Short answer: an 'Xtream Codes' login is three details from your IPTV provider: a server address (including a port number), a username and a password. Compatible players use them to ask the provider's server for channels, guide data and on-demand content piece by piece. The name comes from a panel-software company raided in 2019, which no longer exists; the login format outlived it and became an unofficial standard. The catch: it only works in players that support it, and a missing port number or http/https mix-up causes most failed logins.
At a glance
Xtream login in brief
| Three fields | Server URL with port, username, password |
| Example server | http://provider.example:8080 |
| Works in | TiviMate, UHF, IPTVX, most dedicated players |
| Doesn't work in | VLC, Kodi's IPTV Simple Client (use M3U) |
| Common failure | Missing port or http vs https |
| Where the name comes from | Panel software shut down in 2019 |
The three fields, one by one
| Field | Looks like | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Server / URL / Host | http://provider.example:8080 | The port after the colon; http vs https; no trailing path |
| Username | A random string, often not an email | Case-sensitive; no stray spaces |
| Password | Another random string | Case-sensitive; copy and paste where possible |
The port matters. The number after the colon (8080, 80, 25461 and so on) tells the app which door on the server to knock on. Leave it out and the app knocks on the wrong one. If the provider's address has no port, don't add one.
Only the base address goes in the server field. If you've been given something ending in /get.php?username=..., that's an M3U link, not a server address. Everything from the slash onwards belongs elsewhere.
Some apps split the address. A few players ask for the host and port in separate boxes. Put the address without the colon in the first and the number in the second.
What happens when you log in
An Xtream login isn't a single file like an M3U playlist. It's a set of requests to a standard interface on the provider's server.
First, the account check. The app asks the server's player API to confirm the username and password and returns account details: status, expiry date and how many connections you're allowed at once.
Then the catalogue. The app requests categories, then the channels, films and series within them, as you browse.
Then the guide. Programme listings are requested from the same server, so there's usually no separate guide address to enter.
Then the streams. When you pick a channel, the app builds its stream address from the server, your credentials and the channel's ID.
Because the app asks only for what it needs, large catalogues load faster than a giant M3U file, and apps can show account information that a playlist can't.
Xtream login vs M3U link
| Xtream login | M3U link | |
|---|---|---|
| What you enter | Three fields | One web address |
| How it loads | On demand, category by category | Whole list at once |
| Programme guide | Usually included automatically | Often a separate XMLTV address |
| Account info shown | Expiry, connection limit | None |
| Film and series library | Structured, with artwork | Flat list, if included at all |
| Player support | Dedicated IPTV players | Almost every player, including VLC and Kodi |
Many providers can give you both for the same account. If your app accepts Xtream logins, that's generally the better experience; if you're using VLC or Kodi's IPTV Simple Client, ask for the M3U version. Our M3U playlist explainer covers the other format.
Where the name comes from
Xtream Codes was originally a company selling panel software: the back-office system IPTV operators used to manage servers, channels and customer accounts. Its player API became the interface that apps talked to.
In September 2019, Italy's Guardia di Finanza, working with Eurojust and Europol, raided the operation across several countries. More than 200 servers were taken offline and the company's services stopped. Prosecutors alleged its software underpinned a huge volume of unlicensed IPTV.
In 2022, Italian courts, up to the Supreme Court of Cassation, found no case against the company itself, and seized assets were ordered to be returned.
By then, other panel software had adopted the same API so existing apps would keep working. That's why players still say 'Xtream Codes': it now describes a login format, supplied by unrelated successor systems, not a service from the original firm.
What that means for you: the words 'Xtream Codes' on a login screen say nothing about who your provider is or whether it's licensed. They only describe how the app and server talk to each other.
Entering a login in common players
TiviMate (Android TV, Google TV): Add playlist → Xtream Codes login → enter server, username, password → Next. See our TiviMate setup guide.
UHF, IPTVX and similar (iPhone, iPad, Apple TV): add a new source or playlist and choose the Xtream option; the three fields follow.
Kodi: the official IPTV Simple Client reads M3U, not Xtream logins. Ask your provider for the M3U equivalent.
VLC: no Xtream support at all; use an M3U link.
Where an app offers a name field, it's just a label for your own reference and can be anything.
Login errors and fixes
| Message or symptom | Most likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| 'Invalid credentials' / 'Auth failed' | Typo, wrong case, trailing space | Paste the values; check capitals |
| 'Server unreachable' / timeout | Missing or wrong port, or http vs https | Copy the server exactly as supplied |
| Logs in, no channels | Account inactive or package empty | Check the account with your provider |
| Channels list, won't play | Connection limit reached | Close the app on other devices |
| Worked yesterday, fails today | Provider changed server address | Ask for current details |
If a login works in one app but not another, the server field is almost always the culprit: one app may be adding or dropping the port or the http:// prefix automatically.
One login, several devices
Credentials aren't tied to a device. Unlike MAC-based portal logins, an Xtream login can be typed into any compatible app on any device: the TV box in the lounge, a phone, a tablet.
The connection limit is what counts. Your plan allows a set number of simultaneous streams, often one or two. The account screen in most players shows it as 'max connections' alongside how many are active.
Idle apps can hold a connection. A player left paused on a channel may still count. If you see 'too many connections', stop playback on other devices and wait a minute before retrying.
Expiry is visible. The same account screen shows when the subscription ends, which is useful for spotting a lapsed account before assuming the app is broken.
Our multiple connections guide covers how providers count streams.
Keeping your login safe
Your Xtream details are effectively a key to a paid account, and they appear in plain text inside stream addresses.
Don't share screenshots of the login screen or post playlist links online, even in help forums.
Be careful which apps you enter it into. After popular players were removed from app stores in 2026, lookalike apps appeared. Check the developer before typing credentials into anything new.
Change the password if you suspect misuse, such as unexpected 'too many connections' errors. Most providers let you do this from an account page.
Use licensed providers. The login format is neutral and used by legitimate services, but unlicensed sellers use it too. Our subscription guide explains how to tell them apart.
Quick answers
What is an Xtream Codes login? A server address with port, a username and a password from your IPTV provider. Compatible players use them to request channels, guide data and on-demand content from the provider's server.
What do I put in the server URL field? The base address exactly as supplied, including http:// or https:// and the port number after the colon, such as http://provider.example:8080. Nothing after it.
Is Xtream Codes still a company? No. The original panel-software company stopped operating after a 2019 raid led by Italian authorities, and Italian courts later cleared it. Other software now uses the same login format.
Is an Xtream login better than an M3U link? In players that support it, usually yes: it loads faster with large catalogues, includes the guide and shows account details. M3U links work in more players.
Can I use an Xtream login in VLC or Kodi? Not directly. VLC and Kodi's IPTV Simple Client read M3U playlists. Ask your provider for the M3U version of the same account.
Why does my Xtream login say the server is unreachable? Usually the port number is missing or wrong, or http and https are mixed up. Copy the server address exactly as your provider supplied it.
Is using an Xtream Codes login legal? The login format is legal and used by licensed services. Legality depends on the provider and content behind the login.
Successor panel software and player apps occasionally change how Xtream-style logins are handled, and app menus vary between versions. Checked September 2026.