Kodi is a popular media server application that can not only help you manage your offline media library but also stream online content. What’s surprising to me is that despite being so useful, apart from its dedicated core users, no one seems to know what it does. I mean people who use Kodi sing paeans about it and those who don’t use it know nothing about it. We want to change that perception with this article. Kodi is a free and open-source tool that can organize local media files into a single, cohesive interface. Among many things, Kodi has a powerful media player that can stream a wide range of media formats. And in this article, we are going to tell you everything about it and help you get started with this awesome app.
Before we move to the article, I want to outline all the topics that I have covered in this explainer. You can easily move back and forth from the links below.
What Exactly is Kodi?
About 10 years back when internet speed was abysmal and online streaming platforms were close to naught, there was a culture of owning physical copies of movies, music, etc. Users preferred to download media content over the internet instead of streaming it because the internet speed sucked.
You had to run through hoops to find the content you wanted to play. Sometimes, the native media player wouldn’t even play it because it didn’t support the media format. Kodi came as a solution to all these problems. It streamlined every single thing and brought the entire media-consumption experience under one roof.
Kodi has become a powerful media center app. Kodi has gone through many iterations of development and by now, it has amassed many useful features including the ability to stream content, support for different add-ons and repositories, themes support, and more.
Kodi is an open-source app with huge community support. It’s available on all major platforms including Windows, macOS, Android, Linux, iOS, and host of other devices. There is so much more about Kodi that I can’t fit it in a single paragraph here.
Kodi is available on a multitude of devices including Android, iOS, macOS, Windows, Linux, Fire TV, and more. Since we have already published Kodi installation guides for all these platforms, you can just click on the links below to see how you can install Kodi on your device.
How to Use Kodi
Now that you have gone through Kodi’s installation process, let us proceed with some basic level stuff on how to use Kodi. In this section, I will start with the interface and then go deep into settings and add-ons to explain Kodi’s useful features.
- Understanding the Kodi User Interface
To use Kodi, you will have to understand its user interface first. Thankfully, the default Kodi interface is pretty basic and clean. The latest Kodi version is 18.2 (codenamed Leia) and the below screenshots are grabbed from the same version. You have multiple menus on the left side which are categorized based on the type of content.
Understanding the Kodi User Interface
To make your Kodi home screen visually pleasing, you can add weather information or you can use different Kodi skins which basically overhaul Kodi’s UI.
Plunging into the World of Kodi Add-ons
Kodi has something called Kodi Add-ons which are basically apps built for Kodi. They are very similar to Android or iOS apps which can be installed on top of Kodi to bring extra functionality, content, and features. Just like App Store or Play Store, Kodi has an in-built, official repository that hosts thousands of add-ons.
Warning: Some of the websites hosting the Kodi addons contain tracking pixels. If you don’t want to give away your personal information like IP address, you should use VPNs. Remember to check out our article on the best free VPNs for the same.
How to Install Addons on Kodi
First of all, move to the “Add-ons” tab and click on the “box” icon.
Upon selecting the repository, choose “All repositories” and then move to “Video add-ons“ if you want to watch movies and TV shows. You can also go through other categories.
- How to Use Kodi Addons to Watch Movies, Shows, Live TV, and More
You just need to follow the steps that we have mentioned above on how to install video addons. From there, you can find many addons for watching movies, TV shows, streaming live TV and more. That said, my personal recommendation would be the Exodus addon as it’s a complete package and brings all kinds of content, be it movies, TV shows, or live TV channels.
How to Use Kodi Addons to Watch Movies, Shows, Live TV, and More
What is Kodi Build?
If you are a beginner then you must be wondering what is Kodi build and how it’s different from Kodi addon. Well, Kodi build is a custom package that comes with a unique skin, some powerful addons for streaming movies and TV shows, utility addons like subtitle manager, maintenance tools, and more.
How to Use a Kodi Build?
First off, you need to download the ZIP file of your favorite Kodi Build.
Now, locate the downloaded ZIP file on your device and click on the “OK” button.
The wizard will start downloading the build after a few seconds. Generally, builds are quite heavy so keep patience while it downloads and installs itself.
How to Add Addons to a Build?
The process to install an addon on a Build is pretty similar to the one on the default Kodi setup. You just have to move to the “Add-on” tab and from there, you can either choose the ZIP file or download the addon from an online source. Despite being on a third-party build, you will still have access to official Kodi addons so that is great.
Going Deep into Settings
You will seldom need to visit the Settings page. However, if you want to become a pro Kodi user, you must be acquainted with it. You can access the Settings tab from the gear icon on top.
- Shortcuts
While I have mentioned the major features of Kodi, there are still a few useful hacks you should know about. Talking about usefulness, keyboard shortcuts make things a hell lot easier on Kodi.
Shortcuts
For example, you can play a video by just pressing the “P” key, stop the playback by pressing the “X” key, and so on. It’s just so easy and effortless. To know all the shortcuts available on Kodi, you can check our top 20 Kodi shortcuts here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Why Don’t I See the Add-on I am Looking For?
Sometimes, an addon is not compatible with the current Kodi version and in that case, the add-on does not show up. You can, however, use the search button under the “Add-ons” tab to universally search for addons from all repositories– official and third-parties included. It’s the easiest way to find hidden Kodi addons.
Of late, Exodus has gone through several changes and it’s no longer available on Fusion repository. Currently, a developer named IAC is maintaining the new Exodus addon and you can download the ZIP file from here.
There are hundreds of video addons on Kodi, but very few servers that offer reliable playback and authentic source. That’s why you need to use a well-sourced addon. Apart from that, you can integrate Real-Debrid with your video addon to get top working links having high-speed servers. In case you are unaware, Real-Debrid is a paid service that hosts tons of media content and offers unrestricted download speed. It will offer you the best source to stream movies which will significantly reduce buffering.
By definition, VPN means virtual private network which is kind of self-explanatory. With VPN turned on, you are connected to a private tunnel where no one can read what you are browsing– not even your ISP, the government, or the VPN provider itself. It basically allows you to hide your identity and browsing activity on the web.
