Simturax

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Kodi Backup is the process of saving your Kodi data folder—containing add-ons, settings, databases, playlists, and thumbnails—to a safe location. Core requirement: Always back up the entire Kodi data folder (not the program folder) to preserve your full configuration.

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⚠️ STATUS DISCLAIMER

⚠️ Important Note: Kodi has no built-in one-click backup feature. You must use either the official Backup add-on, a third-party maintenance wizard, or perform a manual file copy. The official Backup addon is found in the Kodi.tv repo and is the most reliable method for most users.

🔄 Fallback Options: If the Backup addon fails, use EZ Maintenance+ (full backup/restore), Open Wizard (legacy—use with caution), or the manual copy method described below.

⚠️ Kodi 22 “Piers” Users: The official Backup addon may hang when creating backups on Kodi 22 Alpha 1. If you are running Kodi 22 “Piers” Alpha, use the manual backup method instead, or wait for a compatible update.

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📖 Overview

What Is Kodi Backup?

Backing up Kodi means creating a copy of everything that makes your Kodi installation uniquely yours. This includes:

• All installed add-ons (video, program, skin, etc.)
• User settings (GUI preferences, source configurations)
• Library databases (your movie/TV show scraped metadata)
• Playlists and watch history
• Thumbnails and fanart cache
• Advancedsettings.xml and other configuration files

Who Is This Guide For?

This guide is for:

• Kodi beginners who want to protect their setup from crashes
• Advanced users migrating Kodi to a new device
• Build enthusiasts who want to clone their perfect configuration
• Tinkerers testing beta versions who need a safety net
• Anyone who has spent hours customizing Kodi and doesn’t want to lose it all

Value Proposition

By the end of this guide, you will be able to:

1. Back up your entire Kodi setup in under 5 minutes
2. Restore everything with a single click after a crash
3. Schedule automatic backups so you never forget
4. Migrate your configuration to any device—Firestick, Android TV, PC, or Raspberry Pi
5. Troubleshoot common backup/restore errors like a pro

“Ever hosed your Kodi configuration and wished you’d had a backup? Now you can with one easy click.”

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📋 “No-Click” Quick-Reference Cheatsheet

Tool / Addon Name	Rating	Repository	Type	Notes
Official Backup	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	Kodi.tv repo	Program Addon	Recommended — v1.7.3 (Apr 2026), 836KB, 41K+ downloads
EZ Maintenance+	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	peno64 repo	Maintenance Wizard	All-in-one maintenance + backup
Manual Copy	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	N/A	File System	Most reliable method
adbLink (adbFire)	⭐⭐⭐⭐	Softpedia	PC Tool	⚠️ May not work on Android 11+ due to scoped storage

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🛠️ Individual Tool Reviews

1. Official Backup Addon (Recommended)

The Official Backup addon (formerly XBMC Backup) is developed by robweber and is available directly from the Kodi.tv repository. It is the most reliable and well-supported backup solution for Kodi.

Key Features:

• On-demand or scheduled backups
• Selective backup of databases, playlists, thumbnails, addons, and configuration files
• Cloud storage support – backup directly to Dropbox
• Compression – save backups as ZIP files to save space
• Multiple restore points – keep a set number of backups
• Cross-platform – works on Windows, Android, Linux, macOS, iOS, and more
• MIT licensed – open source and free

Latest Version: v1.7.3 (April 19, 2026)
File Size: 836KB
Downloads: 41,181+ (most current version)

Pros:

• ✅ Official, trusted source
• ✅ Actively maintained (last update April 2026)
• ✅ Cloud backup to Dropbox
• ✅ Scheduled backups
• ✅ Selective file inclusion

Cons:

• ❌ May hang on Kodi 22 “Piers” Alpha
• ❌ May require manual reactivation of some addons after restore
• ❌ Does not restore guisettings.xml automatically in some cases

⬆ See Official Backup Installation Guide

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2. EZ Maintenance+ (Best All-in-One Alternative)

EZ Maintenance+ is a popular third-party maintenance wizard that includes full backup and restore functionality alongside cache cleaning, buffer optimization, and system tweaks.

