# M3U8 Viewer

Free online M3U8 (HLS) viewer. Open .m3u8 streaming playlists directly in your browser without uploading.

> Canonical page: https://elysiatools.com/en/viewers/m3u8

- **Category:** Videos

- **Supported formats:** .m3u8

## Overview

This M3U8 viewer renders HLS streaming playlists directly in your browser. An .m3u8 file is a text playlist that tells a player where to fetch each video or audio segment — it is the heart of HTTP Live Streaming. Pick a sample playlist or choose your own .m3u8 file to inspect and play it with no upload.

## When to use

- You have an .m3u8 playlist and want to check whether it plays correctly.
- You are debugging a live or on-demand HLS stream before shipping it.
- You need a quick browser-based check of a streaming playlist without a dedicated player.

## How it works

- Select a built-in sample playlist or choose your own .m3u8 file.
- The viewer reads the playlist and fetches each media segment, all within your browser.
- Playback and seeking follow the HLS rules described in the playlist.

## Use cases

- Testing HLS live streams during development.
- Verifying that a media segment list plays end to end.
- Inspecting a playlist's structure without a desktop streaming tool.

## Samples

- **Meditation Music 322801 (HLS)**: Relaxing meditation music stream
- **Meditation Music 409195 (HLS)**: Calm meditation music stream
- **Meditation Yoga 409201 (HLS)**: Yoga and meditation background music stream
- **Meditation Yoga Relaxing 409196 (HLS)**: Relaxing yoga music stream
- **Waterfall Sound (HLS)**: Natural waterfall ambient sound stream

## Frequently asked questions

### What is an .m3u8 file?

It is a plain-text playlist used by HTTP Live Streaming (HLS). It lists where each media segment can be downloaded, plus metadata such as duration, bitrate and alternative tracks.

### Can it play any HLS stream from the internet?

Only streams whose server allows browser access (CORS) and are reachable from your machine can be opened. Local .m3u8 files you pick are resolved and played in the browser.

### Are my M3U8 files uploaded?

No. The playlist you choose stays on your device; the browser fetches the media segments it references. Only the public sample playlists are hosted on the server.

## Related content

- [MP4 Viewer](https://elysiatools.com/en/viewers/mp4): Free online MP4 viewer. Play .mp4 videos directly in your browser without uploading — no install, no server processing.
- [WebM Viewer](https://elysiatools.com/en/viewers/webm): Free online WebM viewer. Play .webm videos directly in your browser without uploading — no install, no server processing.
- [DOCX Viewer](https://elysiatools.com/en/viewers/docx): Free online DOCX viewer for Word documents. Open .docx, .docm, .dotx, and .dotm files directly in your browser without uploading them.
- [DOC Viewer](https://elysiatools.com/en/viewers/doc): Free online DOC viewer for legacy Word documents. Open .doc and .dot files directly in your browser without uploading them.
- [PPTX Viewer](https://elysiatools.com/en/viewers/pptx): Free online PPTX viewer for PowerPoint files. Open .pptx, .pptm, .potx, and .potm presentations directly in your browser without uploading them.
- [PPSX Viewer](https://elysiatools.com/en/viewers/ppsx): Free online PPSX viewer for PowerPoint slide shows. Open .ppsx and .ppsm files directly in your browser without uploading them.