Frequently Asked Questions

PlayOnTV consists of two components: PlayOnTV Server and PlayOnTV Player. The Server runs on your computer and organizes your personal media files (movies, TV shows, videos) into a streaming service. The Player app lets you watch this content on your phone, tablet, Apple TV, Android TV, or computer.

PlayOnTV Player is available on:

• iOS (iPhone, iPad)
• Apple TV (tvOS)
• Android (phones, tablets, Android TV)
• Windows
• macOS

PlayOnTV Server runs on:

• Windows
• macOS
• Linux

1. Download and run PlayOnTV Server on your computer
2. Add your media folders or import M3U playlists
3. The server will display connection credentials
4. Download PlayOnTV Player on your device
5. Enter the server credentials in the Player app
6. Start streaming your content

No account is required to use PlayOnTV. The app works completely offline with your own media. If you want to use Pro features like Cloud Sync, you can optionally sign in with Google to sync your data across devices.

Yes! PlayOnTV is under active development. We're adding new features and improvements regularly. If you have feature requests or feedback, we'd love to hear from you at brillianceappsfinland@gmail.com.

PlayOnTV supports most common video formats including:

• MP4, MKV, AVI, MOV, WMV
• HLS streams (.m3u8)
• MPEG-TS streams (.ts)
• RTMP, RTSP streams

Audio codecs: AAC, MP3, AC3, DTS, FLAC, and more.

Yes! PlayOnTV supports multiple playlists. You can add content from different sources and they will be merged into a unified library. Each playlist can be enabled or disabled individually.

No. PlayOnTV is a media player and organizer only. It does not provide, host, or distribute any media content. You must supply your own legally obtained media files or playlists.

Categories are automatically created based on the folder structure or playlist metadata. In M3U playlists, categories come from the group-title attribute. You can reorder categories with drag-and-drop (Pro feature) or hide categories you don't want to see.

Yes! PlayOnTV automatically saves your watch progress for all content. When you return to a movie or episode, it will offer to resume from where you left off.

Yes! You have several options:

• Apple TV: Download PlayOnTV directly from the App Store on your Apple TV
• Android TV: Download PlayOnTV from Google Play on your Android TV
• Chromecast: Cast from your phone to Chromecast devices (Pro feature)

Yes, PlayOnTV Pro allows you to download movies and episodes for offline viewing. Downloads are available for 30 days and can be managed in the Downloads section.

Yes, PlayOnTV supports embedded subtitles in video files. You can select different subtitle tracks from the player controls during playback.

EPG shows TV schedules for live channels. If your playlist includes an EPG URL, PlayOnTV will display current and upcoming programs, allowing you to see what's on now and what's coming up.

• Chromecast: Cast content to your TV
• Cloud Sync: Sync watch progress and favorites across devices via Google Drive
• Downloads: Download content for offline viewing
• Movie & Series Info: See posters, descriptions, and ratings from TVDb
• EPG Search: Search through the program guide
• Custom Category Order: Reorder categories with drag-and-drop
• Unlimited Favorites: Save as many favorites as you want
• Ad-Free: No advertisements

Cloud Sync uses your Google Drive to store your PlayOnTV data (watch progress, favorites, settings). When you sign in with the same Google account on another device, your data syncs automatically. Your data is stored in your own Google Drive, not on our servers.

Yes! Your Pro subscription works across all platforms (iOS, Apple TV, Android, Windows, macOS). Simply sign in with the same Google account on any device and your Pro status will be recognized. Buy once, use everywhere.

Go to Settings > Subscription and tap "Restore Purchases". Make sure you're signed in with the same Apple ID or Google account that was used for the original purchase.

Common reasons streams may not play:

• Invalid URL: The stream URL may be incorrect or expired
• Network issues: Check your internet connection
• Server offline: The source server may be down
• Unsupported format: Some DRM-protected content is not supported

Try testing the connection in playlist settings, or try a different stream to isolate the issue.

Try these steps:

• Clear the image cache in Settings
• Disable playlists you're not actively using
• Restart the app
• For very large playlists (10,000+ items), performance may vary by device

Go to Settings and look for "Clear All Data" or "Reset App". This will remove all playlists, watch progress, and settings. On mobile, you can also uninstall and reinstall the app.

By default, categories appear in the order they come from your playlist. You can change the sort order using the sort button (three lines icon) on the category screen. Options include: Default (playlist order), Most Items, A-Z, and Custom (Pro feature).

Movie and series metadata (posters, descriptions, ratings) comes from TVDb. If their database doesn't have information for a particular title, the app will only display the information available from your playlist. This is common for lesser-known or regional content.

Yes. PlayOnTV stores all your data locally on your device. We don't have access to your playlists, watch history, or any personal data. If you use Cloud Sync, your data is stored in your own Google Drive account, not on our servers.

Yes! You can set up a PIN in Settings and then lock specific categories. Locked categories require the PIN to access, which is useful for parental controls or privacy.

We collect minimal, anonymous analytics to improve the app (crash reports, basic usage statistics). We do not collect any information about what content you watch or your playlist contents. See our Privacy Policy for full details.