What an EPG actually is
EPG stands for Electronic Programme Guide. Technically it is an XMLTV file — a large document listing what is scheduled on each channel over the coming days. Your player downloads it periodically and matches each entry to a channel in your playlist.
Two separate things therefore have to work: your app must fetch the file, and it must correctly match entries to channels. Most guide problems are one or the other.
Adding the EPG in each app
TiviMate
- Settings → EPG → Add EPG source.
- Paste the EPG URL from your welcome email.
- Set the update interval — every 12 hours is sensible.
- Return to the playlist settings and confirm the EPG source is selected for that playlist.
IPTV Smarters Pro
If you logged in with Xtream Codes, the EPG usually loads automatically because the credentials include it. If you used an M3U URL instead, go to Settings → EPG and add the EPG URL manually.
Smart IPTV (Samsung / LG)
Add the EPG URL alongside your playlist on the developer's registration page, keyed to your TV's MAC address. It is entered on the website, not on the television.
Kodi (PVR IPTV Simple Client)
In the add-on configuration, open the EPG Settings tab and set the XMLTV URL. Restart Kodi afterwards — it does not always pick it up live.
MAG boxes
Nothing to do. The guide is served by the portal itself. If it is missing, that is a provider-side issue rather than a setting on your box.
Fixing a blank guide
- Confirm the EPG URL is actually entered. This is the cause the overwhelming majority of the time.
- Check for a trailing space when you pasted it — invisible and fatal.
- Force a refresh. Most apps have a manual EPG update button. The first download can take several minutes.
- Wait. EPG files are large. On a slow connection the initial fetch is not instant.
- Clear the app's EPG cache and re-download if it partially loaded once and got stuck.
- Test the URL in a browser. If it downloads a file, the URL is fine and the issue is in the app.
That last step is the fastest way to split the problem in two. If the browser downloads an XML file, your subscription and URL are working correctly and the fault is entirely app-side.
Fixing wrong programme times
If the guide shows content but everything is shifted by a number of whole hours, that is a timezone offset, not corrupt data.
- Check the device's own timezone and clock settings first.
- Look for an EPG time offset or time shift setting in the app and adjust by the number of hours you are out.
- Verify daylight saving is handled — a one-hour error appearing twice a year is almost always this.
- Confirm the app is set to your local region rather than a default.
Fixing gaps on some channels
If most channels have a guide but a handful do not, the issue is channel-ID mapping. The EPG file identifies channels by an ID, and if the playlist entry uses a different ID, the app cannot match them.
TiviMate and OTT Navigator both let you manually assign an EPG source to an individual channel, which fixes it permanently for that entry. If many channels are unmapped, that is worth reporting to support — it is a provider-side mapping problem and it can be corrected centrally.
Why EPG quality tells you about your provider
Maintaining an accurate guide requires daily work: pulling schedule data, mapping it to channel IDs, correcting drift as broadcasters change. A provider with a full, correct seven-day guide is a provider still actively maintaining its service.
A guide that is blank on half the lineup, or stuck showing last week, is a strong signal that nobody is tending the service any more. It is one of the criteria in our provider checklist for exactly that reason.
Quick reference
| Symptom | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Completely blank guide | EPG URL not added | Add it in app settings |
| Times off by whole hours | Timezone offset | Set EPG time shift |
| A few channels missing data | ID mapping | Assign source manually |
| Guide stuck on old data | Cache | Clear EPG cache, refresh |
| Guide only covers today | Partial download | Force refresh, allow time |
| Most of lineup unmapped | Provider-side | Contact support |
Frequently asked questions
Why is my IPTV TV guide blank?
Almost always because the EPG URL has not been added. The playlist and the guide are two separate URLs, and many people enter only the first. Add the EPG URL from your welcome email in your app's settings and force a refresh.
What is an EPG URL?
It is a link to an XMLTV file listing what is scheduled on each channel over the coming days. Your player downloads it periodically and matches each entry to the channels in your playlist to build the on-screen guide.
Why are my EPG times wrong?
A whole-hour offset is a timezone problem, not corrupt data. Check the device clock and timezone, then look for an EPG time offset or time shift setting in your app and adjust by the number of hours you are out.
Why do some channels have no guide data?
Channel-ID mapping. The EPG file identifies channels by an ID that must match the playlist entry. Apps like TiviMate let you assign an EPG source to individual channels manually; if many are affected, report it so it can be fixed centrally.
How often should the EPG update?
Every 12 hours is a sensible interval for most setups, and daily is fine. More frequent updates rarely help because broadcasters do not change schedules that often, and each refresh downloads a large file.