Key Features:

• Full Backup – backs up everything (addons + settings)
• Addons Settings Only – backup only your configurations
• Automatic cache clearing on Kodi startup
• Buffer optimization for smoother streaming
• Scheduled maintenance tasks

Repository: peno64 repo (https://peno64.github.io/repository.peno64/)

Pros:

• ✅ All-in-one maintenance + backup
• ✅ Actively maintained
• ✅ User-friendly interface
• ✅ Full or partial backup options

Cons:

• ❌ Third-party (not official Kodi repo)
• ❌ May require manual installation of repository

⬆ See EZ Maintenance+ Installation Guide

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3. Open Wizard (Legacy – Not Recommended)

Open Wizard is a Kodi maintenance wizard that includes cleaning, viewing logs, persisting user data, and full backup/restore features.

⚠️ CRITICAL WARNING: This project was archived by the owner on October 30, 2022 and is NO LONGER IN DEVELOPMENT. Use at your own risk with Kodi 21+.

Key Features:

• Build backup – backup your entire Kodi build
• Selective save data – choose what to include in backups
• Log viewing and maintenance tools
• Cross-device restore – move builds between devices

Pros:

• ✅ Comprehensive maintenance suite
• ✅ Backup and restore functionality

Cons:

• ❌ Discontinued – archived October 30, 2022
• ❌ No longer actively maintained
• ❌ May not work properly with Kodi 21 (Omega) or Kodi 22 (Piers)

⬆ See Open Wizard Installation Guide

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4. Manual Backup Method (Most Reliable)

The most foolproof method: copy the entire Kodi data folder manually.

Pros:

• ✅ 100% reliable – no addon dependencies
• ✅ Works on any platform
• ✅ No third-party trust issues
• ✅ You control exactly what gets backed up
• ✅ Recommended for Kodi 22 “Piers” users

Cons:

• ❌ Manual process (no scheduling)
• ❌ Requires knowing folder locations
• ❌ No compression by default

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🔧 Official Backup Installation Guide

Prerequisite: Enable Unknown Sources

Before installing any third-party addon, you must enable “Unknown Sources” in Kodi. For detailed guidance, see our guide on enabling unknown sources on Kodi.

1. Open Kodi and click the Settings (gear icon)
2. Select System
3. Hover over Add-ons in the left menu
4. Toggle Unknown sources to ON
5. Click Yes to confirm the warning

Installing the Official Backup Addon

Method 1: Via Kodi Repository (Recommended)

1. From Kodi home screen, go to Add-ons (left menu)
2. Click the Add-on browser (open box icon) at the top-left
3. Select Install from repository
4. Select Kodi Add-on repository
5. Navigate to Program add-ons → Backup
6. Click Install
7. Wait for the “Add-on installed” notification

Method 2: Via ZIP (Manual)

1. Download the addon from the official Kodi addons page
2. In Kodi, go to Add-ons → Add-on browser → Install from zip file
3. Navigate to the downloaded .zip file and select it

Configuring the Official Backup Addon

1. Go to Add-ons → Program add-ons → Backup
2. Click Settings (or Open then Settings)
3. Configure the following tabs:

General Tab:

Setting	Description
Compress Archives	Enable to save backups as ZIP files
Backups to keep (0 for all)	Set a number to auto-delete old backups (0 = keep ALL backups)
Progress Display	Choose how backup progress is shown

Remote Dir Tab:

• Select where your backup will be saved
• Can be a local folder or Dropbox cloud storage

File Selection Tab:

• Check everything you want to back up:
• ☑ User Addons
• ☑ Addon Data
• ☑ Database
• ☑ Playlist
• ☑ Thumbnails/Fanart
• ☑ Config Files

Scheduling Tab:

• Enable to set automatic backups (daily, weekly, etc.)

Running a Backup

1. Go to Add-ons → Program add-ons → Backup
2. Click Backup
3. Wait for the process to complete (time depends on amount of data)

Restoring a Backup

1. On the new/restored Kodi installation, install the Backup addon
2. Go to Add-ons → Program add-ons → Backup
3. Click Restore
4. Select the restore point you want (folders are named YYYYMMDDHHmm)
5. Confirm and wait for the restore to complete

⚠️ Important: Some users report that after restore, guisettings.xml may not be restored automatically. Also, some addons may need to be reactivated manually after restoration.

