If you're passionate about music and technology, you might have come across the M3U8 file format. However, many people are unfamiliar with this format or have never encountered it. In reality, M3U8 is extensively utilized across computers, websites, and streaming platforms.
This article will provide a comprehensive overview of this audio format, explaining what M3U8 is and how to use the top M3U8 players on Windows 10/8.1/8/7 and Mac OS X/11/12.
M3U8 is a file extension used for audio playlists encoded in UTF-8. It stores information about audio tracks and music in plain text, including local file paths (both absolute and relative) and URLs. This allows media players to locate and play the files. Importantly, M3U8 files do not contain actual media content but rather pointers to where the content is stored.
While M3U8 files can be opened and edited using text editors like Notepad, a dedicated M3U8 player is required to listen to the audio.
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How can I play M3U8 files in HTML?
<video class="video-js">...
How do I convert M3U8 to MP4?
You can use tools like VLC Media Player or M3U8 Loader App to convert M3U8 files to MP4.
Which browsers support M3U8 playback?
Microsoft Edge supports M3U8 playback, but only on Windows 8 or 10.
Summary
This guide has introduced the best M3U8 players for both desktop and online use. Now you should have a clear understanding of M3U8 files and how to enjoy your playlists on Windows and Mac.