How to Convert M3U8 to MP4 with 2 Best M3U8 Downloaders

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With the internet getting faster and more accessible in more parts of the world, especially with the launch of services like Starlink, playlists not only belong to your local library on your device, but many Internet video and audio sources use them. If you are not already aware, playlists makes it very easy to curate and organize content into different topics or categories. This is a feature that is supported by many social networks and media sources, such as YouTube, Vimeo, Spotify, Apple Music and more. Moreover, playlists are an excellent way for new viewers to navigate a ‘channel’ so they can easily find all the right content in one place. With that said, how are playlist files stored? M3U8 is one of the ways that playlist files are stored. But what exactly is M3U8? Is it possible to download M3U8? Are there any M3U8 to MP4 converters available? Continue reading to find out…

What Is A M3U8 File?

So, what is a M3U8 file? Basically, it is a UTF-8 encoded playlist file, used by video and audio players to store the location of media files. Technically, the M3U8 file format is used for creating single-entry playlist files, which point to a stream on the Internet. What that means is the created file will provide easy access to the corresponding video or audio stream. M3U8 files are often used for downloads, emails, and for listening to Internet radio, video streaming etc., and they can also be used by various media apps.

M3U8 files may also be plain text files, that may not contain any media data at all. Your computer might not be able to open M3U8 files natively, if you have no supporting apps. Being merely playlist text files for video and audio, you can use them to your advantage, by downloading the actual media files from where they are linked. Therefore, how to get M3U8 URL, and how to convert M3U8 to MP4? Continue reading below.

How to Get M3U8 URL?

M3U8 files can either be files or URLs, and before you get to know about how to use a M3U8 to MP4 converter, you need to get the M3U8 URL or file first. There are two methods on how to get M3U8 URL or file, which are:

1.Using your web browser’s developer tools

To use this method, you need to press the F12 button while using your browser, to start Developer Tools, and set it to the Network tab. After that, go back to the main browser window and reload the page to start the playback. The M3U8 URL will show up in the network traffic.

2.Use a browser add-on, for Firefox or other supported browsers to download M3U8

Download a Firefox add-on called the stream detector. Install it, then go to the main browser window with the stream. The add-on will find the M3U8 stream for you.

How to Convert M3U8 to MP4 with M3U8 Downloader

At this stage, you are should be well aware about what is a M3U8 file, and how to get M3U8 URL. The next step is to figure out how to convert M3U8 to MP4, specifically, how to use a M3U8 downloader software. YT Saver Downloader is the best tool for you to use. It is available for both Windows and macOS, and it is built with support for over 10,000 websites. In this case, it can download playlists from various sites, such as YouTube, Vimeo, etc.

Step 1: Download the newest version of YT Saver on your PC or Mac.

Step 2: Open the software and set the output format. Click on the “Settings” icon on the upper right corner of the interface. From the “Download” tab of the “Preferences” window, choose video or audio formats, depending with the M3U8 file.

Step 3: Copy and paste the M3U8 URL to start downloading. Visit the website and copy the M3U8 link, or copy the M3U8 file URL if you have it stored somewhere.

Step 4: Paste the copied URL. In the software’s interface, click the “Paste URL” button, and it will automatically start analyzing the playlist files. You can click to stop the downloading anytime (Please kindly note that when you hit the stop button, the entire download task will end subsequently).

Step 5: Start the download. When the M3U8 file has been analyzed, you will be presented with all the downloadable media files. Select what you need to download then simply click the download button to start.

How to Download M3U8 with M3U8 to MP4 Online Downloader

There is another alternative to YT Saver Media downloader, that you can use as a M3U8 downloader. This method is a web app, which runs right from your web browser (essentially a M3U8 to MP4 online downloader). The biggest benefit of this method is of course the ability to run it from any device that has a web browser, regardless of the operating system it uses. However, using this M3U8 to MP4 online conversion is slower in comparison to YT Saver mentioned above. The method also does not support more file formats for outputs, which could be a big drawback for some.

Wrapping Up

All in all, M3U8 files are designed to store playlist information for media files (video and audio) stored elsewhere. In order to download the media files contained on a M3U8 file, you would need a tool such as YT Saver. Besides that, you can also download using the M3U8 dev site, although it is slower and much more limited in comparison to YT Saver. Therefore, try YT Saver for the easiest way to download playlists.