Kodi is a free and open source media player application developed by the XBMC Foundation, a non-profit technology consortium. Kodi is available for multiple operating-systems and hardware platforms, featuring a 10-foot user interface for use with televisions and remote controls. The stable release of Kodi 18 Leia is finally out! Here's how to install Kodi 18 on any device, including your Amazon Firestick. Or, if you still want to use the older versions, we'll give you guidance on how to install Kodi 17.6 as well.
Kodi is one of the best ways to organize your entertainment content. Right “out of the box,” Kodi offers a ton of ways to make your library look better and help you find something to watch. But there's more to Kodi that comes with a simple initial installation. For many of Kodi's biggest fans, the real appeal of the app lies in its add-ons. That's why we're here today to discuss how to install Kodi add-ons.
Add-ons are extensions that can change and expand the ways in which Kodi works. There are a ton of these things: since Kodi is open-source, anyone with the right skill set can make add-ons that play nice with the program. Those add-ons can do anything from change the way Kodi looks to add new ways to stream content.
Some add-ons are endorsed by Kodi. Some aren't — and some are even illegal. Kodi has made a greater effort in recent years to banish the bad eggs and actively endorse certain legal add-ons, but it's still possible to get the shady ones, if that's what you're into. Meanwhile, fans of using Kodi legally will have no trouble getting the add-ons they want (and should also have no trouble distinguishing between the good ones and the bad).
How to Install Kodi Add-ons: 3 Different Methods
There are a few different ways to get and install Kodi add-ons. Depending on which add-ons you're after, your options may vary.
The first and easiest way to install Kodi add-ons is to grab them from the default repository. Kodi makes this easy to do right out of the box.
Another method is to add a new repository. Like the default repository, other repositories give you quick access to a selection of add-ons through Kodi's menus. Once you've added a new repository, you can add add-ons from it using the same process as is used with the default repository.
Finally, you can add Kodi add-ons by downloading them directly as .zip files, then installing them using an option that's built into Kodi.
Here is everything you need to know about all three methods.
Method 1: Using the Default Repository
This super-simple method requires you to do nothing other than click a few things in Kodi's menus. It's all you'll need in order to get the add-ons that Kodi approved of most.
Step 1: Select the Add-ons Tab
Add-ons get their own tab in Kodi's main menu. If you're using the default skin, you'll find the Add-ons button on the left side of your screen.
Step 2: Navigate to the Add-On Browser
If you don't have any add-ons yet, you'll see a screen that looks like this:
Click Enter add-on browser.
If you do have add-ons already, your screen will look a little different:
But you can still quickly reach the right spot. Just select Install from repository and you'll be a little bit ahead of the game when you move on to the next step.
Step 3: Select “Install from repository” and select your add-on
You should see a menu that looks like this:
Click Install from repository. Kodi will serve up a file system full of different categories of add-ons. Just surf around and check out your options. When you find one you want, click it!
Step 4: Just Press “Install!”
Once you've clicked on an add-on you want to install, you'll get a simple screen with a button that says Install. You probably would have figured this out yourself, but that's the button you'll want to hit in order to install the add-on.
Method 2: Add a New Repository
A repository is a big stash of add-ons. These add-ons aren't installed yet when you grab a repository — the idea of the repository is that it makes installing add-ons easier. Kodi has an official repository of add-ons built right into its out-of-the-box version, but you can also add repositories of your own.
Of course, now we're talking about add-ons that have not been specifically approved and endorsed by Kodi. Plenty of these sorts of add-ons are legal, and lots of them are great, but you'll want to use your own judgment here.
Step 1: Find the URL of a Repository You Want
For our purposes here, I've chosen the extremely popular SuperRepo repository.
In subsequent steps, we'll tell Kodi this URL so that it can download the repository. The URL for the SuperRepo depository is http://srp.nu/ — you can find the URLs of all sorts of other repositories online. Again, just keep in mind that repositories (like the add-ons they contain) can run the gamut from safe and trustworthy to, well, less so.
Step 2: In Kodi, Navigate to Settings>File Manager>Add Source
Settings is a top-level menu option in Kodi. If you're using the default skin, the Settings button is a little gear button above the main menu, between the “Power” and “Search” buttons.
