What is HLS Streaming?
HLS (HTTP Live Streaming) is a streaming protocol created by Apple in 2009 that splits video into short segments and lists them in an .m3u8 playlist file.
Updated
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Definition
HLS Streaming — HLS (HTTP Live Streaming) is a streaming protocol created by Apple in 2009 that splits video into short segments and lists them in an .m3u8 playlist file. Players download the segments one by one over ordinary web connections and can switch between quality levels as network speed changes, a technique called adaptive bitrate streaming.
How HLS works, step by step
- The video is encoded at several qualities, for example 360p, 720p and 1080p.
- Each version is cut into short segments, typically a few seconds long, stored as .ts or fragmented MP4 files.
- A media playlist (.m3u8) lists the segments of each version in order.
- A master playlist lists the available versions with their resolution and bitrate.
- The player reads the master playlist, picks a version that suits the connection, and keeps switching up or down as conditions change.
Why HLS is so widely used
- It runs over normal HTTP, so it works with standard web servers and content delivery networks.
- It is supported natively on iPhone, iPad, Mac and Safari, and in other browsers through JavaScript players.
- It handles live events: the playlist keeps growing as new segments are published.
Many live-streaming platforms, news sites and video players use HLS. It was later published as an informational IETF document, RFC 8216.
HLS vs MPEG-DASH
MPEG-DASH follows the same idea of segments plus a manifest, but it is an international standard and is codec-agnostic. Many services offer both: HLS for Apple devices and DASH elsewhere.
Why HLS matters when downloading videos
An HLS video is not one file sitting on a server; it is a playlist pointing to hundreds of small pieces. That is why right-clicking an HLS player often gives you nothing useful. A downloader has to:
- Read the master playlist and choose the quality you asked for
- Fetch every segment in order
- Join the pieces and package them into a normal MP4 through muxing
SaveVidr does this automatically: paste the page link on the home page and choose a format. Some HLS streams are protected with DRM (Apple's FairPlay, for example). Those are encrypted on purpose, and SaveVidr cannot and will not download them. Please save only streams you are allowed to keep.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What is an .m3u8 file?
An .m3u8 file is a text playlist used by HLS that lists video segments or the available quality versions of a stream.
Can HLS videos be downloaded?
Unprotected HLS streams can be saved by fetching and joining their segments, but DRM-protected streams are encrypted and cannot be downloaded legitimately.