How to set up LayerSeven TV on macOS
On a Mac you have a genuine choice: our own build, or one of several polished players in the Mac App Store — some of them the same apps you would use on an iPhone. Apple silicon and Intel Macs are both fine. The one thing to expect is Gatekeeper, which blocks apps that did not come from the App Store the first time you open them, in a way that is not obvious unless you have met it before.
devicesSelect Your Device
checklistBefore you start
- A Mac running macOS 11 Big Sur or newer
- 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 LayerSeven TV or a Player
Take the .dmg from our Downloads page — it is not on the Mac App Store. If you would prefer an App Store app, GSE Smart IPTV, IPTV Smarters Lite, UHF and Chillio all run natively on macOS and keep themselves updated.
Install the Application
Open the .dmg and drag the app into your Applications folder, then eject the disk image. App Store apps install on their own once you click Get.
Open It Past Gatekeeper
The first launch of any app from outside the App Store is refused with "cannot be opened because it is from an unidentified developer". Right-click the app in Applications and choose Open, then confirm — that tells macOS you meant it. On Ventura and later there may instead be an "Open Anyway" button under System Settings > Privacy & Security. You only do this once.
Login with Your Credentials
With LayerSeven TV, enter your username and password and click Login. With another player, add the playlist through "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 guide. AirPlay from the player to send 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. Most recommended method for ease of use.
M3U Playlist
Paste the M3U/M3U8 URL directly into your player. Universal compatibility.
Recommended Apps
Best players for macOS
IPTV Smarters Lite
Lightweight Smarters for Apple devices
GSE Smart IPTV
Versatile player for Apple devices
UHF
Elegant IPTV player for Apple ecosystem
Chillio
Modern streaming player for Apple devices
VLC Media Player
Open-source universal media player
Common problems
Fixes specific to macOS
"App is damaged and cannot be opened"
This is Gatekeeper being emphatic rather than a corrupted file. Right-click the app and choose Open instead of double-clicking. If macOS still refuses, delete it, download again, and open it from Applications rather than from the mounted disk image.
Playback is smooth but there is no sound
macOS has sent audio somewhere else. Option-click the volume icon in the menu bar and pick the right output — the usual culprit is an HDMI display or a Bluetooth headset that connected silently.
The app is 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 exists; otherwise use one of the Mac App Store players, which are all native.
Need Help Setting Up?
Our support team is available 24/7 to guide you through the installation process via live chat.