Once you're in the Settings menu, just click the File Manager button. It's on the right side of the bottom row if you're using Kodi's default look.
You'll be greeted with a little menu with two options. Select Add Source. You'll have to double-click it.
Step 3: Input the Repository URL and Name
Double-clicking Add Source will give you a pop-up menu. You'll see an option labeled . click that, and you'll get another pop-up window that prompts you for “media locations.”
Enter the repository URL into this text box. If you're going with the SuperRepo repository, as we are in this example, you'll be entering that URL we found above: http://srp.nu/
Hit OK, and you'll be back to that first pop-up menu. You should see the repository URL in the spot where “” used to be.
Now go ahead and give your media source a name using the text box near the bottom of the pop-up. For this example, we'll label the SuperRepo repository “SuperRepo,” since that seems sensible enough.
Now go ahead and Hit OK.
What we've done here is given Kodi the directions to the repository online. With that done, we can now go download the repository through Kodi's menus.
Step 4: From Kodi's Main Menu, Navigate to Add-ons>Package Installer>Install from zip file
Hit escape or otherwise backtrack to Kodi's main menu. From there, click the Add-ons tab.
Once in the Add-ons tab, you should see a button with an open box icon on it. That's the Package Installer button, so click that next.
You'll get a menu that includes the option to Install from zip file. Click that one.
Step 5: If You Haven't Already, Allow Installations from Unknown Sources
Unless you've swapped the setting previously, Kodi is going to object when you click “Install from zip file.” You'll get an error message that says “For security, installation of add-ons from unknown sources is disabled.”
No biggie. Just click Settings on that pop-up warning. It will take you to the screen where you can toggle that Unknown sources setting. Enable it, and you'll be good to go.
If you click the wrong button, you can trigger the error message again by just repeated Step 4. Or, you can just navigate from the main menu to Settings>System>Add-ons to find the Unknown sources option on your own.
Step 6: Install Your Repository
Once you have told Kodi that you're okay with unknown sources, you should get through Step 4 just fine. That will give you a pop-up menu that lets you locate the zip file you want. Since you've added your repository's URL as a source in Steps 1 through 3, you'll see your repository as an option (aren't you glad you gave it a sensible name?). Click it!
Most likely, you'll see more folders once you click on the main one. If you went with SuperRepo, as in our example here, you'll want to next click the folder for the version of Kodi you're using (as of this writing, Krypton is the current version). After that, you can choose to download the whole repository (the all folder) or just the parts that cover certain categories of add-ons.
Work your way through the folders and locate the right option for you. Once you find a zip file, click it to install it.
That's it: your repository is ready to use. So let's use it!
Step 6: Follow the Steps from Method A
You've added a lot of add-on options, but you haven't actually installed a single add-on yet — so let's do that now!
Now that you have a new repository, you'll find its add-on options available alongside the ones from the default repository. To install an add-on from your new repository, just follow the same steps we outlined for the default repository. They're right up above under the Method 1 header.
Method 3: Install a Kodi Add-on from a Zip File
Not all Kodi add-ons are included in popular repositories. And, sometimes, it's just as easy to download an add-on directly as it is to download a whole repository. If you just want one add-on, why bother with the repository? In these cases, you can grab a zip file of the add-on in question and just add it directly.
Of course, it will be up to you to determine if the add-on is legal and safe. With that disclaimer, let's go get ourselves an add-on.
Step 1: Download a Zip File (Or Set up a URL Source)
If we want to install an add-on from a zip file, then we'll need a zip file, of course. Find the zip file of the add-on you want and download it.
Or, if you prefer, you can enter the URL of the zip file as a source in Kodi's File Manager (Settings>File Manager>Add Source). For more detailed directions regarding this method, check out Steps 2 through 3 under Method 2.
Step 2: Navigate to Add-ons>Add-on Browser>Install from zip file
From Kodi's main menu, select the Add-ons tab. If you don't yet have any add-ons, you can hop right to the Add-ons Browser by clicking on the relevant button. If you already have add-ons, click the My Add-ons button and then select the ellipsis (…) to hop backwards into the Add-on Browser.
Once in the Add-on Browser, just click Install from zip file.