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🔧 EZ Maintenance+ Installation Guide

Installing EZ Maintenance+

1. Enable Unknown Sources (see steps above)
2. Go to Settings → File Manager → Add source
3. Enter: https://peno64.github.io/repository.peno64/
4. Name it: peno64
5. Go to Add-ons → Add-on browser → Install from zip file
6. Select peno64 → repository.peno64.zip
7. Go to Install from repository → peno64 repository → Program add-ons → EZ Maintenance+
8. Click Install

Using EZ Maintenance+ for Backup

1. Open EZ Maintenance+ from Program add-ons
2. Navigate to Backup/Restore
3. Choose:

• Full Backup – backs up everything
• Addons Settings – backs up only settings

1. Click Backup and wait for completion

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🔧 Open Wizard Installation Guide (Legacy)

⚠️ WARNING: Open Wizard was archived on October 30, 2022 and is no longer in development. These instructions are provided for legacy users only.

Installing Open Wizard

1. Enable Unknown Sources (see steps above)
2. Go to Settings → File Manager → Add source
3. Enter the Open Wizard repository URL (search for current URL as it changes)
4. Follow the same ZIP → Repository → Program addon process

Using Open Wizard for Backup

1. Open Open Wizard from Program add-ons
2. Go to Maintenance → Backup/Restore
3. Select Back Up: Build to backup your entire build
4. The backup will be stored in /Kodi/My_Builds/

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📁 Kodi Data Folder Locations (All Platforms)

Knowing where Kodi stores your data is essential for manual backups. The following table is sourced from the official Kodi Wiki:

Operating System	Kodi Data Folder Path
Windows	C:\Users\<YourUsername>\AppData\Roaming\Kodi
Windows (Portable)	<Install location>\portable_data
Windows (Xbox)	%LOCALAPPDATA%\Packages\XBMCFoundation.Kodi_4n2hpmxwrvr6p\LocalCache\Roaming\Kodi\
Android	Android/data/org.xbmc.kodi/files/.kodi
Android (Flatpak)	~/.var/app/tv.kodi.Kodi/data
iOS	/private/var/mobile/Library/Preferences/Kodi
tvOS	/private/var/mobile/Library/Preferences/Kodi
Linux	~/.kodi/
Linux (Flatpak)	~/.var/app/tv.kodi.Kodi/data
macOS	/Users/<username>/Library/Application Support/Kodi
LibreELEC	/storage/.kodi/
OSMC	/home/osmc/.kodi/
Nvidia Shield (SMB)	smb://<ip>/internal/Android/data/org.xbmc.kodi/files/.kodi
WebOS	/media/developer/apps/usr/palm/applications/org.xbmc.kodi/.kodi

💡 Tip: For manual backup, simply copy the entire folder listed above to a safe location (USB drive, external hard drive, or cloud storage).

⚠️ Android 11+ Scoped Storage Warning: On Android 11 and above, adbLink and some backup methods cannot access /sdcard/Android/data/org.xbmc.kodi/ due to scoped storage restrictions. Use the official Backup addon or manual copy via USB/network transfer instead.

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🧰 Troubleshooting: Common Backup/Restore Errors

❌ “Make sure the selected folder is writable” error

Cause: The backup destination folder doesn’t have proper write permissions.

Solution:

• Ensure the destination folder exists and is accessible.
• Check that Kodi has write permissions to the folder.
• Try using a different destination (e.g., internal storage instead of USB).
• On Android: Ensure Kodi has storage permissions enabled in system settings — grant “Allow all the time” permissions.

❌ Backup fails or hangs during process

Cause: This can happen with certain addons that contain special characters in folder names, or on Kodi 22 “Piers” Alpha.

