October 3, 2026/6 min read

How to Fix Catch-Up Not Working in TiviMate

Priya DesaiSenior Streaming Devices Analyst Specializing in Fire TV and Android TV Performance

Quick answer

Catch-Up EPG IPTV IPTV Troubleshooting TiviMate

Reviewed Against

• TiviMate playlist, EPG, and player-setting workflows

• XMLTV guide imports, refresh timing, and channel-guide matching

Applies To

• TiviMate setups on Android TV, Google TV, or Fire OS style streaming devices

• Guide data issues such as missing listings, stale guide refreshes, or wrong time offsets

Does not apply when

• Your app uses a different menu layout or naming scheme than TiviMate.

• The stream itself will not play at all and you still need to verify login or playlist access.

Corroborating Resources

XMLTV file format referenceUseful when the issue comes from guide-source formatting, channel mapping, or XMLTV data freshness.

Topic Cluster

Part of the EPG cluster

Guide data problems, XMLTV and playlist matching, time-offset fixes, and TiviMate EPG recovery paths. This page sits in troubleshoot and fix for that topic path.

Open the EPG hub

Is the guide source missing, mismatched, stale, or offset by time zone?What should you check first when channels load but guide data does not?Which playlist format handles guide updates more cleanly over time?

Start here in this topic

EPG Not Loading in TiviMate: Causes and Fixes Playlist Loads But EPG Missing in TiviMate EPG Time Offset Wrong in TiviMate: How to Fix It

Next guides in this cluster

TiviMate EPG Source URL Not Working: Causes and Fixes EPG Time Offset Wrong in TiviMate: How to Fix Program Guide Time Mismatches TiviMate EPG Source URL Not Working

On this page

Introduction Understanding Catch-Up Compatibility in TiviMate Refreshing Playlist and EPG Data Correct TiviMate Settings to Enable Catch-Up Clear Cache and Restart TiviMate Check Your Internet Connection and Streaming Capacity Troubleshooting Common Mistakes Applicability and When to Use Device-Specific Guides FAQ Conclusion Related guides on IPTV Explained

Illustration of a frustrated IPTV user troubleshooting TiviMate catch-up functionality on a dark blue digital interface background

Introduction

If the catch-up feature in your TiviMate IPTV player is not working, the cause usually lies in playlist compatibility, EPG (Electronic Program Guide) data issues, or app configuration problems. Catch-up enables you to watch previously aired programs by accessing recorded streaming links your IPTV provider offers and supporting scheduling data through EPG. This article provides clear, step-by-step troubleshooting tips to restore catch-up functionality specifically within the TiviMate app environment.

What you'll learn

How to verify if your IPTV source and playlist support catch-up
Importance of up-to-date playlist and EPG data for catch-up
Adjusting TiviMate settings related to catch-up playback
Clearing app cache and refreshing data to fix temporary glitches
When to contact your IPTV provider for unresolved catch-up issues

Understanding Catch-Up Compatibility in TiviMate

IPTV Provider and Playlist Support

Catch-up TV in TiviMate depends entirely on your IPTV provider supplying prerecorded stream links within their playlist (usually XMLTV or M3U format). Not all IPTV services include catch-up data. Your first step is to confirm with your IPTV provider or check their documentation to see if catch-up streams are supported and enabled on your subscription.

If your playlist source lacks catch-up stream URLs or the catch-up time window, TiviMate cannot provide the feature. Trying to enable catch-up without this backend support will result in failures or missing content.

Confirming Playlist Format

TiviMate requires a properly formatted M3U playlist with extra tags or extended attributes defining catch-up URLs and time offsets. Similarly, the EPG source (usually an XMLTV file or URL) must correlate the channel IDs to catch-up program schedules.

If you maintain your own playlist or use a third-party source, verify that the catch-up parameters such as catchup-days and catchup-source are present and correctly formatted.

Refreshing Playlist and EPG Data

Step 1: Refresh Your Playlist

Often catch-up stops working because the playlist is outdated, lacking links to recent recorded streams. Refresh your playlist within TiviMate to sync new catch-up content:

Open TiviMate and go to Settings
Navigate to Playlists
Select your active playlist
Tap Refresh or Update

Refreshing forces TiviMate to reload the playlist from the IPTV server, updating catch-up links if they have been added or changed.

