Simturax

Kodi does not have a built-in “Update” button. To update, you must manually download the latest version from kodi.tv and install it over your existing installation—always backing up your userdata folder first to protect your add-ons, settings, and library.

STATUS DISCLAIMER

Current Stable Version: Kodi 21.3 “Omega” (Released December 14, 2025)

Next Major Release: Kodi 22 “Piers” Beta 1 (Released June 28, 2026)

Maintenance Note: This guide is verified for Kodi 21.3 Omega. Once Kodi 22 “Piers” transitions from Beta to Stable, the Quick-Reference Cheatsheet and Status Disclaimers above will be refreshed. Always check kodi.tv for the latest stable version before proceeding.

Last Verified: July 30, 2026

CRITICAL NOTE: Kodi does not have a built-in “one-click update” button inside the app. Updates must be performed manually by downloading the new version and installing it over your existing installation. Always back up your userdata folder before updating to protect your add-ons, settings, and media library.

What’s New in 2026:

• Kodi 21.3 “Omega” brings HDR support to Xbox One, improved Blu-ray playback on Linux, faster video library rescans, and numerous bug fixes
• Kodi 22 “Piers” (currently in Beta) introduces FFmpeg 8.1.2, full HDR support on Embedded Linux, major rendering rewrite, 12-bit decoding, and advanced hardware decoding

Quick-Reference

For experienced users—skip the reading and update now.

What Is Kodi and Why Update?

Kodi is an award-winning, free, and open-source media player and entertainment hub that can be installed on virtually any device—Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, tvOS, Fire TV, Xbox, and more. It transforms your device into a powerful home theater system capable of playing local media, streaming online content, and running thousands of add-ons.

Why you should update Kodi:

• Security patches – Protect against vulnerabilities
• Bug fixes – Smoother playback, fewer crashes. Troubleshoot common Kodi problems if you encounter issues.
• New features – HDR support, better codec compatibility, improved performance
• Add-on compatibility – Latest add-ons require newer Kodi versions. Explore the best Kodi addons compatible with the latest release.

Target Audience: This guide is for all Kodi users—from beginners who installed Kodi once and forgot about it, to power users running complex builds with dozens of add-ons.

What’s New in Kodi

Kodi 21.3 “Omega” (Stable – December 2025)

The latest stable release brings significant improvements:

Kodi 22 “Piers” (Beta 1 – June 2026)

The next major release is now in Beta and introduces groundbreaking changes:

• FFmpeg 8.1.2 – Improved video processing with real-time bitrate info labels
• Full HDR support on Embedded Linux – From decoding to output, with 12-bit decoding
• Major rendering rewrite – Advanced hardware decoding and new dithering/scaling options for GLES
• Improved chapter controls – Better handling of chapters read by FFmpeg
• AV1 playback fixes – Fixed AV1 playback with keyframe-filtering=2
• Enhanced CEC handling – Improved HDMI-CEC device control
• MySQL/MariaDB compatibility – Fixed incompatibility with MySQL 9.6+ and MariaDB 10.x

Beta Warning: Kodi 22 “Piers” is pre-release software. Do not install on your primary media center unless you’re comfortable with bugs and broken add-ons. Test on a secondary device and always back up first.

Before You Update: Backup Your Kodi Data

This is the most important step. Updating Kodi is usually safe, but things can go wrong. Protect your add-ons, settings, skin, and media library by backing up.

How to back up:

1. Manual backup: Copy your userdata folder to a safe location. Our complete Kodi backup guide covers this in detail.

• Windows: %APPDATA%\Kodi\userdata
• macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Kodi/userdata
• Linux: ~/.kodi/userdata
• Android: Android/data/org.xbmc.kodi/files/.kodi/userdata

1. Using a maintenance add-on: Install EZ Maintenance+ or Open Wizard for one-click backups

How to Update Kodi on Windows

Windows offers three methods to update Kodi.

Method 1: Manual Installation (Recommended)

1. Visit the official Kodi website: kodi.tv/download
2. Click the Windows platform button
3. Choose INSTALLER (64 BIT) for 64-bit Windows, or INSTALLER (32 BIT) for 32-bit Windows
4. Run the downloaded installer
5. Follow the on-screen instructions – the installer will automatically overwrite your existing Kodi installation while preserving your data

Method 2: Windows Store (Windows 10/11)

1. Open the Microsoft Store application
2. Click the app menu icon (top-right corner)
3. Select Downloads and Updates → Get updates
4. If an update is available for Kodi, it will download and install automatically

Method 3: Windows Installer Add-on (In-App)

1. Open Kodi and navigate to Add-ons
2. Search for “Windows Installer” in the add-on browser
3. Install the add-on and run it to download and install the latest version

How to Update Kodi on macOS

Updating Kodi on macOS requires reinstalling the application.

