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Build Your First Working Setup

This tutorial takes a new desktop installation from an empty database to cloud-hosted M3U playlist and EPG (XMLTV) links that you can use in a player. It uses the core Free workflow; cloud playlist/EPG publishing does not require Pro. Cloud database backup, automation, advanced tools, and XC Server are optional next steps.

Prefer local output?

Cloud hosting is optional. For local files, skip step 4, select a Custom Output Folder in step 5 instead of a cloud-provider folder, then generate files in step 8 and follow Connect a Player. See Layout Output Settings.

For the cloud workflow below, have these items ready:

  • an authorized M3U playlist or Xtream Codes provider connection;
  • an external EPG URL that contains guide data for at least some of your channels;
  • a Dropbox or Google Drive account that can host the generated output;
  • a player that can load an M3U playlist and EPG from URLs.

Treat provider addresses, usernames, passwords, output links, and tokens as private credentials.

1. Install and open IPTVBoss

  1. Install IPTVBoss for your operating system.
  2. Start the application and complete the first-run checks.
  3. Confirm that Sources, Layout, Output, and Settings open without an error.

If you are opening an existing database, stop here and back it up before replacing or restructuring its content.

2. Add and synchronize a playlist

  1. Follow Adding Playlists and choose the M3U or Xtream Codes workflow that matches the information from your provider.
  2. Open Manage Categories, refresh the provider categories, and enable a small set of Live categories for this first test.
  3. Save the source.
  4. Open Sources → Sources Manager and open the IPTV Sources tab.
  5. Select the source and select Sync in the source action bar.
  6. Wait for synchronization to finish and confirm that the source contains channels.

Start with a small channel set. You can enable more categories after the complete workflow works.

3. Add and synchronize an EPG source

  1. Open Sources → Add EPG.
  2. Leave Source set to Custom.
  3. Enter a descriptive name and the external EPG URL.
  4. Save the source.
  5. In Sources Manager, open the EPG Sources tab, select the EPG source, and select Sync in the source action bar.
  6. Wait for synchronization to finish and confirm that EPG channels were imported.

See Adding an EPG Source for time-zone, logo, and EPG layout options.

4. Configure cloud publishing

  1. Open Settings → IPTVBoss Settings.
  2. Expand Cloud & Backups and enable the cloud settings.
  3. Select Dropbox or Google Drive.
  4. Follow the matching tab in Cloud Provider Setup to create the required provider app and enter its credentials.
  5. Select Authorize and complete the provider's authorization flow.
  6. Save the settings.

This authorizes IPTVBoss to publish playlist and EPG files. It does not require or enable Pro cloud database synchronization or backup. Keep app secrets, authorization codes, and generated output links private.

5. Create and enable a layout

  1. Open Layout → Layout Manager.
  2. Select Add New Layout.
  3. Enter a descriptive name, such as First Test.
  4. Enable M3U and EPG output for the layout.
  5. Select a Cloud Provider Folder for the provider you authorized.
  6. Make sure the layout itself is enabled.
  7. Select Save Layout.

The layout is the publishable channel list. Adding sources alone does not place their channels into output.

6. Import channels into the layout

  1. Open Layout → Layout Editor.
  2. Select the layout you just created.
  3. Select Add Channels to open Channel Importer.
  4. Use Source Import mode and select your playlist source.
  5. Select one or more Live groups or channels.
  6. Select the matching import action.
  7. Close the importer and confirm that the channels appear in the destination layout.

See Editing a Layout for selection, duplicate, and grouping options.

7. Map EPG data

  1. Select a channel that should have guide data.
  2. In Channel Options, expand EPG Mapping.
  3. Open EPG Search Options and enable the external EPG source you added.
  4. Select Manual and choose the matching EPG channel.
  5. Confirm the source and channel identifier, then select Save Channel(s).
  6. Repeat for several test channels.

Choose a mapping only when the channel identity is reliable. An incorrect guide is more misleading than a missing one. See Mapping Channels for the complete mapping workflow.

8. Generate cloud output

  1. Return to Layout Manager and confirm that the layout health dashboard, M3U output, EPG output, and cloud-provider folder are correct and saved.
  2. Open Output.
  3. Select Current Layout M3U & EPG.
  4. Wait for generation and upload to finish.
  5. Select Output → View Cloud Links.
  6. Find the M3U and EPG links for the layout you created.
  7. Copy the two links without exposing them in a screenshot, issue, or support message.

Do not use an all-layout output action while testing one layout.

9. Test the result

  1. Add the generated cloud M3U link to your intended player.
  2. Configure the generated cloud EPG link as that playlist's guide source.
  3. Refresh the playlist and guide in the player.
  4. Confirm that an imported channel plays.
  5. Confirm that a mapped channel shows the expected programme information.

If the cloud links are missing, confirm the provider authorization and the layout's cloud-provider folder, then regenerate the current layout output. If channels are missing, review the source categories and layout import. If guide data is missing, confirm that the EPG synchronized, the channel mapping was saved, the EPG link is assigned to the playlist in the player, and the output was regenerated.

Next steps

After the cloud links work, you can: