View source for M3U

{{Short description|Computer file format for a multimedia playlist}}
{{Infobox file format
| name        = M3U
|_noextcode   = 
| extensions  = .m3u, .m3u8
|_nomimecode  = on
| mime        = various; {{crossreference|selfref=no|see {{section link|#Internet media types}}}}
| type code   = <!-- none, per https://tools.ietf.org/html/draft-pantos-http-live-streaming-17 -->
| released    = {{circa|1996}}<!-- first supported but undocumented in WinPlay3 2.0, released October 1996; see Talk:M3U -->
| genre       = [[Playlist]]
| extended_to = [[HTTP Live Streaming]] playlist
}}

'''M3U''' (''[[MP3]] [[URL]]''<ref name="WinPlay3v20"/><ref name="Gnomie"/>) is a computer file format for a multimedia [[playlist]]. One common use of the M3U file format is creating a single-entry playlist file pointing to a [[Streaming media|stream]] on the Internet.  The created file provides easy access to that stream and is often used in downloads from a website, for emailing, and for listening to [[Internet radio]].

Although originally designed for audio files, such as [[MP3]], it is commonly used to point media players to audio and video sources, including online sources. M3U was originally developed by [[Fraunhofer Society|Fraunhofer]] for use with their [[WinPlay3]] software,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.winamp.com/download/docs/index.jhtml?filenumber=120&language=english&layout=normal&prevlayout=normal|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020606035458/http://www.winamp.com/download/docs/index.jhtml?filenumber=120&language=english&layout=normal&prevlayout=normal|archive-date=2002-06-06|title=WINAMP.COM &#124; Winamp Documentation|date=June 6, 2002}}</ref> but numerous media players and software applications now support the format.

Careless handling of M3U playlists has been the cause of [[vulnerability (computer security)|vulnerabilities]] in many music players such as [[VLC media player]],<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.videolan.org/security/sa0804.html |year=2008 |title=VideoLAN-SA-0804 (CVE-2007-6683) |quote=Arbitrary file overwrite and other abuses through M3U parser and browsers plugins.}}</ref> [[iTunes]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cve.circl.lu/cve/CVE-2012-0677|title=CVE-2012-0677: Heap-based buffer overflow in Apple iTunes before 10.6.3 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands|website=cve.circl.lu}}</ref> [[Winamp]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cve.report/CVE-2000-0624/|title=CVE-2000-0624: Buffer overflow in Winamp 2.64 and earlier allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands via a long #EXTINF: ext|website=www.cvedetails.com}}</ref> and many others.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://packetstormsecurity.com/search/?q=m3u&s=files |title=247 search results |work=[[Packet Storm]] |access-date=2018-01-23}}</ref>

==File format==
There is no formal specification for the M3U format; it is a ''[[de facto]]'' standard.

An M3U file is a [[plain text]] file that specifies the locations of one or more media files. The file is saved with the "m3u" [[filename extension]] if the text is encoded in the local system's default non-Unicode encoding (e.g., a [[ANSI codepage|Windows codepage]]), or with the "m3u8" extension if the text is [[UTF-8]] encoded.<ref>{{cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190813210018/https://www.nero.com/enu/wGlobal/content/elements/sysreq/n2015pla-sysreq.php?viewmode=nElement&vlang=us |archive-date=2019-08-13 |url=https://www.nero.com/enu/wGlobal/content/elements/sysreq/n2015pla-sysreq.php?viewmode=nElement&vlang=us |title=Nero 2015 Platinum - System Requirements |quote=MP3 URL + UTF-8 (M3U8)}}</ref>

Each entry carries one specification.  The specification can be any one of the following:
* an ''absolute local pathname''; e.g., C:\My Music\Heavysets.mp3
* a ''local pathname'' relative to the M3U file location; e.g. Heavysets.mp3
* a [[URL]]

Each entry ends with a [[Newline|line break]] which separates it from the following one. Furthermore, some devices only accept line breaks represented as <code>[[Newline#Representation|CR&nbsp;LF]]</code>, but do not recognize a single <code>LF</code>.

===Extended M3U===
The M3U file can also include comments, prefaced by the "#" character. In '''extended M3U''', "#" also introduces extended M3U directives which are terminated by a colon ":" if they support parameters.