1. Visit the official Kodi website: kodi.tv/download
2. Click the macOS platform button
3. Download the INSTALLER (64 BIT) in DMG format
4. Double-click the downloaded DMG file to mount it
5. Drag the Kodi icon to the Applications folder
6. When prompted, click “Replace” to update the existing application

For Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3/M4) Macs: Download the appropriate ARM64 build from the official download page.

How to Update Kodi on Linux

Ubuntu / Debian (Using Official PPA)

The easiest way is through the official Team Kodi PPA:

1. Open a terminal (Ctrl + Alt + T)
2. Add the official Kodi PPA (if not already added):

   sudo add-apt-repository ppa:team-xbmc/ppa

3. Update your package list:

   sudo apt update

4. Upgrade all packages (including Kodi):

   sudo apt upgrade

Or update only Kodi:

   sudo apt install --only-upgrade kodi

Using Snap (Alternative)

Kodi is also available as a Snap package:

sudo snap refresh kodi-omega

Note: If you encounter issues, you can also use sudo apt-get dist-upgrade to ensure all dependencies are updated.

How to Update Kodi on Android

Method 1: Google Play Store (Easiest)

1. Open the Google Play Store
2. Tap the menu icon (top-left) → My Apps & Games
3. Find Kodi in the list
4. If an update is available, tap “Update”
5. To update all apps at once, tap “Update all”

The Play Store version requires Android 5.0 (Lollipop) or newer.

Method 2: Manual APK Update (Sideload)

If you originally installed Kodi via APK (common on some TV boxes):

1. Visit kodi.tv/download on your device’s browser
2. Select the Android platform
3. Download the appropriate APK (32-bit or 64-bit)
4. Open the downloaded APK file
5. Tap “Install” – the system will update the existing installation

Architecture tip: Most Android TV boxes are 32-bit. If unsure, install the 32-bit version.

How to Update Kodi on Firestick / Fire TV

Kodi is not available in the Amazon Appstore, so updates must be done manually via sideloading.

Before you begin, check your device’s operating system.

Newer Fire TV models (Fire TV Stick 4K Select — Oct 2025, Fire TV Stick HD — Apr 2026) run Vega OS, which does NOT support sideloading.

To check your OS:

1. Go to Settings → My Fire TV → About
2. Look at the operating system version:
   • Fire OS 7 or 8 → You can sideload — proceed with this guide
   • Vega OS → Sideloading is NOT possible

If you have Vega OS: Consider switching to an Android TV device (like Onn 4K Plus, NVIDIA Shield, or Chromecast with Google TV) for sideloading support.

Step 1: Check Your Current Version

1. Launch Kodi
2. Go to Settings (gear icon)
3. Select System Information
4. Note your current version number

Step 2: Enable Unknown Sources

1. From the Firestick home screen, go to Settings (gear icon)
2. Select My Fire TV
3. Click About
4. Click on Fire TV Stick 7 times to enable Developer Options. Learn more about enabling Developer Options on Fire TV devices.
5. Go back → Developer Options → Install Unknown Apps
6. Turn ON for the Downloader app

Step 3: Update Using Downloader

1. Install the Downloader app from the Amazon Appstore (if not already installed). Our Downloader app guide explains how to use it effectively.
2. Launch Downloader
3. Enter the URL or code:

• Code: 250931
• Or direct URL: https://kodi.tv/download

1. Navigate to the Android platform and download the latest Kodi APK
2. When download completes, tap “Install”
3. Tap “Done” → “Delete” to remove the APK and free up space

Step 4: Verify the Update

1. Launch Kodi from your home screen or Apps menu
2. Wait a few seconds for Kodi to prepare on first run
3. Go to Settings → System Information to confirm the new version

Alternative: Use AppStarter for one-click auto-updates when new versions are released.

How to Update Kodi on Xbox One / Series X|S

Xbox consoles automatically update apps by default. If auto-updates are disabled:

1. Press the Xbox button on your controller
2. Select My Games & Apps
3. Select Updates on the left side of the screen
4. If Kodi has a pending update, download and install it

To enable auto-updates: Go to Settings → System → Updates and configure automatic downloads.

