How to set up Malta IPTV on macOS
On a Mac you genuinely get to choose: our own build, or one of several excellent players in the Mac App Store — some of them the very apps you would use on an iPhone. Apple silicon and Intel Macs are equally well served. The single thing to expect is Gatekeeper, which blocks non-App-Store apps at first launch in a way that is anything but obvious the first time you run into it.
devicesSelect Your Device
checklistBefore you start
- A Mac running macOS 11 Big Sur or later
- Your username, password and server URL from the subscription email
- An Apple ID, if you install from the Mac App Store
Step-by-Step Setup
macOS Installation
Download Malta Player or a Player
Take the .dmg from our Downloads page — it is not listed on the Mac App Store. Would rather stay inside the store? GSE Smart IPTV, IPTV Smarters Lite, UHF and Chillio all run natively on macOS and keep themselves up to date.
Install the Application
Open the .dmg, drag the app into your Applications folder, then eject the disk image. App Store players install themselves the moment you click Get.
Open It Past Gatekeeper
The first launch of any non-App-Store app is refused with "cannot be opened because it is from an unidentified developer". Right-click the app in Applications, choose Open, and confirm — that is you telling macOS you meant it. On Ventura and later there may instead be an "Open Anyway" button under System Settings > Privacy & Security. You only ever do this once.
Login with Your Credentials
In Malta Player, enter your username and password and click Login. In another player, add the playlist via "Xtream Codes API" using the server URL, username and password from your email — or paste an M3U link. Xtream Codes brings the guide and on-demand library with it; M3U does not.
Start Streaming
Everything loads into categories with the full programme guide. AirPlay from the player pushes a stream to an Apple TV, or connect over HDMI or USB-C for a direct wired picture with no re-encoding.
Connection Formats
Supported formats for macOS
Xtream Codes API
Enter Server URL, Username & Password. The recommended method for ease of use.
M3U Playlist
Paste the M3U/M3U8 URL directly into your player. Works everywhere.
Recommended Apps
Best players for macOS
IPTV Smarters Lite
The lightweight Smarters build for Apple devices
GSE Smart IPTV
A flexible player across the Apple range
UHF
A refined player for the Apple ecosystem
Chillio
A modern streaming player for Apple devices
VLC Media Player
The open-source player that runs everywhere
Common problems
Fixes specific to macOS
"App is damaged and cannot be opened"
Gatekeeper being forceful, not a broken file. Right-click the app and choose Open instead of double-clicking. If macOS still says no, delete the app, download it again, and open it from Applications — not from the mounted disk image.
Playback is smooth but silent
macOS has sent the audio somewhere else. Option-click the volume icon in the menu bar and pick the correct output — the usual suspect is an HDMI display or a Bluetooth headset that connected quietly in the background.
The app feels sluggish on an Apple silicon Mac
It may be running under Rosetta. Check Get Info on the app for "Open using Rosetta" and untick it if a native build is available; otherwise use one of the Mac App Store players, which are all native.
Stuck on a Step?
The support team is online 24/7 and happy to walk you through the setup on live chat.