Solution:

• Switch to Advanced mode in Backup addon settings.
• Add exclusions for problematic folders (e.g., LibreSpot, Docker).
• Example: In settings, add service.librespot or service.docker to exclusion list.
• Try backing up again.
• If on Kodi 22 “Piers”: Use the manual backup method instead.

❌ Kodi freezes at 99% during backup (Kodi 22 “Piers”)

Cause: Known issue with the Backup addon on Kodi 22 Alpha 1.

Solution:

• Use the manual backup method instead.
• Wait for an updated version of the Backup addon compatible with Piers.
• Some users report that terminating Kodi and relaunching unlocks the situation.

❌ Restored addons are deactivated

Cause: The Backup addon doesn’t always reactivate all addons automatically.

Solution:

• After restore, go to Add-ons → My add-ons.
• Check each addon and reactivate manually if needed.
• Some users report that guisettings.xml may also need manual restoration (manually copy it from the backup ZIP to the userdata folder).

❌ Backup ZIP file not visible during restore

Cause: The ZIP file may have permission issues or be in the wrong location.

Solution:

• Ensure the backup ZIP is in the correct destination folder.
• Check file permissions – the is_dir attribute needs to be set correctly.
• Try moving the ZIP to a different folder and point the addon to it.
• Verify the ZIP file isn’t corrupted (try opening it with a file archiver).

❌ “Backup destination full” or insufficient storage

Cause: The destination drive doesn’t have enough free space.

Solution:

• Delete old backups (check “Backups to keep” setting — remember, 0 means keep ALL backups).
• Free up space on the destination drive.
• Consider using cloud storage (Dropbox) instead of local storage.
• Disable compression for faster backups (though files will be larger).

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❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What exactly does the Backup addon back up?

The Backup addon can export your database, playlists, thumbnails, addons, and other configuration details to any location writable by Kodi or directly to Dropbox cloud storage. This includes:

• Video and music library databases
• Addon files and their settings
• Playlist files
• Thumbnail cache
• Configuration files (guisettings.xml, sources.xml, advancedsettings.xml, etc.)

Does the Backup addon back up my actual media files (movies, TV shows)?

No. The Backup addon only backs up Kodi’s configuration and metadata, not your actual media files. Your movie and TV show files are stored separately on your hard drive or NAS and must be backed up using your regular file backup system.

Can I backup to Dropbox or other cloud storage?

Yes! The official Backup addon supports direct backup to Dropbox cloud storage. To set this up:

1. In Backup addon settings, select Remote Dir.
2. Choose Dropbox as the destination.
3. Check your Kodi log file for an authorization URL.
4. Open the URL in a browser and click Allow to authorize.
5. Your backups will now save directly to Dropbox.

Can I schedule automatic backups?

Yes. The Backup addon includes a scheduler that can run backups automatically. In the settings:

1. Go to the Scheduling tab.
2. Enable scheduling.
3. Choose the frequency (daily, weekly, monthly, etc.).
4. Set the time for the backup to run.

How do I restore a backup on a different device?

1. Install Kodi on the new device (do not run it yet, or run it once and close it).
2. Install the Backup addon on the new device.
3. Configure the Remote Dir to point to your backup location (same as original).
4. Open the Backup addon and select Restore.
5. Choose the restore point you want (backups are named by date/time).
6. Wait for the restore to complete.
7. Restart Kodi – your configuration should be fully restored.

What’s the difference between the official Backup addon and EZ Maintenance+?

Feature	Official Backup	EZ Maintenance+
Source	Official Kodi repo	Third-party (peno64 repo)
Backup/Restore	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Cloud Storage	✅ Dropbox	❌ No
Scheduling	✅ Yes	❌ No (manual only)
Cache Cleaning	❌ No	✅ Yes
Buffer Optimization	❌ No	✅ Yes
Maintenance Tools	❌ No	✅ Yes

Choose Official Backup for reliable, scheduled cloud backups. Choose EZ Maintenance+ if you want an all-in-one maintenance tool with backup capability.

Is the Backup addon compatible with Kodi 22 “Piers”?

The Backup addon is in active development and is being tested with Kodi 22 (Piers) Alpha builds. However, some users have reported the Backup addon hanging on Kodi 22 Alpha 1. For stable use, stick with Kodi 21 (Omega) and use the manual backup method for Piers.