{| class="wikitable"
|+ M3U extensions
|-
! Directive !! Description !! Example !! Required !! Standard 
|-
| <code>#EXTM3U</code> || file header, must be the first line of the file || <code>#EXTM3U</code> || {{yes|1×}} || {{yes}} 
|-
|rowspan=2| <code>#EXTINF:</code> || track  information: runtime in seconds, then optional display title of the following resource.<br/>For runtime, a length of -1 or 0 may be used when media is a streaming file with no predefined length. || <code>#EXTINF:123,Artist Name – Track Title␤<br>artist - title.mp3</code>|| {{no}} || {{yes}}
|-
| additional properties as key-value pairs || <code>#EXTINF:123 logo="cover.jpg",Stream Title␤<br><nowiki>http://example.org/live.strm</nowiki></code>|| {{no}} || {{no|IPTV}}
|-
| <code>#PLAYLIST:</code> || playlist display title || <code>#PLAYLIST:Music TV</code>|| {{no|1×}} || {{no|IPTV}}
|-
| <code>#EXTGRP:</code> || begin named grouping || <code>#EXTGRP:Foreign Channels</code>|| {{no}} || {{no|IPTV}}
|-
| <code>#EXTALB:</code> || album information, title in particular || <code>#EXTALB:Album Title (2009)</code>|| {{no|1×}} || {{no|AL,<ref name=al>{{cite web|url=http://albumlist.sourceforge.net/faq1.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080821201917/http://albumlist.sourceforge.net/faq1.html|archive-date=2008-08-21|title=Album List for Winamp|website=albumlist.sourceforge.net}}</ref> M3A<ref name=m3a/>}}
|-
| <code>#EXTART:</code> || album artist  || <code>#EXTART:Various</code>|| {{no|1×}} || {{no|AL,<ref name=al/> M3A<ref name=m3a/>}}
|-
| <code>#EXTGENRE:</code> || album genre  || <code>#EXTGENRE:Jazz Fusion</code>|| {{no|1×}} || {{no|AL<ref name=al/>}}
|-
| <code>#EXTM3A</code> || playlist for tracks or chapters of an album in a single file || <code>#EXTM3A</code>|| {{no|1×}} || {{no|M3A<ref name=m3a>{{cite web|url=http://birdcagesoft.com/m3a-fmt.txt |title=M3A (M3U Album) Format|publisher=birdcagesoft |access-date=2019-10-21}}</ref>}}
|-
| <code>#EXTBYT:</code> || file size in bytes || <code>#EXTBYT:34124</code>|| {{no}} || {{no|M3A<ref name=m3a/>}}
|-
| <code>#EXTBIN:</code> || binary data follows, usually concatenated MP3s || <code>#EXTBIN:</code>|| {{no}} || {{no|M3A<ref name=m3a/>}}
|-
| <code>#EXTALBUMARTURL:</code> || url of album art image || <code>#EXTALBUMARTURL:<nowiki>https://example.com/a1b2c3d4.jpg</nowiki></code>|| {{no}} || {{no|Jamendo/[[VLC media player|VLC]]<ref>{{cite web |title=m3u: use the album art provided by jamendo along with the m3u files. |date=21 July 2010 |url=https://code.videolan.org/videolan/vlc/-/commit/fdbda6fec038e314228314288d29e2c218c0aeef}}</ref>}}
|}

Apple used the extended M3U format as a base for their [[HTTP Live Streaming]] (HLS)<ref name=hls>{{cite web|url=https://developer.apple.com/documentation/http_live_streaming/about_the_common_media_application_format_with_http_live_streaming|title=About the Common Media Application Format with HTTP Live Streaming &#124; Apple Developer Documentation|website=developer.apple.com}}</ref> which was documented in an Independent Submission Stream RFC in 2017 as [https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc8216 RFC 8216].<ref name="rfc8216">{{cite RFC | rfc=8216 | title=HTTP Live Streaming | author=R. Pantos and W. May | publisher=RFC Editor | section=4.3 | url=https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc8216 | date=August 2007 | doi=10.17487/RFC8216 | issn=2070-1721 }}
</ref> Therein, a ''master playlist'' references segment playlists which usually contain URLs for short parts of the media stream. Some tags only apply to the former type and some only to the latter type of playlist, but they all begin with <code>#EXT-X-</code>. 

