What Is an EPG? How to Use the IPTV TV Guide

With thousands of live channels, scrolling through a list is a slow way to find anything. The programme guide, or EPG, is what turns a huge channel list into something you can use. Once you know how to browse, search and save favourites, finding tonight’s match or movie takes seconds. This guide covers all of it, plus what to do when the guide looks wrong.

What the guide shows

Each channel has a row, and each programme is a box showing its title and its start and finish time. You can scroll sideways through the day, jump to now, and move up and down through the channels. Many players also show a short description, the year of a movie or the number of an episode.

Five ways to use it well

1. Browse by category. Open sport, news, movies or kids and see only those channels.
2. Search by name. Type a team, a show or a movie into the search box. It is the quickest route to a particular match.
3. Save favourites. Mark the channels you watch most, and show only your favourites. In a big household, make a list for each person.
4. Look ahead. Scroll forward to plan tonight’s viewing, or check what is on after the news.
5. Use groups. Many players let you group channels by country or type, so that Australian channels and sport sit together.

Time zones and the guide

The guide shows times in your device’s time zone. If a match is announced in east coast time, convert it to your own. Make sure the time and time zone on your device are set automatically, because a wrong clock shifts the whole guide. Our sport guide has a table showing a 7:30 pm Sydney start in every capital city.

Why guides differ between players

Each player builds its own guide screen. Some show a grid, some a list, and some let you group channels. The information behind it is the same, so if one player’s guide is awkward, another may suit you better. Our player table lists the options for each device, and the device guide explains what each one runs.

Where the guide data comes from

With an Xtream Codes login, the guide arrives with the login, so it normally matches your channels. With some M3U links, the guide has to be added separately and may miss a few channels. That is one more reason Xtream Codes is usually the better choice when your player supports it.

When the guide does not match what is playing

• Refresh the guide in your player’s settings.
• Check that your device has the right time zone and sets the time automatically.
• Remember that live sport can start late or run over, and guide data can lag behind a late schedule change.
• If one channel has no guide at all, tell us its name so that we can check it.

Guide not loading at all?

Restart the player, check your internet, and update the app. If the guide is still empty, clear the player’s cache, and then open it again. If that does not help, message us on WhatsApp with your device and the name of the player. For problems with the picture, see ten buffering fixes.

What is included on the guide

The guide covers the live channels in your plan, and many players also show movies and series in a separate on-demand section. See what is included in every plan on the channels page, and the full list of questions on the FAQ.

A five-minute guide setup routine

Set the guide up once, and it stays useful for months. Here is a short routine for a new player.

1. Check the clock. On your device, set the time and the time zone to automatic.
2. Refresh the guide. Open the player’s settings and refresh the guide data once, then leave it a minute.
3. Hide what you never watch. Many players let you hide categories. Hide the countries and languages you do not need.
4. Make favourites. Star the ten or fifteen channels you use most, and add sport and news.
5. Pin sport. Put your sport channels at the top of the favourites list so they are one press away.
6. Find the on-demand section. Movies and series usually sit outside the live guide. Find them once, and bookmark them if the player allows.

With that done, finding tonight’s match takes a few seconds. If a guide is awkward in your player, a different player may be better, so check our player table and the sport guide for time zones.

Questions people ask

Does every channel have a guide?

Most do, but not all. If a channel has no guide at all, tell us its name.

Can I search the guide?

Most players have a search box. Type the name of a team, a show or a movie.

Can I watch something that already aired?

That depends on the player and on the channel. Ask us which player suits you if this matters.

Why is the guide an hour out?

Usually the time zone or daylight saving setting on your device. Set the time automatically and refresh the guide.

Can I make a list of favourite channels?

Yes. Most players let you star channels and show only your favourites.

Does the guide show movies on demand?

Movies and series usually appear in a separate on-demand section of the player, not in the live guide.