Step 2: Check and Refresh the EPG Source

Correct EPG data is critical for catch-up scheduling. To verify and refresh your EPG source:

Within TiviMate, open Settings > EPG
Confirm the EPG source URL is accurate and reachable
Use the Refresh EPG option

If the EPG URL is incorrect or offline, catch-up schedules won’t appear. Refer to your IPTV provider for the exact EPG source URL.

Correct TiviMate Settings to Enable Catch-Up

Sometimes TiviMate’s internal settings disable or misconfigure catch-up playback.

Enable Catch-Up Playback

Open Settings > Playback
Locate the Catch-up mode or Catch-up playback option
Ensure it’s toggled ON

Some versions of TiviMate allow you to customize how many days or hours catch-up content remains accessible – adjust this according to your IPTV provider’s offered window.

Match Channel IDs Between Playlist and EPG

If channels in your playlist do not match EPG channel IDs exactly, catch-up schedules will fail to display.

Use TiviMate’s Channel matching feature (often in playlist or EPG settings) to manually align channel IDs for proper data synchronization.

Clear Cache and Restart TiviMate

Temporary corrupted data or app glitches may block catch-up functionality. Clear TiviMate app cache:

Exit TiviMate completely
On your device, go to Settings > Apps > TiviMate
Select Clear cache (not Clear data to avoid resetting your setup)
Restart TiviMate

Clearing cache removes temporary files that could interfere with playlist or EPG processing, often resolving subtle bugs.

Check Your Internet Connection and Streaming Capacity

Catch-up streaming can require stable, high-bandwidth internet. Slow or unstable connections may cause catch-up loading failures or playback errors.

Verify Connection Speed

Use speed test apps to confirm your download speed meets IPTV streaming demands (generally >10 Mbps recommended for HD)
Connect over 5 GHz Wi-Fi band if possible for reduced interference and better stability

Troubleshooting Common Mistakes

Not refreshing playlist or EPG regularly: Catch-up content changes frequently, so set a refresh cadence (daily or weekly).
Wrong EPG URL or broken source: Always verify the EPG source URL is current and provided by your IPTV provider.
Playlist lacking catch-up info: Double-check the playlist source includes catch-up tags; switch provider if necessary.
Mismatched channel IDs: This is a frequent cause of missing catch-up listings; use manual channel matching if available.

Applicability and When to Use Device-Specific Guides

This guidance applies to users running TiviMate primarily on Android-based devices such as Android TV boxes, Fire TV devices, or Android smartphones/tablets.

If you are using different apps (like IPTV Smarters) or hardware (e.g., native Smart TV apps), these instructions might not fully apply.
For EPG-specific errors or catch-up playlist failures linked to format incompatibilities, consult provider-specific or app-specific troubleshooting guides.
If you suspect your device’s network or storage issues are causing catch-up problems, review network optimization or storage clearance steps tailored to your device type.

FAQ

What is catch-up TV in TiviMate?

Catch-up TV lets you watch past programs from IPTV channels using recorded streams your service provides, scheduled by EPG.

Why is catch-up not available for some channels?

Your IPTV service might not supply catch-up streams for all channels; this is a limitation on the provider side.

Does refreshing my playlist fix catch-up issues?

Yes. Outdated playlists often lack updated catch-up URLs, so refreshing is a quick fix.

Is the catch-up feature affected by the EPG source?

Absolutely. The EPG schedules the catch-up content; without accurate EPG data, catch-up won’t appear.

Conclusion

Fixing catch-up not working in TiviMate usually comes down to ensuring your IPTV provider supports catch-up, refreshing playlist and EPG sources, and configuring TiviMate correctly. By systematically following the recommended troubleshooting steps—from verifying your playlist’s catch-up data to refreshing EPG and clearing app cache—you can restore reliable catch-up viewing. Persistent problems warrant reaching out to your IPTV provider as the source of catch-up streams and scheduling data lies with them.

Step	Purpose	When to Use
Verify IPTV source supports catch-up	Confirm backend compatibility	First check before troubleshooting
Refresh playlist and EPG	Update catch-up data and schedules	Regularly or when catch-up breaks
Enable catch-up in settings	Activate catch-up playback within app	If disabled or misconfigured
Clear cache and restart app	Fix temporary app glitches	App behaving unexpectedly
Check connection speed	Ensure stable high bandwidth for streaming	If buffering or failure occurs

By focusing these steps on TiviMate’s specific environment, you can quickly identify and resolve catch-up issues.