About FileM3U
FileM3U explains the M3U and M3U8 playlist file format and provides a read-only inspector for them.
What the site covers
Guides on what the format contains, how a file is laid out, and why a file may not open. The inspector shows the structure of a file you choose, in your browser.
What is on the site
The site has four parts: a homepage that introduces the format, three guides about the file itself, the M3U File Inspector, and this about page with the privacy statement. A guides index lists the guides in one place. There are no accounts, no downloads and no playlists for sale or for sharing.
How the inspector is built
The inspector uses a parser that reads the file as plain text, line by line. It checks the
first non-empty line for #EXTM3U, groups each #EXTINF line with the
address that follows it, reads the attributes inside those lines, and records any line that
does not match. It runs entirely in the page. It does not send the file anywhere, and it does
not request any of the addresses it finds.
What the site will not do
FileM3U does not host, copy, relay or restream any playlist or stream, and it does not link to sources of unauthorised content. The examples in the public folder are short sample files written for testing the inspector.
Who writes it
Articles are written and maintained by Jeff Porton, who is responsible for the content on this site. Corrections and questions go through the contact address in the footer.
What the inspector does not do
It does not play streams, test whether an address is live, or judge whether any content is legal to watch. It does not host, copy or relay any file.