UHF: set up on iPhone, Apple TV and Mac

What UHF is, and what it isn’t

UHF is a player. It plays the channels, films and series from a subscription or server you already have: an Xtream Codes login or M3U playlist from your IPTV provider, or your own Plex, Jellyfin or Emby server. It doesn’t include any channels, and it only runs on Apple devices. If anyone in your home uses Android or a Fire TV Stick, see IPTVX vs UHF, because IPTVX covers both.

Before you start

• A supported device: an iPhone or iPad on iOS or iPadOS 16 or later, a Mac on macOS 13 or later, or an Apple TV on tvOS 17 or later. Check your Apple TV’s version in Settings > General > About; our Apple TV guide covers models and updates.
• Your login details: the server address, username and password for Xtream Codes, or your playlist link for M3U. See where to find your Xtream Codes details if you’re not sure which you have.
• The genuine app: search the App Store for UHF – Love your IPTV and check that the seller is Short Wavelength Applications Ltd.

Set up UHF on Apple TV

1. On the Apple TV, open the App Store, search for UHF and install it.
2. Open UHF and choose to add a source.
3. Pick Xtream Codes and enter the server address (including the port if your provider gave one), username and password. Or pick M3U and enter your playlist link.
4. Wait while the channels, films, series and guide load. A large subscription can take a minute the first time.
5. Open the guide, pick a channel, and mark your favourites so the list stays manageable.

Typing long addresses with the Siri Remote is slow. Setting up on an iPhone first and syncing (a Pro feature) saves time, or use the Apple TV keyboard prompt on your iPhone.

Set up UHF on iPhone, iPad and Mac

The steps are the same: install UHF from the App Store (the Mac version needs macOS 13), add your source, and let it load. UHF’s guide is designed for touch, so scrolling the schedule on an iPhone or iPad is quicker than in most TV-first players. Without Pro, add your source separately on each device; with Pro, your sources and settings sync across your Apple devices.

Free vs Pro

Pro was listed at $2.99 a month or $17.99 a year on getuhf.com in September 2026. It pays the app’s developer; it doesn’t include any channels and is separate from your IPTV subscription.

Features worth knowing

• Multi picture-in-picture: watch up to four streams at once, useful for news or several matches, if your subscription allows that many connections. See too many connections if streams stop when you add more.
• Catch-up and timeshift: pause and rewind live channels, and play past programmes where your provider supports catch-up.
• Audio tracks and subtitles: switch between audio tracks, and search subtitles through OpenSubtitles.
• Content management: rename, reorder, merge and favourite channels and groups to tidy a long channel list.
• Parental lock: protect categories or channels with a PIN.
• Picture and sound: Dolby Vision, HDR and Dolby Atmos where the stream and your equipment support them.
• AirPlay and Chromecast: send playback from an iPhone or iPad to another screen.
• Trakt integration for tracking what you watch.

Recording with UHF Server

UHF records through a separate app, UHF Server, which you install on a Linux, macOS or Windows computer on your home network. It handles scheduled recordings, so the computer needs to be switched on and connected when a recording is due. Recording needs space on that computer’s drive, and your provider’s terms decide what you’re allowed to record.

Plex, Jellyfin and Emby in the same app

If you run a home media server, UHF can connect to it alongside your IPTV source, so live channels and your own films and series sit in one interface. For the server side, see our guides to Plex and Jellyfin.

If something goes wrong

Alternatives on Apple devices

The closest alternative is IPTVX, which also runs on Android and Fire OS; see IPTVX vs UHF. For the wider field, including players that suit older Apple TVs, see the best IPTV apps for Apple TV and for iPhone and iPad.