{| class="wikitable" 
|+ HLS M3U extensions  
! Directive !! Example !! Description
|-
| <code>#EXT-X-START:</code> || <code>TIME-OFFSET=0</code> || 
|-
| <code>#EXT-X-INDEPENDENT-SEGMENTS</code> ||colspan=2| Toggle without parameters
|-
| <code>#EXT-X-PLAYLIST-TYPE:</code> || <code>VOD</code> or <code>EVENT</code> || 
|-
| <code>#EXT-X-TARGETDURATION:</code> || <code>10</code> || The maximum Media Segment duration in seconds
|-
| <code>#EXT-X-VERSION:</code> || <code>4</code> || 
|-
| <code>#EXT-X-MEDIA-SEQUENCE:</code> || <code>0</code> || The Media Sequence Number of the first Media Segment appearing in the playlist file
|-
| <code>#EXT-X-MEDIA:</code> || <code>NAME="English", TYPE=AUDIO, GROUP-ID="audio-stereo-64", LANGUAGE="en", DEFAULT=YES, AUTOSELECT=YES, URI="english.m3u8"</code> || 
|-
| <code>#EXT-X-STREAM-INF:</code> || <code>BANDWIDTH=1123000, CODECS="avc1.64001f,mp4a.40.2"</code> || Parameters have either one combined value or one per stream, separated by commas
|-
| <code>#EXT-X-BYTERANGE:</code> || <code>1024@256000</code> || 
|-
| <code>#EXT-X-DISCONTINUITY</code> || toggle without parameters || The segment represents the start of a new period
|-
| <code>#EXT-X-DISCONTINUITY-SEQUENCE:</code> || <code>2</code> || Indicates start of numbering of periods
|-
| <code>#EXT-X-GAP</code> || toggle without parameters || The segment represents a "spacer" before a new period
|-
| <code>#EXT-X-KEY:</code> || <code>METHOD=NONE</code> || Indicates encryption method used and decryption key
|-
| <code>#EXT-X-MAP:</code> || <code>URI=MediaInitializationSection</code> || 
|-
| <code>#EXT-X-PROGRAM-DATE-TIME:</code> || <code>2010-02-19T14:54:23.031+08:00</code> || [[ISO 8601]] format
|-
| <code>#EXT-X-DATERANGE:</code> || <code>ID=foo</code> || 
|-
| <code>#EXT-X-I-FRAMES-ONLY</code> ||colspan=2| [[i-frame]] Toggle without parameters
|-
| <code>#EXT-X-SESSION-DATA:</code> || <code>DATA-ID=com.example.movie.title</code> || 
|-
| <code>#EXT-X-SESSION-KEY:</code> || <code></code> || 
|-
| <code>#EXT-X-ENDLIST</code> ||colspan=2| End-of-list signal without parameters
|}

===M3U8===
The [[Unicode]] version of M3U is '''M3U8''', which uses [[UTF-8]]-encoded characters. M3U8 files are the basis for the [[HTTP Live Streaming]] (HLS) format originally developed by [[Apple Inc.|Apple]] to stream video and radio to [[iOS]] devices, and which is now a popular format for adaptive streaming in general.

The 2015 proposal for the HLS playlist format uses UTF-8 exclusively and does not distinguish between the "m3u" and "m3u8" file name extensions.<ref name="HLSdraft">{{cite web|url=https://tools.ietf.org/html/draft-pantos-http-live-streaming-17.html|title=HTTP Live Streaming|first1=Roger|last1=Pantos|first2=William|last2=May|website=tools.ietf.org}}</ref>

==Internet media types==

The only [[Internet media type]] registered for M3U and M3U8 is <code>application/vnd.apple.mpegurl</code>, registered in 2009 and only referring to the playlist format as used in HLS applications.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.iana.org/assignments/media-types/media-types.xhtml#audio|title=Media Types|website=www.iana.org}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.iana.org/assignments/media-types/application/vnd.apple.mpegurl |title=Data |publisher=iana |access-date=2019-10-21}}</ref>

The current proposal for the HLS playlist format acknowledges two media types which it treats as equivalent: <code>application/vnd.apple.mpegurl</code> and <code>audio/mpegurl</code>.<ref name="HLSdraft"/> Likewise, these are the two types recommended for HLS use by Microsoft.<ref name="Win10"/>

