Top 5 Best M3U8 Players to Play M3U8 Videos

M3U8 is one of the most widely used video-sharing formats on most streaming platforms nowadays. This format saves your media files from getting stolen or downloaded through unwanted means. 

If you are looking for a method to download an M3U8 video from one such site, like adult empire, Beachbody On Demand, and more, you have reached the right place. We will be discussing how to play M3U8 files and giving you the name of the top 5 Best M3U8 Players to Play M3U8 Videos.

1. What is M3U8 Encryption?

It must have happened that while surfing the Internet, you sometimes came across a video that you wanted to download but couldn't due. The reason is that websites protect these videos through special encryption scripts. 

On some sites, you can directly download a video file through your browser, but that is not possible in the case of an encrypted site.

M3U8 is one of the most popular and widely used site encrypting methods in most online media-sharing platforms nowadays. You can freely download any video on your site or platform without worrying about it getting stolen through this encrypting method. 

However, a wide range of software has come up to let you download media files even through an encrypted site. We will be looking at some of the most popular ones on those sites, so keep reading.

1.1 How does M3U8 encryption work?

M3U8 encryption protects the media file by saving the video in a different location and giving only playable access to the users. This encryption puts forward a form of address to the video file, which does not contain the media file itself and cannot be read or played through any usual media player.

Downloading M3U8 files is also not possible through a browser as it is a part of site scripting, and the browser cannot interfere with it. The M3U8 is among some of the most widely used video encryption methods, and in most cases, it is used alongside HLS for additional security.

The HLS security works similarly to the M3U8 playlist, and it also provides its media file in the same format as M3U8. HLS was invented by Apple and is one of the most widely used scripting methods in its applications and on many other platforms and sites.

1.2 What are other different types of video encryption methods?

If you are starting a new video-sharing or streaming platform, you must ensure that your media files don't get stolen. Using M3U8 encryption can be an excellent method to protect your media files, but at the same time, applying and using it can be a little difficult for a majority of people.

Different devices and sites offer different types of encryption methods and scripting to protect your media files. You can also use password protection, which can restrict your media files to only those who have the key to access the video.

There are many other valuable methods too that you can use, and some of the most popular ones are given below:

• AES (Advanced Encryption Standards)
• SDES (Simplified Data Encryption Standards)
• RSA
• MAES (Modified Advanced Encryption Standards)
• HLS Encryption
• Google Widevine DRM Video Encryption

2. Top 5 best M3U8 Players to play M3U8 videos

M3U8 files contain the address of the media files and in most cases, where you cannot download the video, in some cases streaming the video is also restricted or limited. If you want to stream the media files scripted by M3U8 encryption, you need an M3U8 player.

Although you can find many video players online, not all of them are effective or have a proper interface. We have made a list of some of the most popular software and online players that can let you play any encrypted video without any worries.

2.1 VLC Media Player

The VLC media player is undoubtedly one of the most popular video streaming platforms for Windows and Mac users. This software is packed with some of the most exclusive features and can let you play a wide range of media formats on any device. 

You can even stream M3U8 encrypted media files through this software and enjoy any video without interruption.

Let's take a look at some pros and cons of this M3U8 player.

Pros

• This software is available for almost every device, including PC, Tablets, and Smartphones.
• You can see many additional features and a straightforward and lucid interface.
• You can play any M3U8 encrypted video and another format of the encrypted video on this software.
• This software is completely free to use by anybody.

Cons

• You may not be able to play your encrypted video if it has additional security or you don't have the proper file location.
• You won't be able to play M3U8 videos directly through the URL of the video.
• This M3U8 player takes a lot of space on your disk, and regular updates and CPU consumption can also be counted as a downfall.

2.2 JW Player

JW Player is one of the most advanced and multi-purpose software to play M3U8 files online, with an encrypted media player and cloud storage. You can not only encrypt videos through this site but also upload and protect them with the help of this software for very minimal charges.

Let's take a look at some of the most prominent features of this software:

Pros

• This M3U8 player provides a wide range of streaming features for multiple devices and streaming platforms.
• Its streaming service produces high-resolution video in the minimum size possible, proving to be very useful in most video players.
• This software also provides the feature of uploads and advertisements if you have a video uploading software or site.

Cons

• This M3U8 player is paid software, and if you are only looking to stream encrypted video, you may be buying more than what you need.
• This software also consumes a lot of data and CPU while working.

2.3 Car Player

Car Player is one of the most popular M3U8 players online. This tool lets you stream any encrypted video directly through its URL. You can stream any video, and this site is available for a wide range of devices, so you also don't have to worry about compatibility and use this tool on both smartphones and PC.

Let's take a look at some of the pros and cons of this media player.

Pros

• It can let you play any video online mode, so you don't have to download any extra software on your device.
• You can also share and stream your videos in encrypted form with additional security.
• It also supports a wide range of Ott application forms where you can directly get to stream their encrypted videos.

