Simturax

⚠️ STATUS DISCLAIMER

Feature Status: 🟢 FULLY AVAILABLE

Important Note: Kodi’s parental controls are designed to protect the interface from curious children—they will not prevent tech-savvy users from accessing Kodi’s content and settings files directly through the operating system. The feature may also be bypassed via the web interface or certain add-ons.

If you need stronger protection, consider operating system-level user accounts or third-party parental control software in addition to Kodi’s built-in features.

🔒 Privacy Reminder: If you use third-party add-ons, your IP address is exposed. A VPN is strongly recommended to protect your privacy and prevent ISP tracking.

What Are Kodi Parental Controls?

Kodi is a powerful, open-source media center that transforms any device into an all-in-one entertainment hub. It gives you access to your personal media library—movies, TV shows, music, photos, and even live TV—all from a single, customizable interface.

The Problem: With great content comes great responsibility. If you share your Kodi media center with children, you need a way to ensure they don’t accidentally stumble upon inappropriate content or change critical settings.

The Solution: Kodi comes with built-in parental control features that let you:

• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Create separate profiles for each family member
• 🔒 Lock specific sections of Kodi (settings, add-ons, file manager, etc.)
• 📺 Restrict live TV channels with a PIN
• ⏱️ Limit daily viewing time with the Wellbeing add-on
• 🎯 Filter content using smart playlists based on ratings

📋 “No-Click” Quick-Reference Cheatsheet

For experienced users—skip the reading and set up now.

How to Set Up Kodi Parental Controls – Step-by-Step

Part 1: Create a Child Profile (The Foundation)

Profiles are the cornerstone of Kodi’s parental control system. They allow each user to have their own separate media library, settings, and add-ons without interfering with each other.

Step 1: Open Settings

• Launch Kodi and click the gear icon (⚙️) in the top-left corner to access the Settings page.

Step 2: Navigate to Profiles

• Click on “Profiles” in the settings menu.

Step 3: Enable Login Screen

• Click on “General” and make sure “Show login screen on startup” is enabled. This ensures that when Kodi starts, users must select their profile.

Step 4: Add a New Profile

• Select “Profiles” from the left menu. You’ll see the default “Master User” profile.
• Click “Add Profile” to create a new one.

Step 5: Name Your Profile

• Enter a name for your child’s profile (e.g., “Kids,” “Children,” or their name) and click OK.

Step 6: Choose Profile Directory

• You’ll see a “Browse for Folder” field:
• Default – Settings are stored in the userdata/profiles/ folder with the profile name.
• New Folder – Create a custom folder location for the profile.

Step 7: Configure Lock Preferences

• In the Edit Profile window, you can lock specific sections:
• Lock Music Window – Prevents access to the music section
• Lock Videos Window – Blocks access to all videos (movies, TV shows)
• Lock Pictures Window – Locks the pictures section
• Lock Programs and Scripts – Prevents access to advanced Kodi features
• Lock File Manager – Stops users from adding new sources
• Lock Settings – Prevents changes to Kodi settings
• Lock Add-ons Manager – Prevents installing/uninstalling add-ons

Step 8: Configure Media Settings

• Media Info – Choose whether this profile has separate or shared media information.
• Media Sources – Choose whether this profile has separate or shared media sources.

Part 2: Set Up Master Lock (The PIN Protection)

The Master Lock applies a PIN to specific areas of Kodi, adding an extra layer of security.

⚠️ Important: Master Lock settings are profile-specific. To lock other profiles, you must repeat these steps while logged into each profile.

Step 1: Open Interface Settings

• Launch Kodi and click the gear icon (⚙️) to access Settings.
• Click on “Interface”.

Step 2: Switch to Expert Mode

• Click the little gear icon at the bottom of the left menu until it says “Expert” . This reveals advanced options.

Step 3: Select Master Lock

• Click on the “Master Lock” tab.

