Free M3U Format Converter | M3U to JSON to CSV

Convert M3U Playlists to Other Formats

M3U is the standard format for IPTV playlists, but it's not always the most convenient for every task. Developers building IPTV applications often need channel data in JSON for APIs and web apps. Data analysts prefer CSV for working in spreadsheets and databases. Our converter handles bidirectional conversion between M3U, JSON, and CSV while preserving all channel metadata — names, URLs, groups, logos, and EPG IDs.

Supported Conversion Paths

M3U to JSON produces a clean JSON array where each channel is an object with name, url, group, logo, and epgId fields — ready for use in web applications, databases, or custom scripts. M3U to CSV creates a spreadsheet-friendly format with column headers that can be opened in Excel, Google Sheets, or any CSV-compatible tool. JSON to M3U and CSV to M3U reverse the process, allowing you to build or edit your playlist data in a familiar format and convert it back to standard M3U for use in any IPTV player.

Common Use Cases for Format Conversion

Convert M3U to JSON when building custom IPTV applications or need to process channel data programmatically. Convert M3U to CSV when you want to review, sort, or bulk-edit your channel list in a spreadsheet before converting back. Convert JSON to M3U when your channel data comes from an API or database and needs to be loaded into a standard IPTV player. Convert CSV to M3U when you've built or edited a channel list in a spreadsheet and want to generate a proper M3U playlist file.

JSON Output Schema and Developer Integration

The JSON output follows a consistent, developer-friendly schema. Each channel is represented as an object with five standardized fields: 'name' (the display name), 'url' (the stream URL), 'group' (the category/group-title), 'logo' (the channel icon URL), and 'epgId' (the EPG/TVG identifier). The entire playlist is a JSON array of these objects. This structure is ready to be imported into MongoDB, PostgreSQL (as JSONB), or any NoSQL database. It can be served directly from a REST API or used as the data source for custom IPTV player frontends built with React, Vue, or Flutter. The clean schema also makes it trivial to filter, sort, or transform the data using JavaScript array methods or jq on the command line.

CSV Column Mapping and Spreadsheet Workflows

The CSV output uses clear column headers: Name, URL, Group, Logo, and EPG ID. Values containing commas or special characters are properly quoted to ensure compatibility with all CSV parsers. This format integrates seamlessly with spreadsheet workflows: open the CSV in Excel or Google Sheets, use sorting and filtering to organize channels, apply formulas to clean up names or categorize content, delete unwanted rows, and then convert the edited CSV back to M3U. For teams managing large channel lineups, this spreadsheet-based workflow is often faster than editing channels one by one in a playlist editor. The CSV format is also useful for generating reports, creating channel inventories, or comparing two playlists side by side.

Frequently Asked Questions