For non-HLS applications, no media types were standardized or registered with the [[Internet Assigned Numbers Authority|IANA]], but a number of media types are nonetheless associated with the historical and ongoing use of the M3U and M3U8 formats for general playlists:
* <code>application/mpegurl</code>
* <code>application/x-mpegurl</code>
* <code>audio/mpegurl</code>
* <code>audio/x-mpegurl</code><ref name="WinPlay3v20">{{cite web |url=http://www.iis.fhg.de/audio |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19970606171426/http://www.iis.fhg.de/departs/amm/layer3/winplay3/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=1997-06-06 |title=WinPlay3 - Windows real-time ISO/MPEG Audio Layer 3 Player |date=1996-10-30 |author=Fraunhofer Gesellschaft, Fraunhofer Institut für Integrierte Schaltungen-A |access-date=2018-01-21 }}</ref><ref name="Gnomie">{{cite web |url=https://lockergnome.com/mp3/article14.html |first=Matt |last=Gruett |title=M3U FILES AND STREAMING |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010426110118/https://lockergnome.com/mp3/article14.html |archive-date=2001-04-26 |url-status=dead |work=LockerGnome}}</ref>

These types, plus <code>application/vnd.apple.mpegurl</code> and <code>application/vnd.apple.mpegurl.audio</code>, are supported for HLS applications by (for example)  Microsoft's [[Windows 10]]<ref name="Win10">{{cite web|url=https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/ie/2015/01/29/simplified-adaptive-video-streaming-announcing-support-for-hls-and-dash-in-windows-10/|title=Simplified Adaptive Video Streaming: Announcing support for HLS and DASH in Windows 10 – IEBlog|website=blogs.msdn.microsoft.com}}</ref> and [[Internet Explorer]] 9,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/HTMLVideoElement|title=HTMLVideoElement|website=MDN Web Docs|date=10 April 2025 }}</ref> and LG's [[WebOS]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://developer.lge.com/webOSTV/api/supported-standard-web-api/html5-standard/audio-video/ |title=::: LG Developer &#124; Audio & Video ::: |access-date=2015-12-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222151959/http://developer.lge.com/webOSTV/api/supported-standard-web-api/html5-standard/audio-video/ |archive-date=2015-12-22 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Example==

The following is an example of an M3U playlist file for "[[Jar of Flies]]" album by "[[Alice in Chains]]" that was created by [[Mp3tag]] with the following custom option settings:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://help.mp3tag.de/options_export.html|title=Mp3tag Help - Configuration > Export|website=help.mp3tag.de}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://help.mp3tag.de/options_playlist.html|title=Mp3tag Help - Configuration > Playlist|website=help.mp3tag.de}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://help.mp3tag.de/main_scripting.html|title=Mp3tag Help - Scripting functions|website=help.mp3tag.de}}</ref> <!-- NOTE: This example was posted by User:Sbmeirow -->
* playlist extended info format = <code>"%artist% - %title%"</code>
* playlist filename format = <code>"%artist%_%album%_00_Playlist.m3u"</code>
* tag to filename conversion format = <code>"%artist%_%album%_$num(%track%,2)_%title%"</code>

<pre>
 #EXTM3U
 #EXTINF:419,Alice in Chains - Rotten Apple
 Alice in Chains_Jar of Flies_01_Rotten Apple.mp3
 #EXTINF:260,Alice in Chains - Nutshell
 Alice in Chains_Jar of Flies_02_Nutshell.mp3
 #EXTINF:255,Alice in Chains - I Stay Away
 Alice in Chains_Jar of Flies_03_I Stay Away.mp3
 #EXTINF:256,Alice in Chains - No Excuses
 Alice in Chains_Jar of Flies_04_No Excuses.mp3
 #EXTINF:157,Alice in Chains - Whale And Wasp
 Alice in Chains_Jar of Flies_05_Whale And Wasp.mp3
 #EXTINF:263,Alice in Chains - Don't Follow
 Alice in Chains_Jar of Flies_06_Don't Follow.mp3
 #EXTINF:245,Alice in Chains - Swing On This
 Alice in Chains_Jar of Flies_07_Swing On This.mp3
</pre>

==Software==

===Tag editors===
{{category see also|Tag editors}}
The following [[tag editor]] software allows users to edit the [[ID3]] tags in [[MP3]] files, and has support for creating M3U files.

;Linux
* [[Kid3]], [[Puddletag]].

;Windows
* [[Mp3tag]], [[Puddletag]].

===Media players===
{{category see also|Media players}}
The following media player software supports playing M3U files.

