U8 Player

> M3U8 Player (m3u8player.tools) is a free, no-ads, browser-based online HLS/M3U8 player and toolkit for playing, testing, debugging, converting, and editing HLS streams. Everything runs client-side — no upload, no sign-up, no install.

Last updated: June 20, 2026

## What it does
- Play any M3U8/HLS stream (live or VOD) directly in the browser, with a stream-info panel (resolution, bitrate, dropped frames, buffer).
- Link health report ("M3U8 validator"): lists every resolution track, average bitrate, and detects dead .ts segments by sampling.
- Bypasses hotlink protection by letting you set a custom Referer / User-Agent that a CORS proxy forwards to the origin.
- Drag-and-drop external subtitles (.srt / .vtt), auto-converted to WebVTT and displayed instantly.
- Online IPTV M3U playlist editor: rename or delete channels in the browser, then export a cleaned .m3u file.
- Converts M3U8 to MP4 or extracts MP3 audio fully in-browser (FFmpeg WebAssembly), with optional time-range trimming.

## Who it's for
Streaming engineers, CDN operators, video editors, front-end developers, and IPTV users who need to test or debug HLS streams without installing desktop software such as VLC or PotPlayer.

## Differentiation
- All-in-one workflow: play, validate, bypass CORS/hotlink protection, add subtitles, convert to MP4/MP3, trim clips, and edit IPTV playlists in one browser tab.
- Link health report: expands an HLS manifest, lists tracks and bitrate, identifies encryption and live/VOD status, and samples segments for dead links.
- Custom Referer and User-Agent forwarding: the optional proxy can send headers that many play-only browser tools cannot.
- Ad-free and no-account: no ads, no signup, no watermark, and no paid funnel.

## Pricing
Free. No ads, no account, no watermark. See https://www.m3u8player.tools/pricing.md for machine-readable pricing details.

## Privacy
Playback, conversion, history, and favorites all run locally in the browser (stored in localStorage). Streams are processed client-side and are not uploaded to any server.

The optional CORS proxy is only used when enabled. When proxy mode is on, manifest, key, and segment requests are routed through a Cloudflare Worker so cross-origin streams and Referer-protected streams can be tested in the browser.

## Limitations
- Browser conversion is limited by device memory, browser storage, and network access to the stream's segments.
- MP4 export uses fast stream-copy where possible; trim start times may snap to nearby keyframes.
- The tool does not bypass DRM systems such as Widevine, FairPlay, or PlayReady.
- Some private or expired streams cannot be recovered if the origin refuses access.

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## Key pages
- Home / app: https://www.m3u8player.tools/
- What is an M3U8 file: https://www.m3u8player.tools/what-is-m3u8
- HLS vs M3U8: https://www.m3u8player.tools/hls-vs-m3u8
- M3U8 vs M3U: https://www.m3u8player.tools/m3u8-vs-m3u
- M3U8 link troubleshooting: https://www.m3u8player.tools/m3u8-link-wont-play
- HLS CORS error troubleshooting: https://www.m3u8player.tools/hls-cors-error
- Custom Referer M3U8 player: https://www.m3u8player.tools/custom-referer-m3u8-player
- M3U8 to MP4 with no upload: https://www.m3u8player.tools/m3u8-to-mp4-no-upload
- HLS video trimmer: https://www.m3u8player.tools/hls-video-trimmer
- M3U8 downloader online: https://www.m3u8player.tools/m3u8-downloader-online
- M3U8 to MP3 with no upload: https://www.m3u8player.tools/m3u8-to-mp3-no-upload
- HLS stream tester: https://www.m3u8player.tools/hls-stream-tester
- M3U8 player with subtitles: https://www.m3u8player.tools/m3u8-player-with-subtitles
- Encrypted M3U8 player: https://www.m3u8player.tools/encrypted-m3u8-player
- M3U8 to MP4: https://www.m3u8player.tools/m3u8-to-mp4
- M3U8 to MP3: https://www.m3u8player.tools/m3u8-to-mp3
- M3U8 Validator / HLS checker: https://www.m3u8player.tools/m3u8-validator
- IPTV M3U editor: https://www.m3u8player.tools/iptv-m3u-editor
- Online M3U8 player comparison: https://www.m3u8player.tools/m3u8-player-comparison
- m3u8-player.net alternative: https://www.m3u8player.tools/m3u8-player-net-alternative
- VLC vs online M3U8 player: https://www.m3u8player.tools/vlc-vs-online-m3u8-player
- IPTV M3U editor comparison: https://www.m3u8player.tools/iptv-m3u-editor-comparison
- Pricing: https://www.m3u8player.tools/pricing.md
- Sitemap: https://www.m3u8player.tools/sitemap.xml