Frequently asked questions
Getting started
Does AAAstreamz come with channels?
No. AAAstreamz is a player. You need your own IPTV subscription from a provider, who gives you either an Xtream Codes login (server, username and password) or an M3U playlist link. You're responsible for choosing a legitimate provider.
Is it free?
Yes. There are no ads and no subscription. If you enjoy it, you can leave a tip on Ko-fi, but that's entirely optional.
Which devices does it work on?
Android-based TV devices running Android 7.0 or newer: Amazon Fire TV (Stick, Cube), Google TV, Android TV (onn, Nvidia Shield, and TVs from brands like Philips, TCL, Hisense and Sony), plus Android phones and tablets.
Is there an iPhone or Apple TV version?
An iPhone version is being tested and isn't available yet. There are no plans for Apple TV right now.
Installing and updating
How do I install it?
With the free Downloader app on your TV and the code 4827015. The step-by-step guide takes about five minutes, and you only do it once.
It says "App not installed". What do I do?
Use the Downloader code 4827015, not a separate 64-bit download. That version installs on every TV box, including many TVs that run 32-bit Android on a 64-bit chip (common on Philips, TCL and Hisense). Also check you have enough free storage.
I can't type the server address with my remote
Use your phone instead: on a TV, the login screen shows a QR code. Scan it, type your login on the phone and tap Connect. The TV logs in by itself. If you're on an older version, update first with the Downloader code 4827015. See Log in from your phone.
Android or Play Protect warns me. Is it safe?
The warning appears because AAAstreamz isn't installed from the Play Store, not because anything is wrong with it. Choose More details › Install anyway. The app is signed, and every update comes from the same place. See the privacy policy for exactly what it sends and where.
How do updates work?
When a new version comes out, the app shows an Update available pop-up when it starts. Press Update and it installs itself. Your login, favorites and settings are kept. If an older version won't update itself, install over it with the Downloader code 4827015. Everything is kept. You can also check yourself in Settings › About › Check for updates. See What's new for every version's changes.
After updating, my home screen shows the old picture, a blank tile, or no AAAstreamz tile at all
Some launchers, Projectivy Launcher in particular, keep their own saved copy of each app's picture and don't refresh it when the app updates. The app itself is up to date. To fix it: open Settings › Apps › Projectivy Launcher, choose Clear cache (not "Clear data", which would erase your launcher layout), then restart your TV box. The new picture shows up after the restart. If the tile is gone completely, add AAAstreamz back to your launcher's app row after the restart.
On a Fire TV (Stick or Cube), a blank tile usually fixes itself when you restart the device: Settings › My Fire TV › Restart.
Your data
Where are my login details stored?
Only on your TV box. They're sent to your IPTV provider and nowhere else. Problem reports and crash reports never include your username or password.
Can I use more than one provider?
Yes. Add each one in Settings › Playlists › + Add playlist and switch from the playlist button at the top of the screen. Each keeps its own favorites and folders. See Playlists.
Can I make my own channel groups?
Yes, with My folders. Hold OK on a channel, choose 📁 Add to folder…, and pick a folder or make a new one, like Sport, News or Kids. Each folder gets its own button next to Favorites, and a channel can be in more than one. See My folders.
How do I move everything to a new TV box?
Save a backup with your phone, then restore it on the new box. On the new box's login screen, choose Moving from another TV? Restore a backup. Your playlists, settings, favorites and folders come across and you don't retype anything. See Backup & restore.
What happens if I uninstall?
Everything the app stored on that box is deleted: logins, favorites, settings and recordings. Save a backup first if you want to keep them.
Watching
Channels or movies buffer, or movies take a long time to start
Run Settings › Speed test. It checks your home internet and your provider separately. If your internet is fast but the provider is slow, the problem is on the provider's end. Some internet providers also slow down these servers: if things play smoothly on a VPN, that's what's happening. For live channels, run Settings › Playback › Find the best settings for this TV: it tries the options on your box and suggests the ones that work best. See Find the best settings.
Which playback settings should I use?
Let the app work it out: Settings › Playback › Find the best settings for this TV › Run the test. It plays the last channel you watched for about 2 minutes and suggests the decoder, stream format and buffer size that work best on your TV. Nothing changes until you apply it. Stream format and buffer size are saved for each playlist, so run it once on each provider.
The picture froze, or it says "Reconnecting…"
Since version 1.10 the app reconnects a dropped or frozen live channel by itself, usually within a few seconds. You don't need to change channel and back. If it says the channel isn't loading, that channel is down at the provider. If it happens often on every channel, run Settings › Speed test. Also make sure no other devices on your account are watching at the same time, because most accounts allow only 1 or 2 streams at once.
A channel or movie won't play at all
Try another one. Providers sometimes have dead links, and that's outside the app's control. If nothing plays, check your subscription is active with your provider.
There's sound but the picture is black
Go to Settings › Playback › Decoding and choose Software. Some devices' hardware decoders have trouble with certain streams.
Can it tell me when my team is playing?
Yes. Add your teams in Settings › Follow my teams. A pop-up appears a few minutes before their game starts, with one press to watch it. It also finds games in channel names when the guide doesn't list them, can put every game on now into Multi-View, and can record them. See Follow my teams.
A channel keeps switching to a different version of itself
That's the backup feed feature: when a channel stops working, the app moves to another copy of it from your list (like ESPN HD to ESPN SD) instead of leaving you on "Reconnecting…". To turn it off, go to Settings › Playback › Switch to a backup feed › Off.
The TV guide is empty or at the wrong times
Try Settings › Data › Refresh EPG. If shows are listed at the wrong time, use Settings › Interface › Guide time shift. Some providers don't supply guide data for every channel.
Can I record?
Yes, it's a full DVR. Hold OK on a live channel and choose Record for what's on now, or hold OK on a show in the Guide to record it later, or to record every episode. Scheduled recordings start by themselves, even with the app closed. Recordings are under Recordings in the top bar. Recording uses its own connection, so to watch while recording your IPTV account needs at least 2 connections. Recordings are big (about 2.7 GB per hour in HD), so save them to a USB drive, or have them copied to a shared folder on your PC or NAS, or your own server (Ultra.cc, Nextcloud…), where every TV can watch them. See Recording.
Can I watch shows that already aired?
On channels your provider keeps past shows for, yes. They have a small rewind-clock icon. Open the Guide and press OK on a show that already aired to watch it from the start, or hold OK and choose Download this show to keep it. See Catch-up.
Can I stop kids from watching some categories?
Yes. Set a PIN in Settings › Parental control and lock the categories you choose, separately for Live TV, Movies and Series.
Getting help
How do I report a problem?
In the app, go to Settings › About › Report a problem, add a short note and send it. You'll get a report number. Email us at aaastreamz@gmail.com and mention that number, and we'll see exactly what happened. Reports never include your username or password.
How do I suggest a feature?
In the app, go to Settings › About › 💡 Request a feature, type your idea and send it. It comes straight to us. You can also email aaastreamz@gmail.com.