;Multi-platform
{| class="wikitable"
! scope=rowgroup rowspan=2 | Programs !! scope=colgroup colspan=5 | Platforms
|-
|Windows
|macOS
|Linux
|Android
|Other
|-
|[[Amarok (software)|Amarok]]
|{{yes}}
|{{no}}
|{{yes}}
|{{no}}
|{{no}}
|-
|[[Audacious (software)|Audacious]]
|{{yes}}
|{{no}}
|{{yes}}
|{{no}}
|{{no}}
|-
|[[Banshee (media player)|Banshee]]
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|{{no}}
|{{yes}}
|-
|[[Clementine (software)|Clementine]]
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|{{no}}
|{{yes}}
|-
|[[GNOME Videos]]
|{{no}}
|{{no}}
|{{yes}}
|{{no}}
|{{no}}
|-
|[[Kodi (software)|Kodi]]
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|-
|MOC (Music on Console)
|{{no}}
|{{no}}
|{{yes}}
|{{no}}
|{{yes}}
|-
|[[MPlayer]]
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|-
|[[Mpv (media player)|mpv]]
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|-
|[[VLC media player]]
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|-
|[[iTunes]]
|{{yes}}
|{{yes}}
|{{no}}
|{{no}}
|{{no}}
|}

;Android
* Astro Player,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://astroplayer.com/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091201025112/http://www.astroplayer.com/|url-status=dead|title=Loading...|archive-date=December 1, 2009|website=astroplayer.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.astroplayerbeta|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303172333/https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.astroplayerbeta|url-status=dead|title=Astro Player (old) - Sidenis LLC|archive-date=March 3, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.astroplayer|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303122125/https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.astroplayer|url-status=dead|title=Astro Player - Sidenis LLC|archive-date=March 3, 2016}}</ref> [[Kodi (software)|Kodi]], N7Player,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.n7mobile.nplayer&hl=en_US|title=n7player Music Player - Apps on Google Play|website=play.google.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.n7mobile.nplayer_1&hl=en_US|title=n7player 1.0 - Apps on Google Play|website=play.google.com}}</ref> [[Musicolet]]<ref>{{Cite web|title=Musicolet Music Player [No ads] - Apps on Google Play|url=https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=in.krosbits.musicolet&hl=en_US&gl=US|access-date=2020-11-02|website=play.google.com|language=en}}</ref>

;macOS
* [[Music (software)|Music]], [[QuickTime Player]], [[IINA]]

;Nintendo
* [[New Nintendo 3DS]] (including XL and [[New Nintendo 2DS XL|2DS XL]] variants) with [[Internet Browser (Nintendo 3DS)|Internet Browser]] app
* [[Nintendo Switch]] with the [[YouTube]] ([[Site-specific browser|site-specific]]) app
* [[Wii U]] with the [[Wii U Internet Browser|Internet Browser]] or [[YouTube]] app

;Windows
* [[foobar2000]], [[JRiver Media Center]], [[JuK]], [[MediaMonkey]], [[PotPlayer]], [[Winamp]], [[Windows Media Player]], [[XMPlay]]<ref>{{cite web|last1=Hindley|first1=Nathan|title=XMPlay 3.8.2|url=http://support.xmplay.com/files_view.php?file_id=670|website=XMPlay|publisher=Un4seen Developments|access-date=11 July 2016}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Tag editor#List of tag editors|List of tag editors]]

;Other playlist file formats
* [[PLS (file format)|PLS]] - SHOUTcast
* [[XSPF]] - Xiph.Org Foundation

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{cite web |url= http://forums.winamp.com/showthread.php?t=65772 |title= Unofficial M3U and PLS file specification |work= Forum |series= Tech Support Greatest Hits |orig-year= 2001 |date= 2008 |publisher= WinAmp }}
* {{cite web |url= http://gonze.com/playlists/playlist-format-survey.html |work= Draft |title= Survey of playlist formats |date= 2003 |first= Lucas |last= Gonze }}
* {{cite web |url= https://tools.ietf.org/html/draft-pantos-http-live-streaming-23 |title= HTTP Live Streaming specification |work= Draft |quote= Includes M3U and M3U8 |date= 2017 |publisher= IETF |editor-first= R. |editor-last= Pantos |first= W. |last= May }}
* [http://www.clearone.com/uploads/resource/030055_Creating_Playlists_to_Work_with_the_Streaming_Music_Manager-0.pdf Creating Playlists to Work with the Streaming Music Manager]

{{DEFAULTSORT:M3u}}

[[Category:Playlist file formats]]
[[Category:Digital audio]]
[[Category:Filename extensions]]