Kodi is a free, open-source media centre for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and Fire TV. Out of the box it plays your own videos and music. Add the official PVR IPTV Simple Client and it becomes a capable live-TV player with a full programme guide, channel groups and favourites.
Getting Kodi on your device
Always download Kodi from kodi.tv or an official app store. The Kodi team doesn't sell Kodi, and versions that come pre-loaded with extras are not official.
| Device | Where to get Kodi |
|---|---|
| Windows | kodi.tv or the Microsoft Store |
| Mac | kodi.tv |
| Android phones, Android TV and Google TV | Google Play |
| Fire TV (Fire OS models) | kodi.tv, using the Downloader app (see our Fire TV guide) |
| Fire TV (Vega OS models) | Not available |
| iPhone, iPad and Apple TV | Not in the App Store; use an App Store player instead |
Before you start
- The latest Kodi from kodi.tv or your device's official app store.
- Your M3U playlist link, and an EPG (XMLTV) link if your provider gives you a separate one.
Install and configure PVR IPTV Simple Client
Open the add-on browser
Go to Settings (the cog) > Add-ons > Install from repository > PVR clients.Install the client
Select PVR IPTV Simple Client and choose Install.Open its settings
Choose Configure. On recent Kodi versions you may first need to select “Add add-on configuration”, which lets you add more than one playlist.Add your playlist
Under General, set Location to Remote path (Internet address) and paste your M3U link into M3U playlist URL.Add your guide
Under EPG, set the location to Remote path and paste your XMLTV link. Leave the time shift at 0 unless listings are out.Restart Kodi
Close Kodi fully and reopen it. Channels appear under TV on the home screen, and the guide fills in shortly after.
If your service offers catch-up, look at the add-on's Catchup settings too. Once it's switched on, channels with an archive let you play programmes that have already aired from the guide.
Making Kodi feel like a TV box
- Set Kodi to open straight into the TV section in Settings > Interface > Startup.
- Use channel groups from your playlist to keep the guide manageable.
- In Settings > PVR & Live TV, adjust how many past and future days the guide shows and how often it refreshes. Lower values help on low-power devices such as Fire TV Sticks.
- On Android and Fire TV, enable hardware acceleration in the player settings for smoother HD and 4K playback.
- Add your most-watched channels to favourites from the channel's context menu (long-press OK on a remote, or right-click with a mouse).
Common Kodi IPTV problems
No TV section on the home screen
Make sure the add-on is enabled, then check TV is switched on in the home-screen menu settings.
“No channels” or a failed connection
Check the M3U link is complete and correct, including http:// or https://. Open the link in VLC to confirm it works outside Kodi.
Guide empty or out of time
Add or correct the EPG link, then clear the guide data from Settings > PVR & Live TV > Guide. If times are out, check your device's time zone. Our EPG guide has more detail.
Channels changed but Kodi still shows the old list
Kodi caches the channel list. Clear the data in Settings > PVR & Live TV > General, then restart Kodi so the add-on loads your playlist again.
Stuttering playback
See our buffering guide, and on a Fire TV Stick our tips for a slow Fire Stick.
Is Kodi the right player for you?
Kodi suits people who already use it for their own media, or who want one free app that works the same on a computer and a TV box. It takes longer to set up than a dedicated player and has no Xtream Codes sign-in. If you mainly want live TV on an Android TV or Fire TV device, TiviMate is quicker to get going; on a computer, our Windows and Mac guides compare the alternatives.
Sources
We checked the facts on this page that come from other organisations against these sources in October 2026.
- Download Kodi (Kodi)