An M3U or M3U8 playlist is a list of streams, as a link or as a file. Cobi Player shows every entry as a live channel, with its name, logo and group. It doesn’t load a separate guide (XMLTV) link from a playlist yet, so playlist channels have no guide and no catch‑up — and a film in a playlist is a channel, not a poster in a Movies section. If your provider offers an Xtream Codes account as well, use that one. Would you like playlists to bring their guide? Suggest it as an idea.
Add it
- Open Settings › Add Profile and choose M3U Playlist.
- Paste the playlist’s link, or tap Paste URL from Clipboard. On iPhone, iPad and Mac, Choose M3U File … picks a file instead.
- Save. When the group names contain a country, the channels are sorted by country, like with an Xtream account.
A link or a file?
Prefer the link. A playlist added as a file lives in this one device’s storage: it does not update when your provider changes the playlist, and it can’t be sent to the Apple TV with a code. Added by link, it does both.
Very large playlists are refused with “Playlist too large” — ask your provider for a smaller one, for example with only the countries you watch.
M3U or Xtream Codes?
| In Cobi Player | Xtream Codes account | M3U or M3U8 playlist |
|---|---|---|
| Live channels, sorted by country | Yes | Yes, when the group names contain a country |
| Channel logos | Yes | Yes, when the playlist has them |
| Program guide (EPG) | Yes, where the provider sends it | No |
| Catch‑up | Yes, on channels with an archive | No |
| Movies and series, with posters and plots | Yes | No — a film shows up as a channel |
| Continue where you stopped | Yes, for movies and episodes | No |
Updated 23 October 2026