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Quick stepsabout 10 min
- 1
Install UHF. Install UHF from the App Store on your iPhone, iPad or Apple TV. The developer is Short Wavelength Applications.
- 2
Add a playlist. Add a new playlist and choose Xtream for a server, username and password, or M3U8 for a playlist link. Plex, Jellyfin and Emby are also supported.
- 3
Let the guide load. Wait for channels and the TV guide to load. Add an EPG link if your M3U playlist doesn't include one.
- 4
Organise. Mark favourites, rename channels and reorder categories so the guide shows what you watch first.
UHF is the best IPTV player on Apple devices, and most of it is free. You install it from the App Store, add your Xtream login or M3U8 playlist (it also reads Plex, Jellyfin and Emby libraries), and get a fast, touch-friendly TV guide with catch-up, picture-in-picture and AirPlay or Chromecast casting. An optional PRO plan adds sync across devices and removes ads. Here's how to set it up and which features are worth using.
What's free and what's PRO
UHF's App Store description is unusually clear about this (UHF on the App Store):
| Free | PRO (optional plan) |
|---|---|
| Playback, including 4K HDR, Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos | Sync playlists, favourites and history across devices |
| Search across all playlists | No ads or watermarks |
| Touch-friendly TV guide | Unlimited guide range and programme alerts |
| Catch-up and picture-in-picture | |
| AirPlay and Chromecast casting | |
| Favourites, renaming, reordering, PIN-locked folders | |
| Recording through UHF Server | |
| Built-in VPN client (WireGuard or OpenVPN) |
Setting it up
- Install UHF from the App Store. Check the developer is Short Wavelength Applications, since similar-sounding apps exist.
- Add a playlist. Choose Xtream for a server, username and password, or M3U8 for a single link. If you're not sure which you have, see M3U vs Xtream Codes.
- Let channels and the guide load. With an M3U link, add your service's EPG link if the guide stays empty.
- On Apple TV, turn on Match Content in the Apple TV's video settings for smooth live sport; see IPTV on Apple TV.
Features worth using
Search across everything
UHF searches live channels, films and series across all your playlists at once, colour-coded by source. Faster than scrolling a big guide.
Catch-up
If your service supports catch-up, you can jump back in the guide and play programmes that already aired. What catch-up is and how long it lasts is explained in IPTV catch-up explained.
Casting
AirPlay to an Apple TV or AirPlay TV, or Chromecast to a Google TV device, both free.
Tidy your library
Mark favourites, rename channels, reorder categories, and lock folders behind a PIN, which is useful for keeping unsuitable groups away from children. More on that in IPTV parental controls.
Automatic reconnect
UHF says it handles common playback errors and reconnects on its own when your connection stutters, rather than making you reload.
Recording with UHF Server
Apple devices can't record to a USB drive, so UHF takes a different route: a free companion app called UHF Server that runs on a Mac, Windows or Linux computer on your home network. You schedule recordings from your phone, the computer does the recording, and you watch them in UHF. The computer needs to be on at recording time, and each recording uses one of your service's connections.
About the built-in VPN
UHF can connect to major VPN providers via WireGuard or OpenVPN from inside the app. That's convenient if you already use a VPN, but remember what a VPN does and doesn't do. It won't make an unlicensed service legal, and licensed services often block VPNs. See Do you need a VPN for IPTV?
Common mistakes to avoid
- Installing a lookalike app instead of UHF by Short Wavelength Applications.
- Leaving Match Content off on Apple TV, which makes sport judder.
- Expecting recording without running UHF Server on a home computer.
Is PRO worth it?
If you watch on more than one Apple device, yes: sync saves re-doing favourites and settings everywhere, and removing ads and watermarks makes daily viewing nicer. If you watch on one device and don't mind the ads, the free version does everything important.
Weighing UHF against its main rival? See UHF vs IPTVX, and the best IPTV player for Apple TV for the wider picture.
Frequently asked questions
- Is UHF free?
- Yes. Playback, the guide, catch-up, search, casting, favourites and recording through UHF Server are free. An optional PRO plan adds multi-device sync, removes ads and watermarks, and unlocks an unlimited guide and alerts.
- Does UHF work on Apple TV?
- Yes. UHF runs on Apple TV, iPhone and iPad, and on Apple Silicon Macs as an iPad app.
- Can UHF record live TV?
- Yes, through UHF Server, a free companion app you run on a Mac, Windows or Linux computer on your home network. You schedule recordings from your phone.
- Does UHF come with channels?
- No. UHF only plays playlists you add. Its App Store notice says it's designed for content users source legally and that it may suspend accounts over copyright complaints.
- Is UHF available on Android?
- No. UHF is an Apple app for iPhone, iPad, Apple TV and Apple Silicon Macs.
- Does UHF support Xtream Codes?
- Yes, along with M3U8 playlists and Plex, Jellyfin and Emby libraries.
- Does UHF have catch-up?
- Yes, for services that offer it.
- Can UHF play my Plex library?
- Yes. UHF reads Plex, Jellyfin and Emby libraries alongside IPTV playlists, according to its App Store description.
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