How to Create an M3U Playlist
Short answer: You can create an M3U playlist by creating a plain text file with the .m3u extension. Each line contains the path to a video file. Vista Player can open and play M3U and M3U8 playlist files, playing all listed videos in sequence.
What is an M3U Playlist?
An M3U file is a plain text playlist that contains a list of media file paths. When opened in a media player like Vista Player, all listed files are loaded and played in sequence. M3U8 is the UTF-8 encoded version of the same format.
Basic M3U Format
A simple M3U file looks like this:
#EXTM3U
/Users/username/Movies/episode01.mkv
/Users/username/Movies/episode02.mkv
/Users/username/Movies/episode03.mkv
The first line #EXTM3U identifies the file as an M3U playlist.
Each subsequent line contains the full path to a video file.
How to Create an M3U Playlist
Step 1: Open a text editor
Open any plain text editor on your Mac (such as TextEdit in plain text mode).
Step 2: Add the M3U header
Start the file with:
#EXTM3UStep 3: List your video files
Add one file path per line. You can use:
- Absolute paths — Full paths like
/Users/username/Movies/movie.mkv - Relative paths — Paths relative to the M3U file location
Step 4: Save with .m3u extension
Save the file with a .m3u extension (or .m3u8 for
UTF-8 encoding). For example: my-playlist.m3u
Step 5: Open in Vista Player
Open the M3U file in Vista Player using File → Open or drag and drop. Vista Player will load all listed videos and play them in sequence.
Extended M3U with Metadata
You can add metadata to each entry using the #EXTINF directive:
#EXTM3U
#EXTINF:-1,Episode 1 - Pilot
/Users/username/Movies/episode01.mkv
#EXTINF:-1,Episode 2 - The Beginning
/Users/username/Movies/episode02.mkv
The #EXTINF line format is: #EXTINF:duration,title
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I create an M3U playlist on Mac?
You can create an M3U playlist on Mac by creating a plain text file with the .m3u extension that lists the paths to your video files, one per line. Vista Player can then open and play this playlist.
What is the M3U file format?
M3U is a plain text playlist format. Each line contains the path to a media file. The file starts with #EXTM3U and can include optional metadata lines starting with #EXTINF.
Does Vista Player support M3U8?
Yes. Vista Player supports both M3U and M3U8 (UTF-8 encoded M3U) playlist formats.
Can I create playlists within Vista Player?
You can open and play M3U playlists in Vista Player. To create a playlist file, use a text editor or the method described in this guide.