This article is part of our guide What Is an EPG? Electronic Programme Guides Explained.
When the EPG is not working, the problem almost always falls into one of four groups: no guide data at all, data that does not update, data on the wrong channels or data at the wrong times. Identify which one you have, then apply the matching fix below.
Which problem do you have?
| Symptom | Likely cause | Section |
|---|---|---|
| Guide completely empty | No source, or download failed | 1 and 2 |
| Guide shows old information | Not refreshing | 3 |
| Some channels have no guide | Channel ID mismatch | 4 |
| Everything is shifted by one or more hours | Time zone or offset | 5 |
1. Make sure a guide source is set
- With M3U: check that an EPG URL is added in the player settings. See how to add an EPG URL.
- With Xtream Codes: check that the option to load guide data from the server is switched on.
2. Check that the download completes
Large guide files can take several minutes to download and process, especially on streaming sticks.
- Refresh the EPG manually and wait for it to finish before opening the guide.
- Make sure the device has enough free storage — the guide is stored locally.
- Check the connection; a VPN or network filter can block the guide URL.
- Recopy the EPG URL to rule out typing errors.
3. Force an update
If the guide shows yesterday's programmes:
- Use Refresh EPG or Update now in the player.
- Check the automatic update interval and set it to daily.
- Clear the player's EPG cache if it has that option, then refresh.
- As a last step, remove and re-add the EPG source.
4. Fix missing guide data on some channels
The guide is matched to channels by ID, usually the tvg-id value in the playlist (see M3U playlists explained). If a channel's ID does not match an entry in the guide data, that channel shows no information.
- Some players let you assign guide data manually: open the channel's options and choose the matching guide channel.
- If many channels are affected, contact support with a few examples.
5. Correct times that are shifted
When every programme is off by the same amount:
- Check the device clock. Open the device's date and time settings; make sure the time zone is correct and automatic time is on.
- Check the player's offset. Many players have an EPG time offset or time shift setting. Set it to 0 first; if times are still off, adjust in one-hour steps.
- Consider daylight saving time. Shifts that appear after a clock change are usually fixed by checking the device's automatic time zone setting.
Still not working?
Try the same EPG source in another player or on another device. If it works there, the first player is the issue. If it fails everywhere, the source may be temporarily unavailable. The general IPTV troubleshooting guide has more checks.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my EPG exactly one hour off?
Usually a time zone or daylight saving mismatch. Check the device's automatic time zone setting and set the player's EPG offset accordingly.
Why does the guide take so long to load?
EPG files can be large. Streaming sticks with limited memory take longer to process them. Updating once a day instead of every app start helps.
Can I use the guide without internet?
Players store downloaded guide data, so it may display for a while offline, but it will not update and channels will not play without a connection.
Fixing the guide, step by step
Check that a source is set, let the download complete, force an update, fix channel ID matches and correct the time offset. That covers almost every EPG problem. For background, read what is an EPG?.