On an iPhone or iPad in the UK, IPTV runs through a compatible player from the App Store, where you enter your Xtream Codes or M3U details. The picture plays on the device, and AirPlay can send it to an Apple TV or a compatible TV. This guide covers the apps to compare, the steps, the data a stream uses and how to fix common problems.
In short
- Install a player from the App Store; check it supports iPhone and iPad.
- Enter the Xtream Codes details or the M3U link from your order.
- AirPlay or a cable can send the picture to a TV.
- Streaming on mobile data uses a lot of it, so use Wi-Fi when you can.
Choosing a player
Look at the same points as on any device: Xtream Codes support, a programme guide, picture-in-picture, price and recent updates. The App Store listing shows the supported devices, the price and the privacy label. A free app may carry adverts or limit features, and a paid one may charge once or yearly. The apps named here, such as IPTV Smarters Pro, belong to their publishers and are named only because they are compatible. Smarters or TiviMate compares two well-known players, and TiviMate has no iPhone version, which is worth knowing before you go searching.
| Check | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Devices | iPhone and iPad listed |
| Log-in types | Xtream Codes, M3U, or both |
| Guide | A programme guide you can scroll |
| Extras | Picture-in-picture, favourites, parental PIN |
| Cost | Free, one-off or yearly, shown on the listing |
| Updates | A recent version date |
For Premium, aromaott.com is the place to see which devices the AromaOtt app covers.
Setting up
- Open the App Store and search for IPTV.
- Install a player that lists iPhone or iPad.
- Open it and choose Xtream Codes or M3U.
- Paste the details from your order. Copying from the message you were sent avoids typing errors.
- Wait for the channel list to load, then set the time zone and the guide.
On an iPad the larger screen suits the programme guide, and on an iPhone the guide can be cramped, so open it in landscape.
Sending the picture to a TV
AirPlay sends the picture from your device to an Apple TV or an AirPlay-compatible TV on the same network. Start playing, open Control Centre, choose Screen Mirroring or the AirPlay button in the player, and pick the TV. Alternatively, a lightning or USB-C to HDMI adapter connects the device to a TV by cable, which avoids Wi-Fi problems. If your TV runs an IPTV player directly, you do not need either; see IPTV on a Samsung Smart TV or the Apple TV guide.
Copying and pasting between devices
If you have a Mac or another Apple device signed in to the same Apple account, Universal Clipboard lets you copy the playlist link on one and paste it on the iPhone. Otherwise copy it from the message you were sent. Pasting avoids the case-sensitive mistakes that cost the most time, such as a capital letter in a password.
Picture-in-picture and background play
Some players let you shrink the picture into a floating window so you can use another app, and some pause when you leave the app. Which applies depends on the player and its settings. If you want audio to keep playing with the screen off, look for a background playback option, and note that it uses the same data and battery as watching.
Data and battery
Video uses a lot of data. As a rough guide, an hour of HD can use a gigabyte or more, and 4K several times that. If you are not on Wi-Fi, check your mobile plan, and set the player to a lower quality if it has the option. Streaming also drains the battery quickly, so plug the device in for a long session.
Watching away from home
Because the service is a stream over the internet, it works on a hotel or holiday Wi-Fi if the connection is good enough. Public Wi-Fi often has its own sign-in page and may limit video. If the picture freezes, move closer to the router, or try mobile data if you have the allowance. The UK TV abroad guide covers watching from another country.
Family sharing and several devices
The same log-in can go on an iPhone, an iPad and a TV, within the number of screens your plan allows at once. Install the player on each device and enter the details again, or use a feature in the app that copies the setup if it has one. Think about children's devices separately, because parental controls are set per app and per device; see parental controls in IPTV apps.
Fixing the common problems
- The app cannot find the list. Check you are online, re-enter the details and ask support to check the account.
- No sound or picture after a call or notification. Close and reopen the player.
- The picture is blocky on mobile data. Switch to Wi-Fi or lower the stream quality.
- AirPlay does not show the TV. Make sure both devices are on the same network and that Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are on.
- The log-in works on one device and not another. Check the number of screens your plan allows at once; the plan page lists how many devices each plan allows.
Apple and British IPTV
iPhone, iPad, AirPlay and the App Store are Apple's marks, and British IPTV is not affiliated with Apple. The How it works page lists every device guide.