The first time you open an IPTV player app, the channel list can be overwhelming. Hundreds of channels in dozens of groups, many of which you will never watch. The good news is that every decent player app lets you shape that list around you.
This guide explains how to create favourites, reorder and hide channels, set up separate lists for different people, and make the programme guide match. The exact menus differ between apps, but the ideas are the same in almost all of them.
Why it is worth twenty minutes
A tidy list changes how IPTV feels day to day:
- channel surfing becomes quick, because only your channels are in the list
- the programme guide becomes readable
- other people in the house can find their programmes without help
- the remote's up and down buttons move through channels you actually want
It is the single change that most new users say made the biggest difference.
Step 1: understand how your list is organised
Your provider's channel list arrives already sorted into groups, sometimes called categories or bouquets, such as entertainment, sport, films, kids, news and international. Your player app shows these groups down the side of the screen.
You cannot change the provider's list itself, but you can change how your app shows it. Everything below happens inside your player app, on your device.
Step 2: create a favourites list
Favourites are the heart of a tidy setup.
- Open a channel you watch often.
- Look for a star or heart icon, or press and hold the select button on your remote. Most apps show an "Add to favourites" option.
- Repeat for each channel you watch regularly.
- Open the Favourites group to check they are all there.
Most households end up with between 15 and 40 favourites. Start small. You can always add more later.
Reorder your favourites
Many apps let you move channels up and down within favourites, so the ones you watch most are at the top. Look for an "Edit", "Sort" or "Move" option inside the Favourites group. Put the main UK channels in the order you are used to from Freeview, and the remote's channel buttons will feel familiar.
Make favourites open first
Some apps let you choose the group shown when the app starts, or to open on the last channel watched. Set it to Favourites, and the full list will rarely be needed.
Step 3: hide groups you never watch
If there are whole categories you will never use, hide them. Look in the app's settings for options such as "Hide categories", "Manage groups" or "Category visibility". Hidden groups stay available if you change your mind, but they no longer clutter the list.
Common candidates to hide:
- international groups in languages nobody at home speaks
- adult categories, especially if children use the device
- duplicate groups that repeat channels in different qualities
Step 4: set up a list for each person
In a busy house, one favourites list rarely suits everyone. There are two ways to handle this.
Separate devices
Each device keeps its own settings. The living room stick can hold the family's main channels, while a teenager's TV holds theirs. The same login works on all of them; only the screen limit on your plan restricts how many play at once. Our guide to multiroom IPTV covers setting up several rooms.
Profiles in the app
Some player apps support several profiles or playlists on one device, each with its own favourites. If your app does, create a profile per person with a clear name. Our guide to IPTV player apps notes which apps offer profiles.
Step 5: add parental locks where needed
If children use a device, lock categories they should not browse. Look for "Parental control" in the app's settings, set a PIN, and choose the groups to lock. Our page on IPTV for kids has more detail.
Step 6: make the programme guide match
A tidy channel list is only half the job. The programme guide should show what is on now and next for each of your favourites.
If the guide is empty
With Xtream Codes logins the guide usually loads automatically. With M3U links, some apps need a separate EPG address. Check the app's EPG or guide settings, and refresh the guide. Our guide to fixing login and EPG errors walks through it.
If times are wrong
Check the device's own time zone is set to UK time. If one channel group shows times from another country, use the app's time-shift setting for that group.
Speed up guide loading
Some apps let you load guide data only for favourites, or for fewer days ahead. That makes the guide faster on slower devices.
Step 7: back up your settings
Setting up favourites takes time, so protect it. Some player apps let you export settings to a file or link them to an account, which makes moving to a new device painless. Before replacing a streaming stick or resetting a TV, check whether your app offers a backup.
Tips for specific situations
Sports fans
Create a separate favourites group just for sport channels, so you can flick between fixtures quickly. Our sports IPTV page has tips for match days.
Households watching in more than one language
Put each language's channels in a separate group or profile, so nobody has to scroll past channels they cannot follow. Our page on international IPTV explains how to check languages before ordering.
Older relatives
A short favourites list that opens automatically is the most helpful setup for anyone who finds technology tiring. Our guide to IPTV for older viewers covers this in detail.
Example: a family's favourites list
Here is how one household of four might set things up on their living room streaming stick.
Favourites, in order: the main UK entertainment channels first, in the same order as on Freeview, then two news channels, then the children's channels, then two film channels.
A second favourites group for sport: the sport channels the family follows, so match days do not mean scrolling through the main list.
Hidden groups: international languages nobody in the house speaks, and adult categories.
Locked groups: adult categories are also locked with a PIN on the children's tablet.
App setting: open on the last channel watched, so switching on goes straight back to where they left off.
The whole setup took under half an hour, and it means anyone in the house can switch on and find their programmes without asking for help.
Common mistakes
Adding too many favourites
A favourites list with 150 channels is as hard to use as the full list. Keep it to the channels you watch at least weekly. You can still reach everything else through the groups.
Building favourites on the wrong profile
If your app has profiles, check which one is active before you start adding channels, or the work ends up in someone else's list.
Forgetting about the guide
Favourites work best when the programme guide is loaded for them too. If now-and-next information is missing, fix the guide before deciding a channel is not working.
Changing apps without backing up
Switching to a new player app means starting your favourites again unless you export them first. Try a new app alongside the old one before switching completely.
How channel groups are usually named
Provider lists vary, but most use similar group names. Knowing them makes it quicker to find channels for your favourites:
- Entertainment or General: the main UK channels, soaps, quiz and reality shows
- Sport: often split further by sport or by event
- Films and Series: live film channels; on-demand titles are usually in separate Movies and Series sections
- Kids: pre-school and children's channels
- News: UK and world news
- Documentaries and Lifestyle: factual, cooking, property and travel channels
- International: usually split by country or language
If a channel you expect is missing from its usual group, use the app's search option. Most apps search by channel name across every group at once.
Frequently asked questions
Can I change the channel numbers?
In many apps you can reorder channels within favourites, which works like renumbering. Some apps also allow custom channel numbers.
Why did my favourites disappear?
Favourites are stored in the app on that device. Reinstalling the app, clearing its data or switching to a different app can remove them. Use the app's backup option if it has one.
Will my favourites appear on my other devices?
Usually not, unless the app syncs through an account. Each device normally keeps its own list.
Can I remove channels from the provider's list?
You cannot change the provider's list, but hiding groups and using favourites gives you the same result on screen.
Not set up yet? See our plans and prices, then follow the setup guide for your device.
