StreamgrabDownload an m3u8 stream as an MP4
Updated
Give the playlist address to ffmpeg with ffmpeg -i "address.m3u8" -c copy video.mp4, or use yt-dlp. In Chrome, Edge and Firefox, Streamgrab joins the pieces and saves one MP4 from the page. A DRM stream cannot be converted.
Streamgrab runs in Chrome, Microsoft Edge and Firefox on desktop. No account, no watermark.
With ffmpeg
Copy the playlist address from the browser’s Network tab and run ffmpeg -i "https://example.com/video/master.m3u8" -c copy video.mp4. The -c copy part joins the pieces without re-encoding them, so it is fast and loses no quality. The steps for finding the address are in the m3u8 guide.
With yt-dlp
Run yt-dlp "https://example.com/video/master.m3u8". It picks the best quality, fetches the pieces and writes the file. It usually needs ffmpeg installed to join separate audio and video.
With Streamgrab, no terminal
- Press play on the page. A number appears on the Streamgrab icon for each stream it found.
- Open the popup, choose a quality and press Download.
- Streamgrab fetches the pieces, joins them and saves the file.
It writes an MP4 when it can. When it cannot convert the pieces, it saves a .ts file and tells you. A separate audio playlist is downloaded too, and joined into the MP4 when both are MP4. Free allows HLS or DASH streams up to 720p, one at a time. Pro, at €29 for Lifetime or €15 for 1 year, has no quality cap and runs three at once. It runs on Chrome, Microsoft Edge and Firefox.
What stops a conversion
- DRM. The stream is refused.
- A live stream. It has no end, so it cannot become a file. Live HLS recording is a Pro feature.
- A video larger than the free disk space.
Choose the tool that suits you from the list of m3u8 downloaders. Streamgrab keeps growing from what people ask for, and the roadmap page lists what is planned.
Questions
How do I convert an m3u8 file to MP4?
Give the playlist address, not the saved file, to ffmpeg: ffmpeg -i "address.m3u8" -c copy video.mp4. yt-dlp does the same in one command, and Streamgrab does it from the page.
Why is my downloaded m3u8 only a few kilobytes?
An m3u8 file is a text playlist that lists the video pieces. The video is in those pieces, so saving the playlist saves no video.
Why did Streamgrab save a .ts file instead of an MP4?
It converts the pieces to MP4 when it can. When it cannot, it saves a .ts file and says so, and most players open that.
Can I convert a DRM-protected m3u8 to MP4?
No. Streamgrab refuses a stream that names a DRM key system, and ffmpeg and yt-dlp do not remove DRM either.
Save the stream as an MP4
Streamgrab joins the pieces in your browser and saves one file. Free: HLS and DASH streams up to 720p, one at a time.
Streamgrab runs in Chrome, Microsoft Edge and Firefox on desktop. Download only what you have the right to keep. Streamgrab is an independent product.
More guides
Sources: Streamgrab's own behaviour and limits, 6 October 2026. The ffmpeg and yt-dlp commands are general usage, as on our m3u8 guide.