EPG Not Working? 7 Fixes That Actually Work

A working EPG (Electronic Programme Guide) transforms your IPTV experience from a raw channel list into a proper TV guide — showing you what's on now, what's coming next, and letting you browse upcoming programmes. When EPG breaks, it's frustrating but almost always fixable. Here are seven specific solutions that resolve EPG problems on TiviMate, IPTV Smarters, and other players with ZorixTV.

What Is EPG and Why Does It Matter?

EPG stands for Electronic Programme Guide — the TV schedule that shows programme names, descriptions, and broadcast times for each channel. In a good IPTV setup, your EPG should show 7 days of schedule data, update automatically, and sync accurately with your time zone. Without a working EPG, you're essentially watching blind — no programme information, no catch-up TV, no recording by show name.

Fix 1: Force Refresh Your EPG

The simplest and most common fix. EPG data is cached locally, and stale cache can cause blank or incorrect programme information.

• TiviMate: Settings → Playlists → select your playlist → Update EPG Now
• IPTV Smarters: Settings → EPG Settings → Force Refresh EPG
• GSE Smart IPTV: Playlists → long-press your playlist → Refresh EPG

Wait 2–5 minutes after triggering a force refresh. EPG data for 26,000+ channels takes time to download and process.

Fix 2: Check Your Time Zone Setting

This is the most overlooked cause of wrong EPG times. If your device's time zone doesn't match your actual location, EPG programme times will be offset by the difference.

1. Check your device's time zone in Settings → Date & Time
2. Ensure it matches your current location
3. Also check the EPG time offset setting within TiviMate (Settings → EPG → Time Offset) — set this to 0 unless you deliberately need an offset
4. After correcting the time zone, force-refresh the EPG

Fix 3: Verify Your EPG Source URL

ZorixTV's EPG data is embedded automatically when you connect via Xtream Codes API — no separate EPG URL is needed. If you're using an M3U connection and have added a manual EPG URL that's no longer valid, the guide will fail to load.

• Switch to Xtream Codes API instead of M3U — EPG loads automatically with no manual URL needed
• If using M3U, verify the EPG URL in your player settings is still active
• Remove any manually entered EPG URL and try the built-in EPG first

Fix 4: Increase EPG Fetch Days

Some IPTV players default to fetching only 1–2 days of EPG data. Increasing this to 7 days gives you a full weekly view:

• TiviMate: Settings → EPG → Days to Load → set to 7
• IPTV Smarters: Settings → EPG Settings → EPG Days Limit → 7

After increasing the fetch period, trigger a force refresh to download the extended data.

Fix 5: Clear EPG Cache

Corrupted EPG cache can cause blank or garbled programme information even when the data source is working correctly.

• TiviMate: Settings → Playlists → your playlist → Clear EPG Cache → then force refresh
• IPTV Smarters: Settings → App Settings → Clear EPG Cache
• Alternatively, uninstall and reinstall the IPTV app — this clears all cached data

Fix 6: Check Your Internet Speed During EPG Load

EPG files are large — ZorixTV's full 7-day guide for 26,000+ channels is a substantial download. If your connection is slow or unstable at the time the EPG refreshes, the download may fail silently.

• Run a speed test during the EPG load
• Schedule EPG auto-refresh during off-peak hours (e.g., 3am) when your connection is less congested
• Switch to ethernet for the EPG refresh if you're on Wi-Fi

For broader connectivity fixes, see our complete IPTV troubleshooting guide.

Fix 7: Contact Your IPTV Provider

If all six fixes above fail to resolve your EPG issue, the problem may be on the server side. ZorixTV's support team can verify your EPG configuration, confirm the correct EPG URL for your subscription, and identify any server-side issues. Contact us via WhatsApp or visit our support page — we respond in under 15 minutes.

How ZorixTV's EPG Works

When you connect to ZorixTV via Xtream Codes API, the EPG is delivered automatically by our server as part of the channel data. You don't need to configure a separate EPG source. The guide covers 7 days for all supported channels and refreshes automatically. For channels without EPG data (some local or niche channels), the guide will show no programme information — this is expected behaviour.

FAQ

Why does my EPG show the wrong programme name for a channel?

This happens when the EPG data for a channel is mapped to a slightly different channel ID. In TiviMate, you can manually map channels to their correct EPG entry. Contact ZorixTV support if a specific major channel has persistent EPG mapping issues.

How often does ZorixTV's EPG update?

ZorixTV's EPG data updates every 12 hours. Configure your IPTV player's auto-refresh to match this interval for maximum accuracy.

Does ZorixTV support catch-up TV?

Yes. ZorixTV supports 7-day catch-up TV on 500+ premium channels. Catch-up is accessible through TiviMate's EPG view — click a past programme to replay it.