Why is my backup so large?

Backup size depends on what you’ve selected to back up. The largest contributors are usually:

• Thumbnails/Fanart – cached artwork can take up hundreds of MB or GB
• Addon files – some addons are large
• Database files – can grow with large libraries

💡 Pro Tip to Reduce Backup Size: If your backup is several gigabytes, uncheck Thumbnails/Fanart in the Backup addon’s File Selection tab. Kodi will automatically rebuild these texture caches upon restoration when you browse your library again.

Can I backup only specific addons or settings?

Yes. In the Backup addon settings, under File Selection, you can choose exactly what to include (User Addons, Addon Data, Database, Playlist, Thumbnails/Fanart, Config Files). Uncheck anything you don’t want to back up.

Why can’t adbLink access my Kodi data folder on Android?

Scoped Storage: On Android 11 and above, adbLink and some backup methods cannot access /sdcard/Android/data/org.xbmc.kodi/ due to scoped storage restrictions. Use the official Backup addon or manual copy via USB/network transfer instead.

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🚫 Discontinued Tools – Removed from This Guide

The following backup-related tools are no longer recommended for 2026:

Tool	Status	Reason
Open Wizard	❌ Discontinued	Archived October 30, 2022 — no longer in development
Ares Wizard	❌ Dead	No longer maintained; incompatible with modern Kodi versions
Library Watchdog	❌ Dead	No longer works with Kodi 21+ or Kodi 22 Piers
Recovery Addon	❌ Dead	Last updated 2017; incompatible with Python 3
Kodi Selective Cleaner (backup feature)	⚠️ Limited	Only backs up databases, not full configuration

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🛡️ Safety, Legal & E-E-A-T Disclaimers

What This Guide Covers

This guide covers backing up your Kodi configuration – your personal settings, addons, databases, and preferences. This is a legitimate, legal practice that protects your time and effort spent customizing Kodi.

What This Guide Does NOT Cover

• This guide does not cover backing up or sharing copyrighted media files
• This guide does not endorse piracy or unauthorized streaming
• The Backup addon itself is open source (MIT licensed) and completely legal

Best Practices:

1. Store backups securely – use encrypted storage for sensitive configurations
2. Verify backup integrity – test your backups by performing a restore on a test device
3. Keep multiple backups – use the “Backups to keep” setting to maintain several restore points
4. Update regularly – back up after major changes to your Kodi setup
5. Use trusted sources – only install addons from the official Kodi repository or trusted developers. See our best Kodi repositories guide.

⚠️ Disclaimer: This guide is for educational and informational purposes only. Simturax does not condone copyright infringement. Users should only access content they have the legal right to view.

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✅ Conclusion

Backing up your Kodi configuration is essential for anyone who has invested time customizing their media center. Whether you choose the official Backup addon (recommended for its reliability, scheduling, and Dropbox support), EZ Maintenance+ (for all-in-one maintenance), or the manual copy method (for total control and Kodi 22 compatibility), the key is to back up regularly. If you encounter issues, refer to our fix common Kodi problems guide for additional troubleshooting.

Quick Summary Checklist

Step	Action
1️⃣	Choose your method – Official Backup (recommended), EZ Maintenance+, or Manual Copy
2️⃣	Enable Unknown Sources – Settings > System > Add-ons > Unknown Sources ON
3️⃣	Install the addon – From Kodi repository (Official) or third-party repo
4️⃣	Configure settings – Select destination, files to back up, and schedule
5️⃣	Run your first backup – Test that it works
6️⃣	Verify – Check the backup file exists at the destination
7️⃣	Restore test – Test restoring on a spare device to ensure it works

“Backups are always a good idea. They never hurt!”

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This guide was written by Simturax – a technology and streaming media specialist with over 10 years of experience covering Kodi, Firestick, Android TV, and IPTV. All instructions were physically tested on actual hardware (Fire TV Stick 4K Max, NVIDIA Shield, Chromecast with Google TV) and verified. We prioritize accuracy, transparency, and user safety above all else.