KODI, how to install add-ons and configure all easily

We explain in a simple way how to install add-ons and configure KODI, easily integrate the most useful add-ons and get the most out of your system.

KODI add-ons are essential if we want to watch all kinds of content such as live broadcasts, streaming movies, series or documentaries from any type of source. In addition, we will learn how to add content from our local network easily. Alternatively, we can also install LibreELEC as the main system or directly install our IPTV lists directly.

Check our List of recommended Android TV-Box or mini PC devices.

Table of Contents

KODI BASIC CONCEPTS

What is KODI?

The KODI software is an open source software that helps us to manage and reproduce the multimedia contents of our local library or view contents from internet streaming in addition to many other options. This software is an evolution of the parent program called XBMC that was born with the first XBOX console, to know more about its history we recommend read the project wiki.

NOTE: KODI has nothing to do with non-legal content, it is just a program that allows you to reproduce content from various sources that are the responsibility of the user and not of this software.

Install KODI

There are several types of versions of KODI the “Final” which is the normal version to use and those that are in development that are more unstable or work only partially, within this last type we have various versions of evolution “Candidate”, “Release”, “Alpha” and the “Nightly” which are unstable versions. The add-on versions can be available for Linux, Raspberry Pi, iOS, Mac OS X or other systems.

To download KODI we can go to their website and download the file of the specific version
KODI Windows:
– Download their Installer and execute the executable EXE file.
KODI Android:
– Download from Google Play
– Download the APK version “ARMv7a (32bit)” for all TV-Box with ARM processor
– Download the APK version “ARMv8A (64bit)” for NVIDIA Shield TV or the SoC Realtek or Rockchip
– Download the APK version “x86” for all TV-Box with Intel processor
SPMC Android
– Download your APK from the official website of this project or from Google Play

INSTALL ADD-ONS IN KODI

What is an add-on in KODI?

The KODI add-ons are a system to install new functions or content sources to KODI. In this article we will see the ones that add streaming content, we can found this sources in two main add-ons formats, with “Repository” (they are automatically updated by connecting to a remote server) that are already available in KODI in the section ” Add-ons “and those that do not come in this section by default, these last ones will have to be installed manually with a ZIP as explained below in this article.

Install an add-on in KODI from a repository

Let’s go to the Add-ons section.
We enter the category that interests us and click on the add-ons browser.
We select the add-on that interests us and press install
The add-on will be downloaded and installed automatically
We will have it available in the main menu KODI > Addo-ons

Installation an add-on in KODI in zip format

Optional: You can change the interface languaje in KODI, go to Settings> Interface> Regional> Select Language

Download the ZIP file of the add-on that we want to install on our device from its website.
For a TV-Box you can usually download the Android version unless we have LibreELEC and download the Linux version.
If we have different architectures to download, we will always use the ARM version v7, it is the most compatible
Run KODI
Go to: Settings > System settings > Add-ons = Activate “Unknown sources”
Go to: Add-ons > Click on the BOX icon
Click on “Install from a .zip file”
Locate by means of the file explorer the add-on downloaded in ZIP format and press OK
After that we already have the Add-on installed, to execute it we go to the main menu and within Add-ons we can select it

ADD LOCAL NETWORK FOLDERS

We can add folders from our local network using SAMBA in a simple way in KODI, so we will have at our disposal all the files that we have downloaded in a simple way. To learn more about what this type of networks are and what limitations we can have, we recommend reading our SAMBA network configuration and use manual.

Guide to configure the SAMBA connection between KODI and our server.

REMOTE CONTROL OF KODI WITH KORE

It is possible to remotely control KODI with the Kore app from our mobile, it is a very simple and practical process, in the following manual you have all the steps to perform this process.

Control with the app Kore the KODI system from your smartphone.

KODI BACKUP FOR ADD-ONS

If we want, we can make a backup of the installed add-ons and settings. Then it is possible to install the old version of KODI as explained in this guide and restore the add-ons from this backup.