The short answer
Start with the source, not the app. If the same playlist also fails in a browser or on another player, the app is not the cause. If a different, known-good playlist loads fine in the app, the app is working and the problem is the first playlist.
Two quick tests settle which one you are looking at: try a second playlist in the app, and open the first playlist's link outside the app.
Which checks fix a playlist that will not load?
- Open the playlist link in a browser. On a computer, paste the URL into the address bar. A download, a plain text list or a redirect points to a working link. An error, a login page you cannot pass, or a timeout points to the source.
- Check whether the link expired. Many providers issue links that expire or are tied to one account or device. Refresh the link with your provider and add the new one.
- Check your internet connection. Turn Wi-Fi off and on, or try another network. A connection that works for browsing can still fail on a playlist fetch if the source is slow.
- Check the source's status. If the provider is down, every player will fail. Look at the provider's own status information before changing anything on your device.
- Check formatting. A playlist file edited in a word processor, or saved with the wrong extension, can become unreadable. Re-export it fresh from the source.
- Restart the app, then the device. Force-stop the app, reopen it, and if that does not help, restart the phone. This clears stuck sessions more often than people expect.
- Update the app. Install any update offered on the Google Play listing. Older versions can fail on playlists that newer versions handle.
- Test a second playlist. A small, simple playlist loading correctly proves the app and the connection are fine.
What does each symptom mean?
Find your symptom, then work the third column before changing anything else.
| Symptom | Possible cause | What to try |
|---|---|---|
| Playlist is listed but empty | Link expired, or behind a login that no longer works | Regenerate the link with your source and add it again |
| Loads for a long time, then fails | Very large or slow playlist, or a slow source | Try a smaller playlist on the same connection |
| Some items play, others do not | Individual streams are offline, restricted or unsupported | Test another item from the same playlist |
| Every playlist fails | Device offline, or an older app version | Check the connection, update the app, restart the device |
| App closes when opening a playlist | App or device problem rather than the playlist | Update, restart the phone, then report it with device details |
How do I know the app is the cause?
If a known-good playlist fails on one device but works elsewhere, or the app closes when opening a playlist, it is worth reporting. Include the app version, your device model and Android version, and what happened immediately before the failure.
Reinstalling the app from Google Play is a last resort: it can clear saved playlists and settings, so make sure you can re-add them first.
Never post the playlist link
When asking for help, describe the symptom and redact anything that looks like a username, token or password. A full playlist URL is a credential.
Where to go next
Rebuilding the playlist entry from scratch? See how to add an M3U playlist. Watching on a television? See the Chromecast guide. For what to include in a help request, see support.
Common questions
Why will my M3U link not load?
The three usual causes are a link that has expired or needs a sign-in, a source that is offline, and a URL that is not a playlist at all. Testing the link in a browser separates them in one step.
How do I know the problem is the playlist and not the app?
Open the same link in a browser. If it returns text or downloads a file, the link is serving a playlist and a player should read it; if it errors or shows a login page, the source is the problem.
Does a playlist that worked before stop working?
Yes, when whoever supplies it rotates links or expires sessions. A link that worked last month can fail today for that reason alone, which is why retesting the link comes before reinstalling anything.