Vela
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Guides

How to set up an IPTV player on iPhone

Install a player, then sign in with the Xtream login or M3U playlist from the IPTV service you already pay for. Vela is a player for iPhone and iPad; it includes no channels, so everything you watch comes from that login.

What you need first

An IPTV player plays a service you already have. It doesn't come with channels, and Vela includes none. Before you install anything, find the sign-in details your provider sent when you subscribed. They usually come in one of these forms:

  • An Xtream login: a server address with a port, such as http://example.com:8080, plus a username and a password.
  • An M3U link: one long address ending in .m3u or .m3u8, or with get.php in it.
  • An M3U file saved in Files.
  • An XMLTV link for the TV guide (EPG). It's optional, and only needed with an M3U playlist.

Not sure which you have? M3U playlist or Xtream login explains the difference. Vela runs on iPhone and iPad with iOS or iPadOS 17 or later.

Sign in with an Xtream login

  1. Install Vela from the App Store and open it.
  2. Choose Xtream Login.
  3. Type the Server URL exactly as your provider wrote it, with http:// or https:// at the start and the port at the end.
  4. Type the Username and Password. Both usually care about capitals, and a copied password can bring a space along with it.
  5. Add a Name if you like, then tap Sign In.

Vela reads the account's live channels, films and series, with plot, cast and ratings where your provider has them, a TV guide for each channel, and the account's expiry date and connection limit, which it shows in Account.

Sign in with a get.php link

Many providers send a single long link like http://example.com:8080/get.php?username=...&password=...&type=m3u_plus. That is an Xtream login written as a playlist link. Choose M3U Playlist and paste the whole thing: Vela sees the login inside and signs in with it, film details and all. If you'd rather it were read as a plain playlist, turn on Read it as a plain playlist instead.

Sign in with an M3U playlist

  1. Choose M3U Playlist.
  2. Paste the link into Playlist Link (M3U or M3U8), or tap Import from Files to use a saved file.
  3. If you have a guide link, paste it into TV Guide Link (XMLTV, optional). Plain and gzipped guides both work. Leave it empty and Vela uses the guide the playlist names in its first line, if it names one.
  4. Tap Sign In.

A playlist gives each channel, film and series a name, a logo or poster and a category. Plot, cast and the account's expiry only come with an Xtream login. If the guide stays empty, see IPTV guide (EPG) not showing.

Once you're in

  • Live TV: the TV guide grid, now and next on every channel, Recently Watched channels, and categories you can search and star.
  • In every plan: favourites, Continue Watching, the next episode, Picture in Picture, and audio and subtitle tracks where the stream has them.
  • On a TV: tap the TV button in the player to play on an AirPlay, Google Cast or DLNA TV. See how to cast IPTV from iPhone to a TV.
  • Your match on every film and series (Vela Pro): a score for how well a title fits your taste, and the parts of your taste it rests on, worked out on your iPhone and never uploaded. Top Picks for You and More Like This come from the same place (Vela Pro).
  • Search as you type (Vela Pro), which forgives small typos.
  • More than one provider: add another in Account and switch between them. Each keeps its own favourites and the places you stopped.

If sign-in doesn't work

Vela says what went wrong in plain words. The common ones:

  • “That server address could not be read.” Check the format: http://, the server name, a colon and the port, and nothing after it.
  • “The server rejected that username or password.” Retype both, watching for capitals and a trailing space.
  • “The server refused the connection. The subscription may have expired.” Check the account with your provider.
  • “The server replied with something this app could not read. Check the address and port.” Usually a wrong port, or the address of the provider's website rather than its server.
  • “That is the address of a playlist file, not an Xtream server.” Choose M3U Playlist and paste it there.
  • “That link returned a web page, not a playlist.” The link is wrong, has expired, or needs a sign-in in a browser first.

The full list is in IPTV not working on iPhone.

What it costs

Vela is free to download. Every plan includes browsing, favourites, the TV guide, playback and casting; on the free plan, playback pauses for a moment every 10 minutes. Vela Pro removes the pauses and adds search and recommendations, for USD 14.99 a year or USD 29.99 once (Vela Pro Lifetime) in the US; the App Store shows your local price. A 14-day trial of everything starts the first time you sign in.

Vela has no servers, no accounts and no analytics. Your login stays in the iOS Keychain on your iPhone and is sent only to your provider. The Privacy Policy has the details.

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