Troubleshooting
IPTV EPG Not Loading, Program Guide Empty: Causes and Fix
If channels come but the program guide (EPG) is empty, it can be one of four things: the EPG address is wrong or unreachable, the file is stale, the channels' tvg-id values do not match the EPG ids or the player has not downloaded the EPG yet. You can find the cause in a few minutes with the steps below.
Quick fix steps
- Try the EPG address with the EPG URL Tester: is it reachable and fresh?
- Check the file with the XMLTV Validator.
- Look at the match rate with the M3U EPG Matcher.
- Fix unmatched channels with the EPG Channel ID Finder.
- If guide times are off use the EPG Offset Calculator.
Tools to fix the problem
In-depth explanation
Address and file
First make sure the address really returns an XMLTV. The EPG URL Tester shows the status code, size, whether it is gzipped, channel and programme counts and the end time of the last programme. If the last programme is in the past the guide has not been refreshed; tell your provider or use another source. If the file is very large (tens of MB) it may not load on weak devices; shrink it with the XMLTV Channel Filter.
tvg-id matching
The player shows the guide by matching the tvg-id in the M3U with the channel id in the XMLTV. If ids are empty or different no programme appears. The M3U EPG Matcher cleans channel names (prefix, emoji, quality tag) and fills tvg-ids with fuzzy matching; the EPG Coverage Report shows how much of the list matches. In real lists a 20-40% match is normal; many channels have no EPG in any source.
In Göktürk IPTV this is automatic: the app matches channels itself with ready per-country EPG packs and the same matching logic.
Player side
Some players pull EPG only at certain intervals or with a manual 'refresh EPG'. Clear the cache and force a refresh. If you need several EPG sources make a single file with the XMLTV Merger. If there is a time difference the guide is in place but its time can be off; the EPG Time Shifter fixes that.
Frequently asked questions
EPG exists for some channels but not others?
That is normal; unmatched channels may have no EPG in the source.
The guide empties after a day?
The source only covers a short time ahead; use another EPG source.
The EPG address opens in a browser but not in the player?
It may be a player identity/gzip problem; try the address with the EPG URL Tester and try the .gz variant.
How do I add EPG by hand?
Write the address in the player's EPG/XMLTV URL field; on Xtream it is the xmltv.php address.