Why a big list gets in the way
A long list costs you in three separate ways, and none of them is obvious on day one.
It slows the guide down, because the player is fetching and drawing programme data for channels you will never open. It makes scrolling a chore, so you end up watching whatever is near the top. And it makes channel numbers unstable, because a list that changes at the provider end shifts everything below the change.
None of that is a fault in the service, and no amount of buffer tuning helps. It is a filing problem, and it has a filing solution.
The three tools every player gives you
The names differ between apps, but you will find all three in nearly any player worth using.
- Favourites: a separate short list of the channels you actually watch
- Hiding: removing whole groups from the list and the guide entirely
- Ordering: deciding what sits where, rather than accepting the provider’s order
Used together they turn a list of thousands into a list of thirty. Used alone, favourites is the one that does most of the work — but hiding is what makes the guide fast, so it is worth doing both.
Build the favourites list first
Do not try to curate the whole line-up. Spend ten minutes adding the channels you know you watch, and accept that you will add a few more over the following fortnight.
For most households the final list is between fifteen and forty channels. If yours is heading past sixty, you are building a second full list rather than a shortcut, and the benefit disappears.
A useful way to choose: think about last week rather than about what you might want one day. The channel you watched twice is a favourite; the one you might watch during a tournament is not.
Hide the groups you will never open
This is the step that speeds the guide up, and the one most people skip.
Large lists are typically organised by country and by theme, and most households will never open the majority of them. Hiding those groups removes them from the channel list, from search and from the guide, which means the player stops fetching data for them.
Hide adult categories as a matter of course on any shared television. If children use the house, our guide on parental controls covers locking them behind a PIN rather than only hiding them.
Nothing is lost by hiding. Groups can be brought back at any time, so there is no reason to be cautious about it.
Channel order and why numbers move
Once the list is short, order it the way you think. Most people want the handful of channels they watch daily at the top, then everything else grouped by theme.
Be aware of why numbering shifts on its own. Channel numbers usually come from the provider’s list rather than from your player, so when channels are added or removed upstream, everything below the change moves. That is normal, and it is the main reason a number you have learned stops working.
A favourites list insulates you from most of that, because your own ordering is stored locally. If a channel does vanish from the list entirely rather than moving, that is a different matter — our guide on when a channel disappears covers how to tell the two apart. The channels and guide page explains how the line-up is organised in the first place.
Doing it in each player
TiviMate
The most thorough of the group: it lets you hide groups, build custom groups, reorder channels freely and set which list the app opens on. If you are going to invest twenty minutes anywhere, this is where it pays back most. Our TiviMate guide covers the settings.
IPTV Smarters Pro
Favourites are straightforward and available across live, film and series sections. Ordering is more limited than TiviMate, so lean on favourites and hiding rather than expecting fine control. See our Smarters setup guide.
XCIPTV
Handles very large lists well and offers category hiding plus favourites, which is the combination that matters here. Our XCIPTV guide covers where the settings sit.
Smart TV apps
Portal-based apps such as Smart IPTV and IBO Player generally offer favourites but less reordering. On television hardware, hiding groups matters more than anywhere else, because the guide is slower to begin with.
Keep the work when you reinstall
Favourites, hidden groups and custom ordering are stored on the device. Reinstall the player and they are gone, which is a bleak discovery after an evening of tidying.
Some players can export their configuration; where that exists, use it. Where it does not, keep a written list of your favourite channels somewhere findable — it turns a rebuild from an evening into ten minutes. Our guide on backing up your player setup covers what is worth saving, and if you are changing hardware, moving to a new device covers the wider process.
Frequently asked questions
How many channels should be in my favourites list?
For most households, fifteen to forty. Past about sixty you have built a second full list rather than a shortcut, and the speed benefit disappears.
Does hiding channels delete them?
No. Hiding only removes a group from your list, your search results and your guide on that device. You can bring it back at any time, and nothing changes on the subscription itself.
Why do my channel numbers keep changing?
Numbers usually come from the provider’s list rather than your player, so when channels are added or removed upstream everything below the change shifts. A favourites list with your own ordering insulates you from most of it.
Will hiding groups make the guide load faster?
Usually yes, and noticeably so on television hardware. The player stops fetching and drawing programme data for channels you have hidden, which is where much of the delay comes from on a large list.
Do I lose my favourites if I reinstall the player?
Normally yes, because they are stored on the device. Export the configuration if your player supports it, and otherwise keep a written list of the channels so a rebuild takes minutes rather than an evening.