HLS encryption key has no URI
A segment declares an encryption method but no key location, so it cannot be decrypted.
What it means
An EXT-X-KEY tag names a method other than NONE but omits the URI attribute that says where to fetch the key.
Why it matters
The media is unplayable. The player knows it needs to decrypt and has no way to obtain the key, so it fails at the first encrypted segment.
How to fix it
- Add URI="..." to the EXT-X-KEY tag, pointing at your key server or key file.
- Check the key server is reachable from the viewer’s network, not just from your own.
- Make sure the key endpoint sends CORS headers if the player is a browser.
Check your own stream
The free HLS analyzer runs this check on every analysis and links each finding straight back here.
Open the HLS analyzer →Frequently asked questions
- What does "HLS encryption key has no URI" mean?
- An EXT-X-KEY tag names a method other than NONE but omits the URI attribute that says where to fetch the key.
- Why does it matter?
- The media is unplayable. The player knows it needs to decrypt and has no way to obtain the key, so it fails at the first encrypted segment.
- How do I fix it?
- 1. Add URI="..." to the EXT-X-KEY tag, pointing at your key server or key file. 2. Check the key server is reachable from the viewer’s network, not just from your own. 3. Make sure the key endpoint sends CORS headers if the player is a browser.
- How do I check an HLS playlist for this automatically?
- Paste the master or media playlist URL into the free HLS analyzer. It runs this check on every analysis alongside the ladder, timing and live-edge audits, and links each finding back to the page that explains it.
- What is the first thing to try?
- Add URI="..." to the EXT-X-KEY tag, pointing at your key server or key file.
Related HLS checks
- HLS ladder has a bitrate inversionA lower-resolution variant is allocated more bandwidth than a higher-resolution one, so adaptive switching picks the wrong rendition.
- HLS variant is missing the CODECS attributeWithout CODECS, players must download a segment before they can tell whether they can play the rendition at all.
- HLS variant references an undeclared rendition groupA variant points at an AUDIO or SUBTITLES group that has no matching EXT-X-MEDIA entry, which breaks playback on strict players.
- HLS segment is longer than EXT-X-TARGETDURATIONA segment rounds to more than the declared target duration, which violates the HLS specification.
- HLS live window is shorter than three target durationsThe playlist holds too little content, so any player that falls slightly behind runs off the end of the window.
- HLS playlist has no EXT-X-PROGRAM-DATE-TIMEWithout program date-time the stream cannot be mapped to wall-clock time, which breaks DVR seeking and multi-stream alignment.