Step 4: Choose Lock Type

• Click on the top option “Master Lock” (initially shows “Disabled”).
• Choose your lock type:
• Disabled – No lock
• Digital password – Numeric PIN (recommended)
• Gamepad Buttons Combo – Button combination
• Full text password – Text password

Step 5: Set Your PIN

• Enter your chosen numeric password and click “Done” .
• Re-enter your password when prompted and click “Done” again.

Step 6: Choose What to Lock

• In the Lock Preferences section, select which features to protect:
• Music Window
• Videos Window
• Pictures Window
• Programs and Scripts
• File Manager
• Settings
• Add-ons Manager

Step 7: Enable Startup Lock (Optional)

• Toggle “Request master lock code on startup” to ON if you want to prevent access to the entire Kodi program without a PIN.

Note: After enabling Master Lock, you may need to restart Kodi for all settings to take effect.

Part 3: Configure Your Child’s Media Library

Now that the profile and lock are set up, you need to log into the child profile and configure what content they can access:

Step 1: Switch to Child Profile

• Restart Kodi or log out and select the child profile from the login screen.

Step 2: Add Approved Media Sources

• Go to Settings → Media → Library → Videos → Add Source.
• Only add folders that contain child-appropriate content.

Step 3: Install Kid-Friendly Add-ons

• In the child profile, only install add-ons that are suitable for children.

Step 4: Choose a Kid-Friendly Skin (Optional)

• Consider installing a simple, colorful skin that’s easy for children to navigate.

Part 4: Live TV Parental Controls (Optional)

If you use Kodi with a PVR backend for live TV, you can lock specific channels:

Step 1: Go to Settings → PVR & Live TV → Parental Controls

Step 2: Toggle “Enable” to ON and set a PIN.

Step 3: In the Channel Manager, mark individual channels as “locked.”

Note: This feature requires your PVR backend (e.g., Tvheadend, NextPVR) to support parental controls.

Part 5: Smart Playlists for Content Filtering (Advanced)

For even finer control, you can use Smart Playlists to filter content by rating:

Step 1: Go to Videos → Playlists.
Step 2: Select “New Smart Playlist” .
Step 3: Set rules based on MPAA rating (e.g., only G, PG, PG-13).

🎮 What to Expect – Post-Setup Walkthrough

After setting up parental controls, here’s what your Kodi experience will look like:

• Login Screen: When Kodi starts, users must select a profile. The child profile will only show approved content.
• Locked Sections: Attempting to access locked areas (Settings, Add-ons, File Manager) will prompt for the Master Lock PIN.
• Restricted Live TV: Locked channels won’t appear in the EPG or play without the PIN.
• Separate Watch History: Each profile maintains its own watch history, resume points, and favorites.

⚠️ Known Limitation: In the default Estuary skin, the Master Lock may not fully block access to “Recently Viewed” items from the main menu.

🧰 Troubleshooting – How to Fix Common Kodi Parental Control Errors

systemctl stop kodi
# edit/delete profiles.xml
systemctl start kodi

🔒 Safety & Privacy – What Else You Should Know

Kodi Itself Is Legal: Kodi is a legitimate, open-source media player. The legality concerns arise only when you install third-party add-ons that access copyrighted content without permission.

Use a VPN: If you use third-party add-ons, your IP address is exposed to whoever hosts the streams. A VPN encrypts your traffic and hides your online activity from your ISP.

Stick to Official Sources: Only download add-ons from the official Kodi repository or trusted sources like the Kodi Community Forum. Unknown repositories may contain malware or trackers.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

💎 Summary – Best Practices for Kodi Parental Controls

Recommended Setup Strategy:

1. Create a Child Profile – Only add approved media sources and kid-friendly add-ons.
2. Enable Master Lock – PIN-protect Settings, Add-ons Manager, and File Manager.
3. Enable Login Screen – Ensures users select their profile at startup.
4. (Optional) Use Smart Playlists – Filter by MPAA rating for extra safety.
5. (Optional) Install Wellbeing – Set daily time limits.
6. Use a VPN – If you use any third-party add-ons, protect your privacy.