Setting up IPTV is usually a 15-minute job once you have your login details. This guide covers the general steps for any device. For exact menus, follow the device guide for your Fire TV Stick, Android TV box, Samsung TV, LG TV or Apple TV.
One thing that surprises people: you don't download IPTV itself. You install a player app, which is empty, and your subscription's login fills it with channels. Getting IPTV means getting those two pieces together.
What to have ready
- Your login details: an Xtream Codes login (server, username, password) or an M3U link.
- The account for your device's app store: a Google account for Android TV and Google TV, an Amazon account for Fire TV, or an Apple ID for Apple TV.
- Your phone nearby, to use as a keyboard where the device allows it.
- A speed test from the spot where the TV device sits: around 10 Mbps for HD or 25 Mbps for 4K.
- About 15 minutes, plus a few more for the first download of channels and the guide.
The four steps
Check your broadband
Run a speed test on the device you'll watch on, at the spot where it sits. As a rough guide, allow around 10 Mbps per HD screen and 25 Mbps per 4K screen. If Wi-Fi is weak there, an Ethernet cable or a mesh Wi-Fi point will make more difference than anything else.Choose your device
Use what you have if it can run a good player app, or pick one from our devices guide. For 4K, the device must support 4K output and HEVC.Install a player app
Install a well-known player from your device's official app store. Our IPTV player guide lists good options for each platform.Enter your login and load the guide
Sign in with the details you were given, either an Xtream Codes login or an M3U link, then let the app download channels and the TV guide.
A good starting app for each device
| Device | A good place to start |
|---|---|
| Fire TV Stick (Fire OS models) | TiviMate or IPTV Smarters Pro |
| Android TV and Google TV | TiviMate from Google Play |
| Apple TV, iPhone and iPad | Smarters Player Lite or another App Store player |
| Samsung and LG TVs | A player from the TV's own store, such as Smart IPTV |
| Windows and Mac | VLC to test, then Kodi or IPTV Smarters |
| MAG box | The built-in portal; no app needed |
Getting your login details
When you order from us, we confirm in the WhatsApp chat how your login details will be delivered. Keep them somewhere safe, such as a password manager, and don't share them: anyone with them can use your screens.
Typing your login with a remote
Entering a server address one letter at a time is the most tedious part of the job, so let your phone do it. The Amazon Fire TV app and the Google TV app both turn your phone into a keyboard for the TV, and on Apple TV your iPhone offers its keyboard automatically when a text box appears. Copy and paste the details straight from your message to avoid typos.
First-time settings worth changing
- Time zone. Make sure the device is set to UK time with automatic updates, so the guide lines up.
- Player engine. Many apps offer more than one internal player. If a channel stutters or has no sound, try another.
- Buffer size. Where available, a slightly larger buffer can smooth playback on unsteady connections at the cost of a few seconds' delay.
- Favourites. Add the channels you watch most to a favourites list so you don't scroll through everything.
- Parental controls. If children use the device, set a PIN on adult categories in the app.
Setting up more than one screen
If your plan includes several screens, install the app on each device and enter the same login. Remember the limit is how many devices watch at the same time. Our multiple screens guide explains how to plan for it.
If something doesn't work
Most first-time problems are a mistyped login or weak Wi-Fi. Start with our troubleshooting guide, or see the specific fixes for buffering and missing sound. If you're still stuck, message us on WhatsApp with the device and app you're using and what you see on screen.