Every rendition at a glance
Resolution, bitrate, frame rate, and codecs in plain words, such as H.264, AAC, or H.265.
M3U8 Checker
Paste an .m3u8 link to see what's inside: every rendition with its resolution, bitrate, and codecs, plus the duration, segments, encryption, and anything worth fixing.
Check a playlist
- Reads Master and media playlists
- Flags Spec issues, DRM, CORS
- Light Fetches playlists only
- Runs in your browser
- Nothing uploaded
- No account
01How it works
How to use the M3U8 Checker
- 01
Paste the M3U8 link
Paste a master or media playlist address and click Check.
- 02
Read the report
See the playlist type, renditions, duration, encryption, and any warnings.
- 03
Dig deeper
Check every variant, read the raw playlist, or open the stream in the player.
02About
What is the M3U8 Checker?
An HLS stream is described by plain-text playlists. A master playlist lists the available qualities plus audio and subtitle tracks; each media playlist lists segments with their durations, encryption keys, and boundaries. When a stream misbehaves, the answer is usually in those lines.
The checker fetches the playlist from your browser, parses it, and lays it out as tables. For a master playlist, it can load every variant to compare durations and segment counts. It also flags common mistakes, such as segments longer than the target duration, missing tags, DRM, and servers that block cross-origin access.
Popular uses
- Encoder setup
Check that each rendition has the resolution and bitrate you configured.
- CDN troubleshooting
Find out whether a failing stream is blocked, expired, or malformed.
- Before downloading
See the available qualities and total length before you save a stream.
- Learning HLS
See how real playlists are put together, with the raw text alongside.
03Features
Why use this M3U8 Checker tool
Segment details
Count, duration, container, byte ranges, discontinuities, and encryption for each media playlist.
Problem flags
Spots out-of-spec durations, missing tags, DRM, and CORS blocks, and says what each means.
Private by design
Streams and files go straight between your browser and their source. ToolsBase never sees them.
No account, no install
Works in any modern browser on desktop or phone. There's nothing to sign up for or download.
No DRM circumvention
Protected streams are refused. The tools work with open HLS and standard AES-128 only.
04FAQ
M3U8 Checker: frequently asked questions
How do I check whether an M3U8 link works?
Paste it and click Check. If the playlist loads, you'll see its contents; for a master playlist, click Check all variants to load each one too. If it fails, the error says whether the server refused, blocked cross-origin access, or returned something other than a playlist.
What's the difference between a master and a media playlist?
A master (multivariant) playlist lists several versions of the same stream at different resolutions and bitrates, plus alternative audio and subtitle tracks. A media playlist lists the segments of one version. Players pick a variant from the master, then follow its media playlist.
What does 'longer than the target duration' mean?
#EXT-X-TARGETDURATION promises that no segment, rounded to the nearest second, is longer than this value. Players use it to plan buffering and live refreshes, so breaking it can cause stalls. Re-segment the stream or raise the target duration.
Why does a stream work elsewhere but fail here?
The checker runs in your browser, so the server must allow other websites to read the stream (CORS). A player on the stream's own site doesn't need that permission. A CORS error here means the stream is locked to its own domain.
Does the checker download the video?
No. It reads only the text playlists, which are a few kilobytes each. Segments aren't fetched.
05More tools
More HLS tools
Pass the same stream to another tool, or convert what you've saved.