How to Convert M3U8 to MP4 in VLC/Other Alternatives [2023]

Are you trying to open a M3U8 file but your default media player just couldn’t recognize it? M3U8 is not essentially a video format but a playlist format that contains playlists of songs. The easiest way to play an M3U8 file is by converting it into a standard video format like MP4.

And that’s why we are here today.

This tutorial shows detailed steps on how to convert M3U8 to MP4 with VLC and other tools. Read it till the end and you’ll be able to download M3U8 in MP4 with ease. Let’s dive in!

Part 1: What is an M3U8 File Extension?

An M3U8 file extension is essentially a UTF-8 Encoded Audio Playlist file that contains multimedia playlists. Numerous media applications and online radio stations use this format as it can store a series of .ts video segments

As .m3u8 is a plain-text file with no audio and video, it is not playback-friendly. You need a reliable M3U8 converter to analyze and download M3U8 to MP4 and view its content on any device.

Bonus Tip: Transfer M3U8 files To Another Device With A Single Click

It’s easy to convert M3U8 to MP4 on your desktop. But what to do if you have these files on your Android or iOS? That’s where AirDroid Personal comes into play. With this tool, you can send unlimited M3U8 files to your computer wirelessly with a single click.

What’s best about AirDroid is its universal compatibility. It allows seamless data transfer between Android and Mac, iPhone and Windows, and so on. The fun doesn’t end here. Once converted, you can transfer the MP4 videos back to your smartphone effortlessly. Boasting its 200MB/sec speed, AirDroid can move GBs of data within seconds.

To transfer files, install the app on your phone and share the QR code on AirDroid Web on your desktop. Once the devices are connected, drag and drop the files and that’s it. No other tool offers this much convenience and flexibility.

Besides file transfer, it allows you to manage your files, SMSs, and notifications remotely from a computer. This is particularly useful in multitasking and improving your work efficiency.

Part 2: How to Convert M3U8 to MP4 With VLC

VLC is a multi-feature multimedia player that comes with an in-built capability to convert M3U8 to video format. It allows you to convert an M3U8 file into a range of formats like MP4, WMV, FLV, MOV, and AVI.  The good thing about VLC is its compatibility with both Windows and Mac platforms.

As VLC is not a professional video converter, you’re likely to encounter various glitches. Also, the procedure to download video from M3U8 using VLC is somewhat lengthy. With that said, follow the below steps to proceed:

Step 1: Install and run the VLC player on your Windows and Mac.

Step 2: On its main page, click Media > "Convert / Save".

Step 3: Under the “File” tab, click Add and import the M3U8 files you want to convert. Make sure the “Convert/Save” option is selected at the bottom. Click on it.

Step 4: On the next page, select the “Video – H.264 + MP3 (MP4)" format in front of “Profile.” Also, click on “Browse” to choose a destination folder.  

Step 5: Finally, hit Start and it will instantly start the VLC M3U8 conversion process. You can check the output files in the destination folder once it’s finished.

Part 3: 3 Online Ways to Download Video from M3U8

In addition to VLC, tons of online tools can help you convert and download M3U8 file in MP4. This section aims to introduce 4 great online tools for the readers.

Solution 1. Use Online-Convert

Online-Convert is a highly popular website that supports a variety of video conversions. Without any sign-up or registration, you can proceed to convert and download M3U8 video in the MP4 format. In addition, you get access to numerous built-in editing features like rotate, clip, resize, and flip, to adjust the output video,

The only downside of this website is the not-so-good output quality even if you choose the HD resolution. But this is something you have to bear for choosing a free M3U8 to MP4 online converter.

Here’s how to use this website:

Step 1: Head to Online-Convert on your web browser.

Step 2: Click on “Choose File” to upload the M3U8 file and adjust the output settings, if needed.

Step 3: Hit START and wait patiently.

Step 4: Once it’s done, click on Download to save the file on your computer.   

Solution 2. Use Aconvert

Another popular website to convert and download M3U8 online without any sign-up requirements. Aconvert directly takes you to the main page where you can upload and convert your files to MP4 or a variety of video formats like AVI, MPG, MOV, WMV, and WEBM.

Converting larger M3U8 files takes sufficient time. So, don’t stress out if it’s taking a while to download M3U8 to MP4 on Aconvert. Just like Online-Convert, this tool also lets you resize the video or adjust the bitrate and frame rate.

The steps are shown below:

Step 1: Open your browser and navigate to Aconvert.

Step 2: Click on “Choose file” and upload the desired M3U8 file.

Step 3: Select “MP4” as the output format and customize other settings if you want.

Step 4: Click “Convert Now” and wait until; the conversion process is finished.

Solution 3. Use Files Conversion

Like most online M3U8 to MP4 downloaders, Files Conversion can help you quickly change M3U8 into any video format. It supports many popular video and audio formats, making it a good option to start converting your M3U8 files.

But here again, the output quality is something you might be concerned about. Here are the steps to begin:

Step 1: Go to Files Conversion on your web browser.

Step 2: Click on “Select a File” and browse your M3U8 file.

Step 3: Select the output quality and format.

Step 4: Hit Convert and download the video after it’s successfully converted into MP4.

Part 4: How to Convert M3U8 to MP4 on Android

Want to convert M3U8 to MP4 on your Android phone? You can use the M3U8 Loader app, available for free in the Play Store, to proceed. Unfortunately, there’s no app that can convert M3U8 to MP4 on an iPhone. But you can use AirDroid Personal to transfer the M3U8 files to the desktop for conversion.

Check the below steps to download M3U8 on Android:

Step 1: Head to the Play Store and install the M3U8 Loader app.

Step 2: Run it and paste the link of the online M3U8 file.   

Step 3: Select the desired resolution and tap Download.

Step 4: When the conversion is finished, you can see the M3U8 video in the gallery.

Final Remarks

The M3U8 file is not compatible with most video players, so you can experience playback issues. To overcome this, use the aforementioned tools to convert and download M3U8 to MP4 without any hassle. You can either rely on VLC or online software to easily convert M3U8 to any video format you like.  

Consider AirDroid Personal as a one-stop solution to transfer your M3U8 files and videos across different platforms. It is lightweight, easy to use, and offers plenty of stellar mobile management features for all devices.

Feel free to ask any questions about M3U8 to MP4 conversion or AirDroid Personal in the comment section.

FAQs

1. Why I am getting an M3U8 cannot load error?

This error occurs when trying to play M3U8 files as M3U8 files are not general videos. They are plain text that stores the URL paths of streaming audio or video.

Use a credible M3U8 to MP4 converter to download video from these files to avoid getting the load error.  

2. How can I convert files from M3U8 to MP4?

You have a variety of options to convert and download M3U8 to MP4 on your computer. If you want to use the VLC player, follow the below steps:

3. How long does it take to convert M3U8 to MP4?

It mainly depends on the size of the file and the software you’re using for conversion. Generally, it takes a few minutes to convert M3U8 to MP4 with VLC.