What is Xtream Codes?
Three fields — server, username, password — that turn a flat channel list into a library with posters, seasons and a programme guide.
A panel, then an API
Providers manage their subscriptions with panel software. Xtream Codes was the best known; the original company was shut down in 2019, but its interface lived on and today's panels — XUI.one and its relatives — still speak it. That is why “Xtream Codes” now describes a format rather than a company.
The format is an API: instead of downloading one enormous file, your player asks precise questions over a normal web address.
What your player asks
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Are these credentials valid? | yes/no, plus the expiry date and the number of allowed connections |
| What live categories exist? | the list, without a single channel yet |
| What is in category 12? | only those channels, instantly |
| Tell me about this film | poster, plot, year, rating, duration |
| Tell me about this series | seasons, episodes, thumbnails, summaries |
| What is on this channel now? | the current and next programme |
Two consequences you feel immediately: the app opens in a second because it loads only what is on screen, and films arrive as a wall of posters instead of a column of titles.
Finding your credentials
You almost certainly already have them. Look at the link your provider sent:
http://server.com:8080/get.php?username=abc123&password=xyz789&type=m3u_plus
- Server — everything before
/get.php, port included - Username — after
username= - Password — after
password=, up to the next&
Enter those three in the Xtream section of your player rather than pasting the link. Aquar Player recognises the pattern on its own: paste such a link and it switches to the API for you.
Errors that mean something
| What you see | What it means |
|---|---|
| Wrong server, username or password | a space copied with the password, http:// or the port missing, or the line expired |
| Connects, but nothing plays | the device limit is in use elsewhere |
| Live works, films do not | your package has no video on demand |
| Cannot reach the server | the address is wrong, or your internet provider blocks it |
A well-made player shows your line's expiry date and connection count: two numbers that explain most problems before you start guessing.
Is it safe to hand over those details?
They are the keys to your subscription, so treat them like a password. Two habits worth keeping:
- Only enter them in a player you chose yourself, not in a random web form promising to “test your line”.
- Prefer a player that stores them for your devices and never proxies your video — the app should talk directly to your provider. Aquar Player keeps only the address of your playlist so your TV can load it; no video ever passes through our servers, as the privacy policy sets out.
When you cannot use it
A few providers expose only an M3U link, and free public playlists have no panel behind them at all. A player worth its name should read both — but when the API is available, use it.