Requirements
Before you install, make sure you have an M3UTool plan of €40 a year or more, an M3UTool key and a machine that can run Docker. This page lists what you need and shows how to create the key. Follow these steps to get everything ready.
What you need
| What | Details |
|---|---|
| M3UTool plan | A paid plan of €40 a year or more on editor.dontv.shop. Self-host does not install without one. It is not part of the free trial. |
| M3UTool key | A key of the type M3UTool Gateway. It activates your install and unlocks the download. See below. |
| Windows | Windows 10 or 11, 64-bit, with Docker Desktop. The installer offers to install Docker Desktop for you. |
| Linux | A 64-bit Linux (x86 or ARM) with Docker Engine and Docker Compose v2. |
| Internet | For the install (about 400 MB), the daily key check and updates. |
Hardware
| Machine | Processor | Memory |
|---|---|---|
| A desktop or laptop with Docker Desktop | 4 cores | 8 GB |
| A server for a few hundred customers | 2 cores | 4 GB |
Plan about 3 GB of disk for M3UTool itself, plus roughly 100 MB for every 100,000 streams in your playlists.
Ports
Self-host uses three ports on your machine. When a port is already taken on the first start, M3UTool picks the next free one from the list.
| Port | Used for | If it is taken |
|---|---|---|
| 80 | Your customers' players (http) | 8080, then 8088 |
| 443 | Your customers' players over https, with your own domain | 8443, then 9443 |
| 8081 | The editor, only for you | 8082, then 8091 |
Customers who watch from outside your home or office need to reach your machine from the internet: run M3UTool on a server, or forward the customer port on your router. More in Address, domain and HTTPS.
Create your M3UTool key
The installer asks for this key. Create it on editor.dontv.shop.
- Open your account: On editor.dontv.shop, click Account at the bottom of the left rail.
- Start a new key: In the API keys section, click New key.
- Name the key: Type a name in Name, for example "Home server", so you can tell it apart later.
- Choose the type: Under What it may do, choose M3UTool Gateway.
- Create the key: Click Create key.
- Copy the key: Copy the key that starts with
dontv_and keep it somewhere safe. To see it again later, click Show next to the key.
If you lose a key that has no Show button (keys made before 6 October 2026), create a new one the same way. To stop a key from working, click the bin icon (Revoke) on its row in the list. More about keys in API.