Learn how to easily back up (export) and restore (import) your World TV Stream settings, including favorite channels and custom M3U playlists, across different devices or browsers
Safeguard Your World TV Stream Configuration with Import/Export
You've spent time exploring World TV Stream (WTS), carefully curating your list of favorite channels, and perhaps even adding your own custom M3U playlists. But what happens if you switch to a new device, clear your browser cache, or need to reinstall an app? Losing that personalized setup can be frustrating.
Fortunately, World TV Stream includes a convenient Import/Export feature designed to help you back up and restore your configuration easily.
1. Why Use Import/Export?
As we've mentioned in previous guides, your WTS settings (like Favorites and added M3U playlists) are stored locally on your device or browser. This is great for privacy but means the setup isn't automatically synced across different instances. The Import/Export feature solves this by allowing you to:
- Create Backups: Save your current configuration to a file for safekeeping.
- Transfer Settings: Easily move your setup (Favorites, list of M3U URLs) to a different browser or device.
- Restore After Issues: Quickly recover your setup if your browser data gets cleared or an app needs reinstalling.
2. How to Export Your WTS Settings
Exporting creates a small file containing your current WTS configuration. Here's how:
- Navigate to the Sidebar: Open the main navigation sidebar in the World TV Stream interface.
- Find the "Export" Option: Look for a button or menu item explicitly labeled "Export" or similar (it might have an icon like a download arrow ↓ or floppy disk).
- Click "Export": Select the Export option.
- Save the File: Your browser should prompt you to save a file. It will likely have a .json extension (e.g., worldtvstream_backup.json or similar). Choose a location on your device where you can easily find it later and save the file.
What's in the Exported File? This file typically contains information about:* Your list of favorited channels.* The names and URLs of the custom M3U playlists you've added (Note: It saves the link to the playlist, not the entire channel list content itself).* Potentially other local settings like theme preference (Dark/Light).
3. How to Import Your WTS Settings
Importing lets you load a previously saved configuration file back into WTS.
- Navigate to the Sidebar: Open the main navigation sidebar.
- Find the "Import" Option: Look for a button or menu item labeled "Import" (it might have an upload arrow ↑ icon).
- Click "Import": Select the Import option.
- Choose Your Backup File: Your device's file browser will open. Navigate to the location where you saved your exported .json file earlier and select it.
- Confirm (If Prompted): WTS might ask you to confirm that you want to import the settings, potentially warning that it could overwrite your current configuration. Confirm if you wish to proceed.
After a moment, World TV Stream should load the settings from the file. Your Favorites list should be populated, and your previously added custom M3U playlists should reappear in the sidebar.
Important Considerations:
- Overwriting: Importing settings usually replaces your current configuration in WTS with the contents of the backup file. Be sure you're importing the correct file.
- M3U Content: Remember, the import restores the links to your M3U playlists. WTS will still need to fetch the channel content from those URLs when you select the playlist. Ensure the M3U URLs in your backup are still valid and accessible.
When is Import/Export Most Useful?
- Setting up WTS on a new phone, tablet, or computer.
- Switching between different web browsers (e.g., Chrome to Firefox).
- Before clearing your browser's cache or site data.
- After reinstalling a WTS app.
- Simply creating a periodic backup for peace of mind.
Conclusion
The Import/Export feature is a small but powerful tool for managing your personalized World TV Stream experience. Take a moment to export your settings regularly – it's a quick process that can save you significant time and effort if you ever need to restore your setup or move it to a new environment.