KODI is a multimedia center with a great capacity to reproduce local content. We can play videos, music and even play video games from the player's interface. If we want to watch television we can also configure the IPTV channels that broadcast open, or watch series and movies for free in streaming through 100% legal platforms. The possibilities are almost endless.
However, to do all of these things, in most cases we will need install add-ons or "add-ons" for our KODI. These add-ons are programs that are normally developed by KODI users themselves, and to be able to use them it is necessary to install them by hand.
How to install and configure add-ons for KODI
Indeed, the KODI interface may not be as intuitive as we would like. Therefore, if this is the first time that we try to install one of these add-ons, it is possible that it will make us a little crazy if we try to go blind.
When it comes to installing add-ons, we basically have 2 options:
- Do it from the official add-on repository.
- From external sources.
How to install an add-on on KODI from the official repository
Before starting, if you still do not have KODI installed on your device, you can download it from the Play Store or from the official website of the application.
Download QR-Code Kodi Developer: XBMC Foundation Price: Free The add-ons that we find in the official repository they are the ones that have gotten the go-ahead from the KODI developers. This means that its code and operation have been reviewed and that it is a safe plugin that does not infringe any copyright.
Here we find add-ons such as YouTube, Netflix, Spotify, emulators, IPTV clients, subtitles, song lyrics, customization skins and many other accessories to add new functionalities to our home theater.
For the example of this tutorial we are going to show how the installation process of the official YouTube add-on would be.
- The first thing we have to do is click on the option "Add-ons”Located in the KODI side menu. If this is the first time we have installed an add-on, we will see a message that says “Enter add-on browser”. We click on it.
- We click on "Install from repository"(If we know the exact name of the plugin we can also look for it from the option"Search”).
- Here we will see a list of all available add-ons classified by type (music, images, games, video, etc.). As we want to install the YouTube add-on, we select "Video add-ons”.
- Once we have located the YouTube add-on, click on it to access its installation and configuration panel.
- To install the add-on, just click on the box that says “Install”.
- Before starting the installation, KODI may ask us to install some additional plugins necessary for its operation. We press "okay”.
Once this is done, the system will begin to install all the dependencies and files necessary for the add-on to work. When the installation is complete we will see a message on the screen indicating that everything has gone correctly.
In our case, since YouTube is a video add-on, we will see how it appears within the add-ons menu, within the category “Video Add-ons”.
If we want to install any other add-on for KODI from the official repository, we just have to repeat this same process as many times as we see fit.
How to install add-ons on KODI from external repositories
KODI also offers the ability to install add-ons outside of the official add-on repository. These are add-ons developed by third parties and are considered "external source" add-ons.
If we come across one of these add-ons while browsing the Internet, we can install it on KODI by following these steps:
- The first thing we have to do is enable the use of unknown sources. For it, click on the gear icon that appears in the side menu.
- We are going to "System -> Add-ons"And we make sure that the"Unknown sources" it's activated.
- Now, we download the ZIP of the repository that we want to add, and we save it in the internal memory of our device. We return to KODI and in the side menu we select "Add-ons", and then, click on the open box icon that appears in the top margin.
- From the add-on explorer, we select "Install from ZIP”And install the repository that we just downloaded.
Once this is done, the new repository will be added to the list, and we can install any of the add-ons it contains from the "Add-ons -> Install from repository”, As we have done in the first point of this tutorial.
How to configure an add-on
Most KODI add-ons allow you to make some adjustments. Sometimes it comes down to logging in, setting video quality, subtitles, etc.
If we are using a PC, we can show the configuration menu right clicking with the mouse on the add-on icon in the main menu, or making a long press on the screen if we are using an Android device.
Once we are inside, we can tweak all the relevant settings so that the plugin works according to our preferences.
Lastly, we should mention that if we find an add-on from an external repository, and it seems too good to be true, it is most likely pirated. KODI does not encourage or recommend these types of add-ons, so we are not adding any such links here. In fact, it is something that has caused a lot of problems for the KODI project, and we do not want an application as complete and valuable as this to be jeopardized by these kinds of issues.
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