How to Add EPG on IPTV Manually: Complete Guide (2026 Guide)

If your IPTV playlist works but the TV guide shows “No Information”, you may need to add an EPG manually. EPG stands for Electronic Program Guide. It provides program names, schedules, descriptions, start times, and other TV guide information to your IPTV player.

The easiest method is to add an XMLTV EPG URL supplied by your IPTV provider. This guide explains how to add EPG on IPTV manually on popular IPTV players such as TiviMate and other popular ones, how to match channels, and what to do when the guide remains empty.

What Is an EPG?

An Electronic Program Guide (EPG) is a digital TV schedule that tells your IPTV player what is currently airing and what is coming next.

EPG data is normally delivered separately from the video stream through an XMLTV file or URL. Your IPTV player reads this data and displays it as a familiar TV guide.

An EPG can show:

• Current and upcoming programs
• Program start and end times
• Show or movie descriptions
• Channel names
• Sports event schedules
• Program categories
• Several days of upcoming programming, depending on the source

Without matching EPG data, your channels may still play normally while the guide remains blank.

What You Need Before Adding an EPG Manually

Before starting, make sure you have these three things:

1. An IPTV playlist such as an M3U playlist already added to your player.
2. A working EPG URL in XMLTV format.
3. An IPTV player that supports external EPG sources, such as TiviMate or IPTV Smarters Pro.

Your IPTV provider may give the EPG URL in the same account area or setup information as your M3U playlist. Some services using Xtream Codes API may provide EPG data automatically, so manual configuration may not be necessary.

How to Add EPG Manually in TiviMate

TiviMate is one of the most common IPTV players for Android TV and Fire TV devices. If your provider gives you an M3U playlist and a separate XMLTV URL, you can add the EPG manually.

Step 1: Open TiviMate

Launch TiviMate on your Android TV, Fire TV Stick, Android device, or compatible streaming device.

Make sure your IPTV playlist has already been added.

Step 2: Open Settings

From the TiviMate home screen, open the Settings menu.

Depending on your version, EPG settings may appear under your playlist settings or the dedicated EPG section.

Step 3: Select Your Playlist

Open Playlists and select the IPTV playlist you want to configure.

Look for the EPG or EPG Sources option.

Step 4: Add an EPG Source

Select Add EPG Source or the equivalent option available in your TiviMate version.

Enter the complete XMLTV URL provided by your IPTV service.

Be careful when entering the address. A missing character, extra space, or incorrect URL can prevent the guide from loading.

Step 5: Save the EPG URL

Save the source after entering the URL.

Give it a recognizable name if TiviMate asks you to name the EPG source, such as your IPTV provider’s name.

Step 6: Update the EPG

Return to the EPG settings and select the option to Update EPG.

The player will download the program guide data. Depending on the size of the XMLTV file and your connection, the process can take from several seconds to a few minutes.

Step 7: Check the TV Guide

Return to your live TV channels and open the TV Guide.

If the EPG source matches your playlist correctly, you should see program information next to the relevant channels.

How to Add EPG Manually to IPTV Smarters Pro

The exact menu names can vary between versions, but the general process is similar.

1. Open IPTV Smarters Pro.
2. Go to Settings.
3. Open the EPG section.
4. Select the option to add an external EPG source.
5. Paste your XMLTV EPG URL.
6. Save the source.
7. Update or refresh the EPG.
8. Open the TV guide to check the results.

The important part is having an EPG source that contains matching data for your channels.

Where Can You Get an EPG URL?

The best place to get an EPG URL is usually your IPTV provider.

Ask the provider for its:

XMLTV EPG URL

or

EPG URL for your M3U playlist

A provider-supplied EPG is generally easier to configure because it is designed to match that provider’s channel list.

You can also find public XMLTV sources, but compatibility can vary. A public EPG may contain data for a channel with a different channel ID from the one used by your IPTV playlist.

Why Does My EPG Show “No Information”?

The most common reason is a channel ID mismatch.

Your M3U playlist may contain information such as:

tvg-id

The XMLTV file also uses channel IDs.

For the guide to populate correctly, the identifiers need to correspond. If the playlist uses one ID while the XMLTV source uses another, the IPTV player may not know which program data belongs to that channel.

Other common causes include:

• Incorrect EPG URL
• Expired EPG source
• Provider server problems
• EPG data does not cover the channel
• Incorrect channel mapping
• Wrong device time zone
• EPG has not finished updating
• Outdated playlist or guide data

How to Fix a Blank EPG

If you added an EPG manually but the guide is still empty, work through these fixes.

1. Check the EPG URL

Make sure the URL is copied exactly as provided by your IPTV service.

Some XMLTV sources use compressed files such as .xml.gz, while others use a standard XML file. Both formats may be supported depending on the IPTV player and source.

2. Refresh the EPG

Force an EPG update from your player’s settings.

Give the application enough time to download and process the guide before checking again.

3. Check Your Time Zone

If programs appear at the wrong time, check your device’s time zone.

TiviMate and similar IPTV players may also provide time offset or time shift settings that can help correct guide timing.

4. Check Channel Matching

If some channels have EPG information while others show “No Information,” the problem is often channel mapping rather than the entire EPG source.

Check whether the tvg-id in your M3U playlist corresponds to the channel ID in your XMLTV source.

5. Try Your Provider’s EPG

If you are using a public EPG source, switch back to the EPG URL supplied by your IPTV provider.

A provider’s own guide is more likely to match its playlist.

Can You Add Multiple EPG Sources?

Some IPTV players support multiple EPG sources.

This can be useful when one source covers certain channels while another covers channels missing from the first guide. TiviMate can use additional EPG sources in supported configurations.

However, adding many EPG sources does not automatically make the guide better. Even if the channel IDs match, you may still have missing or incorrect program information.

For most users, one reliable and correctly matched EPG source is the better starting point.

EPG URL vs M3U URL: What Is the Difference?

These two URLs serve different purposes.

Think of it this way:

M3U = channels

EPG = program schedule

You can have a working M3U playlist without having a working EPG.

What Is the Best EPG Setup?

For most IPTV users, the simplest setup is:

IPTV provider → M3U or Xtream Codes → compatible IPTV player → matching EPG

If your provider supports Xtream Codes API and includes EPG data, the guide may load automatically. If you are using a standalone M3U playlist, you may need to add the XMLTV source manually.

FAQs on How to Add EPG on IPTV