Kodi is the platform that everyone’s whispering about but no one’s quite talking about out loud. Let’s face it, the streaming service lends itself well to watching stuff that probably infringes on some copyright law or another. Still, we won’t pry into what you want to use Kodi for. First, you need to get yourself set up, and we’re here to show you how you can easily set up Kodi on your PC.
Note: Kodi is cross-platform compatible, and the setting up is more or less the same for every platform. We’re going to be setting up using the PC version here.
First you need to download Kodi and install it. The process is simple enough – just go to the site, scroll down to the “Choose your weapon” section, and pick a platform. Pick the “Release” rather than the “Nightly” version, as that will be more stable.
In the installer we recommend going for the “Full” installation so that you’re not missing out on anything. Then select your install directory and let the installation complete.
Once installed, open Kodi and click “Add-ons”, select the add-on for the kind of content you want to start watching (we’re guessing videos), and then click “Enter add-on browser.” Here you’ll find hundreds of channels to watch, though many of them are locked behind regional restrictions. These can be worked around by having your VPN switched on and changing the country to the one where the add-on is based. In general, it’s good practice to have a VPN switched on when you use Kodi. You can set one up from within Kodi as well, but that’s a (slightly complicated) guide for another day.
Once you’ve installed add-ons in a given category, you’ll notice that the “add-ons browser” option disappears for that category, replaced by thumbnails of the add-ons you’ve installed. To get more add-ons for that category, click “Install from repository” under “Categories” at the top-right.
Install New Kodi Repositories
Kodi’s add-on repository isn’t the only one available. There are plenty of repositories created by various Kodi users that have their own collections of add-ons, TV channels, and other goodies. First, you’ll need to enable “Unknown sources” in your Kodi settings. Go to “Settings -> Add-ons,” and then enable “Unknown sources.”
Next, go to “Settings -> File Manager -> Add source.” where you’ll be able to type the URL of a third-party repository (or repo) in the box. For our example we’ll be using the reputable Ares repo – URL: “http://ares-repo.eu/.”
Once you’ve added it, from the main menu click “Add-ons” and then the Package Installer Box icon. Click “Install from ZIP file” and select Ares to install it.
You should now have access to Ares’ add-on repository. Just go to Add-ons from the main menu, and choose “Install from repository -> Ares Project -> Video add-ons” to browse the channels it has available.
It’s the same process for most Kodi repos; you just need to go out there and find the best ones!
Change Kodi Skin
If you’re not into the default blue Kodi skin, you can replace it with all manner of flashier ones. Again, there’s a big repository of this stuff provided by Kodi. To change your skin go to “Add-ons-> Download -> Look and feel.” Here you’ll find a big list of alternative skin options, each with a thumbnail giving you an idea of what you’re signing yourself up for.
Conclusion
That’s the basic guide for setting yourself up on Kodi, though as you’re probably aware, the rabbit-hole goes a whole lot deeper if you want to explore it. As a little taste, check out our list of the Best Kodi Add-Ons for sports enthusiasts. Enjoy!
Content Manager at Make Tech Easier. Enjoys Android, Windows, and tinkering with retro console emulation to breaking point.
Our latest tutorials delivered straight to your inbox
