What Is a PLS File? GA S REGULAR Menu Lifewire Tech for Humans Newsletter! Search Close GO Software & Apps > File Types 23 23 people found this article helpful

What Is a PLS File?

How to open, edit, and convert PLS files

By Tim Fisher Tim Fisher Senior Vice President & Group General Manager, Tech & Sustainability Emporia State University Tim Fisher has more than 30 years' of professional technology experience. He's been writing about tech for more than two decades and serves as the VP and General Manager of Lifewire. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on October 6, 2021 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email File Types File Types Apps Windows MS Office Linux Google Drive Backup & Utilities Design Cryptocurrency A file with the PLS file extension is most likely an Audio Playlist file. They are plain text files that reference the location of audio files so that a media player can queue the files and play them one after the other. It's important to understand that PLS files aren't the actual audio files that the media player is opening; they're just references or links to the MP3s (or whatever format the files are in). However, some PLS files may instead be MYOB Accounting Data files or a PicoLog Settings files. There's also something called PLS_INTEGER that has nothing to do with any of these PLS file formats. PLS is also short for tech terms like physical layer switch, please (texting jargon), and private line service.

How to Open a PLS File

Audio Playlist files with the .PLS file extension can be opened with iTunes, Winamp Media Player, VLC, PotPlayer, Helium, Clementine, CyberLink PowerDVD, AudioStation, and other media management software programs. You can also open PLS files in Windows Media Player with Open PLS in WMP. (You can read more about how to do that in this gHacks.net tutorial). Like you can see below, Audio Playlist files can also be opened with a simple text editor like Notepad in Windows, or something more complex like a free text editor application. Here's a sample PLS file that has three items: [playlist]
File1=C:\Users\Jon\Music\audiofile.mp3
Title1=Audio File Over 2m Long
Length1=246
File2=C:\Users\Jon\Music\secondfile.Mid
Title2=Short 20s File
Length2=20
File3=http://radiostream.example.org
Title3: Radio Stream
Length3=-1
NumberOfEntries=3
Version=2
If you use a text editor to view or edit the PLS file, something like the above is what you'll see, which means it won't actually let you use the PLS file to play the audio. For that, you'd need one of the programs mentioned above MYOB AccountRight and MYOB AccountEdge can open PLS files that are MYOB Accounting Data files. These files are typically used to hold financial information. PLS files that are created from PicoLog data logging devices can be opened with PicoLog Data Logging Software. If you find that an application on your PC does try to open the PLS file but it's the wrong application or you'd rather have another installed program open PLS files, see how to change the default program for a specific file extension for making that change in Windows.

How to Convert a PLS File

Before we explain how to convert a PLS Audio Playlist file, you should remember that the data contained in the file is just text. This means you can only convert the file to another text-based format, not a multimedia format like MP3. One way to convert a PLS file to another playlist format is to use one of the PLS openers from above, like iTunes or VLC. Once the PLS file has been opened in VLC, for example, you can use the Media > Save Playlist to File option to convert the PLS to M3U, M3U8, or XSPF. Another option is to use Online Playlist Creator to convert the PLS to WPL (a Windows Media Player Playlist file) or some other playlist file format. To convert the PLS file this way, you have to paste the contents of the .PLS file into a text box; you can copy the text out of the PLS file using a text editor. You can probably convert MYOB Accounting Data files and PicoLog Settings files from PLS to another file format using one of the programs from above that can open the file.

Still Can' t Open the File

If none of the information above has been helpful in opening your file, it's possible you're just misreading the file extension. Some file extensions are spelled in almost the exact same way as PLS files but they aren't related to the formats from above and therefore won't open with the same programs. For example, PLSC (Messenger Plus! Live Script), PLIST (Mac OS X Property List), and PLT (AutoCAD Plotter Document) files don't open like PLS playlist files even though they share some of the same letters in their file extensions. Does your file have a different file extension? Research the one that you do have to get more information on the programs that can open or convert it. FAQ How do I open a PLS file in Windows Media Player? Windows Media Player doesn't support the PLS file format, but there's a free Windows software program that acts as a middleman between Windows Media Player and the PLS file. Download Open PLS in WMP and follow the prompts to open a PLS file. How do I convert a PLS file to MP3? To convert a PLS file to an MP3, you'll need a third-party converter or an online conversion tool. An example of a third-party converter is Switch Audio Converter. Download the software and follow the prompts to import and convert the PLS file. An online conversion tool option is Convertio; upload your PLS file and convert it. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire DMA File (What It Is & How to Open One) AC3 File (What It Is & How to Open One) What Is a CSI File? DDL File (What It Is & How to Open One) OGG File (What It Is and How to Open One) What Is a Text File? M4V File (What It Is and How to Open One) M File (What It Is and How to Open One) XSPF File (What It Is and How to Open One) AV File (What Is It & How to Open One) FLAC File (What It Is & How to Open One) WMA File (What It Is and How to Open One) M4P File (What It Is & How to Open One) DMC File (What It Is and How to Open One) What Is a DAT File? (And How to Open One) EDS File (What It Is and How to Open One) Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies