IPTV EPG Not Updating: Troubleshooting Guide

When the program guide goes wrong, it usually does so in one of three ways. Find yours, then follow the steps.

Symptom	Section
The whole guide is empty	The guide is empty
Guide shows but stops after a day or two, or is stale	The guide is out of date
Some channels say "no information"	Some channels have no data
Programmes are shifted by an hour or more	Times are wrong

Background on how guide data works: what is an EPG.

The guide is empty

1. Force an update. In the player's EPG settings, choose Update, Refresh or Reload EPG, then wait a couple of minutes.
2. Check the source:
   • Xtream Codes: the guide normally comes automatically; make sure EPG is enabled in the player's settings.
   • M3U: confirm an EPG URL has been added and is linked to the right playlist. See setting up the program guide.
3. Re-copy the EPG URL. A cut-off or mistyped URL fails silently in some players.
4. Check the device date and time. If the clock is wrong, the player may think every programme is in the past or future.
5. Free up storage. Guide data can be large; low-storage devices may fail to save it.
6. Clear the player's cache, then update again.

The guide is out of date

Guide data covers a limited window of days and must be refreshed.

• Set update frequency to daily or on start-up
• Open the player at least once a day if it only updates while running
• Clear the cache if old data seems "stuck"
• Remove and re-add the EPG source

Some channels have no data

The player pairs channels to guide entries by ID. "No information" means no match was found.

• Match manually: long-press the channel → Edit EPG / Match EPG → pick the correct guide entry (if your player supports it)
• Refresh the playlist and guide together — IDs sometimes change
• Some channels may simply not have guide data available

Times are wrong

1. Set the device clock to automatic with the correct time zone.
2. In the player, adjust the EPG time offset (sometimes "time shift") by whole hours until a programme you know lines up.
3. If times drift by an hour at certain times of year, check daylight-saving settings on the device.

Player-specific tips

• If one player's guide never works but another's does with the same details, the issue is the first player's EPG handling.
• Players that support Xtream Codes usually handle guide data more reliably than plain M3U setups. See our M3U and Xtream Codes comparison.

Still not working?

IPTV Apollo customers can contact support and tell us: your player, whether you use Xtream Codes or M3U, which channels are affected, and what the guide shows.