Cons

• One of the major cons of using this software is that it is a paid tool, and you need to buy a monthly subscription to use the software.
• There is also the problem of unwanted data and storage consumption.
• Its encrypted services are a popular attraction for users, but they are of no use if you are not looking for software to upload videos on different platforms.

2.4 HLS M3U8 Player Online

HLS Player is one of the most efficient and straightforward online M3U8 video players. This site has a very lucid interface, and within a few steps, you can easily stream any encrypted video directly into your browser.

This online M3U8 player works on copying and pasting the URL of the video, and this tool will automatically detect the media file and play it for you.

Pros

• It is an online M3U8 media player, so you don't have to download any additional software or application on your device.
• It can let you play any number of videos directly into the browser and is available for both smartphones and PC.
• It supports not only the M3U8 playlist and video but also other forms of encrypted video, which you can directly stream through this site.

Cons

• This M3U8 online player can let you play a wide range of videos, but you may also observe that it won't be able to get past the encryption of every encrypted video.
• This tool does not give you any downloading option, and you can only stream your videos.
• Playing big videos and multiple files can also prove to be tricky.

2.5 Akamai M3U8 Player Online

Akami Online M3U8 Player is an efficient tool that can let you break through the encryption of a wide range of devices and play M3U8 files in online mode.

You can also choose from a wide range of options in which format you want to stream your video, and you also get many options to choose from the type of encryption and the format in which your media file is.

Pros

• Not only does M3U8 encrypt video, but you can also stream HLS-encrypted video using this tool.
• This M3U8 online player has a straightforward and efficient interface. 

Cons

• You may have a hard time streaming large media files.
• This software also doesn't provide you with any additional downloading options or a very efficient player.

3. How to play M3U8 files in offline mode?

The M3U8 media players can let you stream the videos, but if you plan to download M3U8 videos, you need an external downloader for that task. The encrypted video cannot be downloaded through usual downloaders, and you need a specific downloader that can let you pass the encryption and download your favorite videos.

Luckily, we have found the best external M3U8 downloader for you, StreamFab M3U8 Downloader. If you are wondering how to play M3U8 files then StreamFab is the answer.

It can let you play any number of encrypted videos in different formats to support any device and player you like. Having these videos in offline format also saves you from the difficulty of searching for them repeatedly.

Let's take a look at some of the most prominent features of this downloader. 

Major features of this M3U8 Downloader

• Detects videos automatically

StreamFab M3U8 downloader has its inbuilt browser. You can run your media file on this browser just like you can do on Chrome or Edge. 

The best part is that when you run the file on their in-built browser, the software will automatically detect and offer to download any media file for you. This saves you a lot of time and effort and makes the task of downloading your favorite videos hassle-free.

• High-resolution video in up to 2160p format

If you are looking to download videos offline, you must download them in the highest resolution possible. With this DRM M3U8 Downloader, you can download your videos in the highest resolution possible, depending upon the source. You can choose from options like 720p and 1080p and move up to 2160p.

• Multiple Format Downloading

Downloading an encrypted video directly into your device might again download the address of the media file, not the original media file for you. With StreamFab, you can choose from popular video formats like MP3, MP4, MKV, and other popular formats, which are supported by almost every device.

• Multiple Language Audio and Subtitle Download

If you are downloading an encrypted video from an OTT Platform or a video-sharing platform, then there are chances that the video is available in multiple languages. You can choose to download any language of audio file and subtitle attached and the video and stream them as per your need.

• Download Metadata for Easier Management

If you are looking to download a wide range of media files, you must download them along with their metadata. Without the metadata, you won't have any means to arrange and access them directly. 

You need to check every video individually before finding the one you want to stream. StreamFab automatically detects and downloads the metadata giving you more streaming time and less arranging time.

• Faster And Easier Download with Batch Format

When it comes to downloading multiple videos, having the feature of batch downloading can prove to be your biggest asset. 

You can select multiple videos and batch-download them simultaneously, or you can also select an entire playlist and download it in one click. You can also enjoy the feature of a speed boost and can get to download your video at a faster rate than the usual downloading speed.

Steps to save M3U8 videos offline with this StreamFab Product

step 1: Download and install this M3U8 video downloader on your PC.

Step 2: Enter the website you want to download videos from into the top address bar on the Homepage, and open it with the inbuilt browser.

Step 3: Play the video you want to download for offline viewing. As the playback starts, click on the Download button at the top-left corner of the playback screen, choose your preferred resolution at the next popup window, and then hit the Download button to start the download.

Wrap Up

The article above has discussed everything you need to know about this scripting from how to open an M3U8 file to how to play an M3U8 file online and the form of encryption and how it can be helpful and harmful to you, depending upon your usage.

We want to suggest you use the M3U8 video downloader from StreamFab if you are wondering how to download M3U8 videos. This software is filled with some of the most valuable features, as you can see in the article above.

Along with these features, it is also one of the trusted and safe-to-use software. So it can let you download all your favorite videos for all your devices, so what are you waiting for, go and give this software a try.