Step 3: Select Your Zip File
Install Kodi 17.6 Addons
When you select Install from zip file, you'll get a pop-up menu that will allow you to navigate through your file systems or select URL sources that you've given Kodi the details on. Depending on what you did in Step 1, you'll either be headed to whatever folder you downloaded your zip file to or simply clicking on the source you created with Kodi.
Either way, Kodi will cheerfully download your new add-on. You're done!
New to Kodi? Looking for a refresh in information? Check out our complete 2018 Kodi setup guide for information on how to set things up on Android, Amazon Fire, Windows, Mac, Linux, and any other supported operating system. This is intended for new and inexperienced Kodi users who might not know some of the tricks to get a fully functional Kodi setup with minimal effort!
Are you new to the world of Kodi? Looking for a complete Kodi setup guide to help you get started? This is a complete guide intended to help you better understand Kodi, access content, and turn it into your own personal media center.
Never, EVER spend extra money from these so called Kodi “experts” who promise to get your premium add-ons and skins for a discounted price. Those people are doing exactly what I’m about to show you and cannot provide you any special Kodi setup that you can’t get yourself.
If you are in the market for a new Kodi box, check out our store page by clicking here. We’ve hand-picked some of our favorite Kodi boxes for you to try out!
NOTE: If you are more advanced than this guide and were looking for information on how to reset Kodi back to default installation, check out our Kodi Fresh Start guide for more information.
Step 1: How to Install Kodi
Android
If you bought an Android TV box, Kodi is most likely already installed for you. You can find the “K” Kodi icon on the home screen of your Android box and click on it to launch the application right away. If you don’t have Kodi installed on you Android box, the steps are very easy. As well, if you want to completely start fresh in Kodi, you can uninstall the application and use the steps below to re-download a fresh copy.
- Launch the Google Play Store rom your Android TV home screen. Login or create a Gmail account in order to access the store.
- Use the Search bar to find “Kodi”.
- Click on the Kodi icon from the search results and then click on Install. After Kodi has finished installing, you can either open it right from this screen or find Kodi on your Android TV Apps menu.
Other Operating Systems (Windows, Mac, Linux, etc)
For other operating systems, the procedure on how to install Kodi is virtually identical.
- Visit the official Kodi website at kodi.tv and then click on the Downloads page.
- Select your operating system and then click on the Download button that applies to you.
- After Kodi has finished downloading, find the executable package in you Downloads folder. Double click on it to launch the installer and follow the install steps on the screen.
- After Kodi has finished installing, it will be found in your Applications area.
Step 2: Install a Kodi Skin (Optional)
The first step you may want to take in Kodi is installing a Kodi skin. A skin changes the look and feel of your system with different graphics and design, as well as customized menus. The Estuary skin introduced as the default in Kodi 17 is fairly high powered and simple to use, so this step is not mandatory. For ease, all of the guides on our site assume that you are using Estuary, so be aware that a different skin may change the look and location of key menus.
If you do want to check out a new skin, we’ve put this step first, so that you can get used to where menus are when you install addons in the next step.
Kodi comes with a wide selection of skins to try out. We have featured a few of these skins and have provided tips for installing and configuring them with your Kodi setup. Check out some of our recommended skins below:
The best way to become familiar with your Kodi setup is by using it and getting comfortable with how the interface behaves.
We don’t recommend installing a pre-made build because you don’t learn anything. Kodi is not a plug-and-play, set it and forget it kind of software. It often requires the installation and deletion of specific addons in order to keep things running smooth. Most Kodi builds are loaded with a bunch of outdated add-ons and unnecessary crap that you will never use and these will slow down your Kodi box and make troubleshooting problems impossible.
We only provide support for your add-ons if you install them from the official repositories which are listed in all of our install guides. Troubleshooting all of the potential issues that arise from custom builds and non-official sources is simply too hard.
Step 3: Installing Kodi Add-ons
You may have heard some heat on Kodi in the news lately over the use and access to questionable grey area content. For that reason, we put Kodi addons into two separate categories: official content and third-party sources.
Official Kodi addons only contain content from 100% verified sources. They are confirmed to be legal in 100% of locations around the world.