New in Kodi 21.3: Added HDR support on Xbox One – enjoy more vibrant picture quality.

How to Update Kodi on Android TV / Google TV

Method 1: Google Play Store (Recommended)

1. From the Android TV home screen, open the Google Play Store
2. Navigate to My Apps (left side menu)
3. Find Kodi in the list
4. If an update is available, select Kodi and tap “Update”

The Play Store version for Android TV is the full stable release (21.3 Omega as of July 2026). If you prefer to sideload, our Kodi installation guide covers both methods.

Method 2: Manual APK Update

If you installed Kodi via sideloading:

1. Use the Downloader app or a browser to visit kodi.tv/download
2. Download the Android APK
3. Open the APK and tap “Install” to update

How to Update Kodi on NVIDIA Shield TV

The NVIDIA Shield TV runs Android TV, so the update process is identical:

1. From the Shield home screen, select Apps at the top
2. Open the Google Play Store
3. Go to My Apps & Games
4. Find Kodi and tap “Update” if available

Note: NVIDIA Shield TV receives regular system updates (latest: 9.21.4 as of May 2026) that improve stability and performance.

How to Update Kodi on Raspberry Pi (LibreELEC)

Raspberry Pi users typically run Kodi through LibreELEC – a lightweight Linux distribution designed specifically for Kodi.

Automatic Update (Recommended)

1. Go to Settings → LibreELEC
2. Select System → Updates
3. Choose Update Channel → Main version
4. Select Available Versions and choose the latest version
5. Confirm the update

Current LibreELEC version: 12.0.2 (includes Kodi Omega 21.2).

Manual Update (Alternative)

1. Download the latest LibreELEC image from the official website
2. Write the image to your SD card using Raspberry Pi Imager
3. Boot your Pi with the new SD card

For Raspberry Pi 5: LibreELEC is currently the best option.

How to Update Kodi on iOS / tvOS (Apple TV)

Updating Kodi on iOS and tvOS is the most complex process because Kodi is not available on the App Store.

Method 1: Using AltStore (Recommended)

1. Download the latest Kodi IPA file from kodi.tv/download
2. Install AltStore on your computer
3. Connect your iOS/tvOS device to your computer
4. Use AltStore to sideload the IPA onto your device
5. You’ll need to refresh the certificate periodically to keep Kodi working

Method 2: Using Cydia Impactor

1. Download the latest Kodi IPA file
2. Download Cydia Impactor on your computer
3. Connect your device via USB
4. Drag the IPA file into Cydia Impactor
5. Enter your Apple ID credentials to sign the app

Method 3: Using Xcode (Advanced)

1. Download the Kodi source code or IPA
2. Use Xcode to build and sign the app
3. Deploy to your Apple TV using Devices and Simulators

Important: Apple frequently revokes certificates. You may need to re-sideload Kodi every 7 days (free Apple ID) or use a paid developer account for longer validity.

Troubleshooting: Common Kodi Update Errors

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Safety & VPN Recommendation

Why you should use a VPN with Kodi:

• Privacy: Your ISP can see all your online activity. A VPN encrypts your connection.
• Bypass geo-restrictions: Access content that may be blocked in your region.
• Prevent throttling: ISPs sometimes slow down streaming traffic. A VPN prevents this.
• Protection while sideloading: When downloading APKs from third-party sources, a VPN adds an extra layer of security.

Recommended VPN for Kodi users: Surfshark – unlimited device connections, strong encryption, and a 30-day money-back guarantee. For more options, compare the best VPN providers for streaming.

Updating Kodi doesn’t have to be complicated. While Kodi lacks a built-in update button, the process is straightforward on most platforms:

Key takeaways for 2026:

1. Current stable version: Kodi 21.3 “Omega” (December 2025)
2. Next major release: Kodi 22 “Piers” Beta 1 (June 2026)
3. Major new features: HDR on Xbox (21.3), FFmpeg 8.1.2 and HDR on Linux (22.0)
4. Always back up your userdata before updating. Our Kodi backup guide walks you through it.
5. Use a VPN for privacy and security while streaming. Compare the best VPN providers for Kodi.

Remember: If you’re using a stable setup, stick with Kodi 21.3 Omega. Only install Kodi 22 “Piers” if you’re comfortable with beta software and want to test the latest features.

Stream smart, stay updated, and enjoy your media!

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.