m3u file can be processed on any platform that can handle text (TXT) files. Comments and extended directives allow to store track names, position and duration data inside. M3U files normally include relative, absolute or URL-based paths pointing to media resources included in the list, so the player 'knows' where to find the files. M3U files do not contain any media data, only plain text.

m3u file extension is associated with playlist files created and understood by all popular software media players and portable media devices.Ī typical M3U file is a plaintext list of MP3 or other media files queued in a certain order to be played by a software or hardware media player.