Parse M3U8 master and media playlists online
The analyzer resolves the highest-quality child manifest while preserving a clear list of all declared variants.
HLS structure diagnostics
Free Online M3U8 Parser and HLS Manifest Analyzer
Inspect a playlist before playback or conversion. See adaptive variants, codecs, duration, segments, live status, container type, and protection markers.
No upload No signup No watermark
Open the tool No manifest loadedVariant streams, codecs, segment count, duration, and encryption flags will appear here.
Inspect HLS codecs, resolution, and bandwidth
Compare adaptive renditions using manifest metadata before choosing which stream to download.
Detect live, encrypted, and fragmented MP4 HLS
Conversion-relevant flags are summarized without fetching the full video payload.
How to analyze an M3U8 playlist URL before converting it
Paste a direct HLS playlist URL and inspect it. A master playlist describes variants; a media playlist describes the timed segments for one variant.
The analyzer reports whether EXT-X-ENDLIST is present, whether any segment declares a key, and whether EXT-X-MAP indicates fragmented MP4 segments.
How M3U8 playlist metadata predicts browser compatibility
Declared codecs and resolution help explain whether a browser or MP4 container can use the tracks. They remain declarations rather than a full binary probe, so malformed sources can still fail later.
A clear VOD playlist with accessible segments and H.264/AAC tracks is the most straightforward candidate for a fast MP4 remux.
Common questions
M3U8 Manifest Analyzer frequently asked questions
Straight answers about browser support, privacy, source access, and output behavior.
What does the online M3U8 manifest analyzer detect?
It reports master versus media playlist type, VOD versus live status, stream variants, resolution, bandwidth, declared codecs, duration, segment count, container type, and encryption markers.
Can the M3U8 parser inspect a playlist blocked by CORS?
No. The analyzer runs in your browser and honors the source server's CORS policy. This is intentional because the site does not relay private media through a proxy.
Does inspecting an M3U8 playlist download the full video?
No. Analysis downloads the manifest text and the selected child playlist only. Media segments are not downloaded until you start a conversion or download job.
How do I identify a live M3U8 playlist?
A completed VOD media playlist normally ends with EXT-X-ENDLIST. When that marker is absent, the analyzer reports the source as live or ongoing.
How can I check whether an M3U8 link still works?
Paste it into the manifest analyzer first: it fetches only the playlist text and reports VOD status, variants, and segment counts. The player is the second check, because it also verifies that at least one quality level can actually stream.