How to Set Up IPTV on Google TV

Google TV devices — including Chromecast with Google TV, the Google TV Streamer and many smart TVs — run the same apps as Android TV but organise menus differently. This guide uses Google TV's menu names. If you're not sure your device qualifies, start with the checklist below.

You'll need: your Google TV device set up and online, the remote, and your access details.

Before you start: check your device

Google TV is built on Android TV, so it uses the same Google Play apps, the same kinds of IPTV players and the same access methods — M3U playlists or Xtream Codes logins. What differs is the interface (installed apps live under the Apps tab or in Your apps on the home screen) and the menu names, so instructions written for Android TV may point to slightly different menus. For Android TV menus, see how to set up IPTV on Android TV.

• Streaming dongles are convenient but may have limited storage. Large player caches and many installed apps fill them quickly.
• Streamer boxes and smart TVs usually have more storage and processing power, and many have Ethernet ports — use them where you can.
• Codecs and 4K: many Google TV devices support modern codecs and 4K. If a particular format stutters, see Step 7.

Compatibility checklist:

• My device runs Google TV (or Android TV) with Google Play
• I've found a TV-friendly IPTV player
• I have enough free storage on the device
• I'm on Ethernet or strong 5 GHz Wi-Fi

Step 1: Update the system

Go to Settings → System → About → System update and install any updates. Then open Google Play (via the Apps tab or search) and update your apps.

Step 2: Check free storage

Compact dongles can run short of space. Go to Settings → System → Storage to see what's available, and uninstall unused apps if it's tight. Clearing the player's cache occasionally also helps.

Step 3: Install a player

1. Go to the Apps tab or use Search / voice search.
2. Search for an IPTV player that supports your access method and is designed for TV.
3. Choose Install, then Open.

Prefer Google Play. If you need an app from elsewhere, you'll first need developer mode (Settings → System → About, select Android TV OS build several times) and to allow a specific trusted installer under Settings → Apps → Security & restrictions → Unknown sources. Read how to install IPTV apps before doing this.

Step 4: Enter your subscription details

In the player, choose Add playlist, Add account or Login:

• Xtream Codes: server URL, username and password — see how to configure Xtream Codes
• M3U: full playlist URL — see how to add an M3U playlist

Tip: the Google TV app on your phone can act as a keyboard for your TV, which makes entering URLs far quicker.

Step 5: Set up the guide

If the guide doesn't appear automatically, add your EPG URL in the player's settings and refresh it. See the TV guide setup steps.

Step 6: Pin the player to your home screen

On the home screen, scroll to Your apps, highlight the player, long-press Select, and choose Move to bring it to the front.

Step 7: Tune and test

• Start with hardware decoding; switch to software, or try a different stream format, if a stream misbehaves. See how to configure an IPTV player.
• Test several channels and an on-demand title.
• Set up favourites: organizing channels and favorites.

Kids profiles

Google TV offers kids profiles and app restrictions at the system level, and many IPTV players add their own PIN locks for categories. Set up both if children will use the device.

Troubleshooting

• Buffering on a dongle: dongles use Wi-Fi by default, so try an Ethernet adapter designed for the device or 5 GHz Wi-Fi close to the router, and see the buffering guide — it also covers buffering that only happens in the evening
• Login errors: see our login troubleshooting guide
• Guide not updating: see EPG not updating

IPTV Apollo customers can contact support with details of their device and player. Other platforms are covered on the devices hub.