Guides

IPTV not working on iPhone: a checklist

First find out whether it's one channel, the whole account or the network. Most failures come from a typo, an expired account, too many connections at once or the network, rather than the app.

First, narrow it down

• One channel fails and others play: the problem is that channel, on the provider's side, or its format.
• The library loads but nothing plays: usually the connection limit, or a network that blocks streams.
• You can't sign in at all: the address, the login, or the account itself.
• It works on Wi-Fi but not on cellular, or the other way round: the network.

One quick test settles a lot: try the same login in another app or on another device. If it fails there too, it's the account or the provider, not the iPhone.

The checklist

1. A typo in the address or login

The server address needs http:// or https://, the server name and the port, as in http://example.com:8080, and nothing after the port. Usernames and passwords usually care about capitals, the iPhone keyboard may capitalise the first letter for you, and a pasted password can bring a space along with it.

In Vela: “That server address could not be read.” or “The server rejected that username or password.”

2. The account has expired or been suspended

In Vela: “The server refused the connection. The subscription may have expired.” or “The account is banned or disabled on this server.” For an Xtream login, Account shows the Expires date and the Status your provider reports. Only your provider can renew or reinstate an account.

3. Too many connections

Most subscriptions allow one or two streams at once. A box playing in another room, a TV you cast to, or a stream that hasn't quite closed all count. Over the limit, the provider refuses the next one, and some panels say so with an unusual status code, such as HTTP 458 or 460, rather than a standard one.

In Vela: “The provider refused the connection. You may have too many devices streaming at once.” At sign-in an unusual code shows as, for example, “The server returned an error (HTTP 460).” For an Xtream login, Connections in Account shows how many are in use, of the most the provider allows. Stop the other device and wait a minute: some providers keep counting a stream for a little while after it stops.

4. http and https

Use the address exactly as your provider gave it. Many servers answer only plain http:// on a port like 8080, so adding an s breaks them, and a server that moved to https:// often moved to a different port as well. If an address that used to work stops, ask your provider whether it has changed. Vela takes both kinds.

5. Wi-Fi or cellular

Some mobile networks, and some public or work Wi-Fi, block or slow down streams on unusual ports. Try the other connection. On cellular, also check that Vela may use mobile data, in Settings > Cellular (Mobile Data in some regions).

In Vela: “No internet connection.”, “The server took too long to reply.”, “The provider did not respond in time.” or “The connection dropped. Check your network and try again.”

6. A VPN

Some providers refuse connections from VPN addresses, and a distant VPN server adds delay to every stream. Try once with the VPN off. If the VPN is how you reach your own server at home, leave it on: that's what it's for.

7. The stream's format

The iPhone's own player handles HLS (.m3u8) and MP4. Many IPTV streams are raw MPEG-TS, and films often come as MKV or AVI files or with DTS audio, which it doesn't open; a player needs its own decoder for those.

Vela has two engines. It tries a channel's other stream format, and then its own built-in player, by itself before it shows an error. If some channels still fail on an Xtream login, Account > Playback > Live format lets you pick HLS or MPEG-TS, whichever works better with your provider.

In Vela: “This stream is in a format that could not be decoded.”

8. The provider doesn't have it right now

A channel can be in the list and not be served, and a film can be incomplete on the provider's server. Try another title in the same category to check.

In Vela: “The provider does not have this stream. It may have moved or been removed.”, “This title would not play. The provider may have removed it.” or “This title connected but never started playing. The provider may be throttling it.” If a film drops partway through, Vela reconnects and carries on from the same place; if it can't, Try Again picks up from there.

9. A playlist link that won't load

• “That link returned a web page, not a playlist. Check the address, and that it does not need you to sign in in a browser first.”
• “That does not look like an M3U playlist.” or “That playlist is empty.” The link is wrong, or the playlist behind it is empty right now.
• “That link could not be read. It should start with http:// or https://.”
• “That link returned data Vela cannot read as a playlist. If it is an Xtream server, use Xtream Login instead.”

10. An empty or out-of-date library

Pull down on Home to refresh. Vela keeps a copy of your provider's catalog and refreshes it in the background; Account > Library > Auto-refresh sets how often, and Account > Storage > Refresh now does it straight away. “The server returned an empty catalog.” means the provider sent an empty list.

11. No TV guide

That has its own list: IPTV guide (EPG) not showing.

Still stuck?

Write to us from the support page. The version of Vela (at the bottom of Account), the name of the channel or title, and the exact message on screen get you a useful answer much faster. Please don't send your password.

Vela includes no channels or content. Use it only with a subscription or playlist you're entitled to use.