Third-party Kodi addons contain grey area content that cannot be verified from official sources. This does not mean that there are any legal restrictions to viewing content from these addons. It means that rules and regulations may change from country to country.
One thing that is fact is that Kodi addons themselves do not host any content. They simply look for and retrieve media files found on the public internet.
We have no control over and do not host or upload any video, films, media file, or live streams. KodiTips is not responsible for the accuracy, compliance, copyright, legality, decency, or any other aspect of the content of streamed from your device. If you have any legal issues please contact the appropriate media file owners or host sites.
With that out of the way, which Kodi addons should you install? Which work the best? We’ve compiled a monthly best Kodi addons that we keep up to date constantly.
It is truly impossible to pinpoint what the best addon for YOU is. Addons pull content from the internet from sources located in different countries and areas. The server you connect to may be fast or slow for you based on your country. As well, some internet service providers in certain countries block some sources in your Kodi setup. If this is true for you, we recommend signing up to a VPN and making yourself appear from a different location in order to access geo-blocked content.
Optional Kodi Setup Guide Tips & Tricks
There are some further Kodi setup guide tips and tricks that you may want to configure in order to improve your experience. All of these steps are completely optional and are dependent on your preferences.
Kodi Zoomed In Screen Fix
Does your Kodi screen look a little zoomed in, cutting off some text and menus? This is a common problem depending on your Kodi setup and is very easy to fix!
- From the main menu, navigate to SYSTEM > Settings > Appearance
- Click on your “Settings Level” until it is set to either the Advanced or Expert level.
- Under the “Skin” section, scroll down until you see the “Zoom” field and set this to your liking. Generally, -4% works well.
Setup A VPN Service
A VPN service helps you hide the traffic from your Kodi box. While streaming content is not illegal, some internet service providers are trying to block users from excessive content. As well, many of throttling user’s internet speed if they watch too much.
A VPN service like NordVPN or IPVanish can help you hide your identity on the internet. It can make your Kodi box appear as if it is in any country, which is handy for accessing content which may be geo-blocked in your area.
The cost of a premium VPN service like IPVanish or NordVPN is about as much as a Starbucks Coffee per month.
Real-Debrid
Real-Debrid is a premium paid service that gives you unfiltered access to some of the best and fastest web hosting websites. Kodi add-ons that use Real-Debrid hosts give you faster and higher quality streams than free ones do. The cost for Real-Debrid is about $3 per month. If you would like to read more information, click here to go to our feature page on Real-Debrid.
LazyTV
LazyTV is a great program add-on that makes watching TV shows on Kodi way easier. Two of the main features of Lazy TV are:
- Automatically get prompted to watch the next TV episode after watching in an add-on like Genesis or SALTs so that you don’t have to manually select the next episode.
- Set certain shows in your library to “randomize” so that you can lazily watch a random episode of a TV show without manually having to choose. I set certain sitcoms like Friends or Seinfeld in this mode where the storyline of the show is not that important.
To install LazyTV, follow our instructions guide here.
Install Kodi 17.6
TV Show – Next Aired
The Next Aired program add-on for Kodi presents all of the shows saved to your library in a TV Guide table format so that you can see what days new episodes air! This is great for keeping up to date
How to Reduce Buffering in Kodi
Buffer in Kodi can be a result of your connection or the connection of the sever you are connecting to. If order to ensure that the issue is not on your side, the following is recommended:
- 5mbps internet connection or better.
- Hard-wired Ethernet connection to your home network
If your Kodi box is using wireless internet, you are going to receive 10x or worse latency compared to a wired connection and you will always see additional buffer, especially with live content.
For more advanced users, there is a utility that can help you reduce buffer further. You can read the details about this fix to reduce buffer by clicking here.
Understanding How Kodi Addons Work
Install Kodi 7.6 Add-ons
It is important that you understand how Kodi addons work so that you have a good understand of whether or not your problem is for real or not. We’ve created a guide for explaining how addons work, which you can read by clicking here.
Other Kodi Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
We’ve compiled a bigger list of frequently asked questions and pain points from Kodi users. If you are having some issues, check out our FAQ at this link for more information.
Install Kodi On Computer
Do you have any more Kodi setup tips and tricks for first time users? Let us know on Facebook and Twitter today!