How do I get started with Kodi using the Official Kodi Wiki?

Updated

Start at the Official Kodi Wiki (kodi.wiki) and work through its New Users and Installing pages first, then use the First time user guide to set up your media library. The wiki is the community-maintained documentation for Kodi and covers installation, first-time setup, settings, libraries, add-ons, and device-specific notes. It is written for people who have just installed Kodi or are about to, and it assumes no prior experience.

What the wiki gives you

The main page is organized as a navigation hub rather than a single tutorial. The sections most useful at the start:

  • New Users – entry point for people new to Kodi.
  • Installing – installation guidance.
  • First time user – what to do after installation.
  • Glossary – Kodi-specific terms.
  • FAQs – common questions.
  • Troubleshooting – what to check when something does not work.
  • Settings and Kodi Menu – how the interface and configuration are organized.
  • Video, Movie & TV Show Library and Music & Music Video Library – how media libraries work.
  • Devices / Hardware – device-specific information, with links for Android, iOS, Linux, Mac OS X, and Windows.

A practical starting path

  1. Install Kodi. Open the Installing page and find the section for your platform (Android, iOS, Linux, Mac OS X, or Windows). Follow the steps for that platform rather than a generic guide, since installation differs by device.
  2. Complete first-time setup. Use the First time user page to configure the basics before adding media.
  3. Learn the interface. Read Kodi Menu and Settings so you know where options live. This saves time later when you are looking for a specific setting.
  4. Add your media. Go to the Video, Movie & TV Show Library or Music & Music Video Library pages to understand how Kodi organizes and scans content.
  5. Extend Kodi if needed. The Add-ons section explains how add-ons work and how they are managed.
  6. Keep the reference pages handy. Glossary, FAQs, and Troubleshooting are the pages to return to when a term or behavior is unclear.

Verifying you are on track

After each stage, you should be able to see the expected result: Kodi launches after installation, the first-time setup completes without errors, and your media appears in the library after a scan. If a step does not produce that result, move to Troubleshooting before continuing.

Common sticking points

  • Platform differences. Installation steps are not identical across Android, iOS, Linux, Mac OS X, and Windows. Always use the page for your device.
  • Skipping first-time setup. Jumping straight to adding media often leads to library or settings confusion later.
  • Unfamiliar terminology. Kodi uses its own vocabulary; the Glossary exists for exactly this reason.
  • Add-on questions. The wiki documents how add-ons work, but note that the wiki also maintains a list of items banned from the forum, so check there if a specific add-on is not covered.

Contributing and account access

The wiki is maintained by the open community together with Team Kodi members, and contributions are welcome. However, new account registrations are disabled on the wiki. If you want an account to help edit, you must request one through the wiki's account request process rather than registering directly.

Licensing note

Wiki content is available under Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported unless otherwise noted, so reuse is permitted under those terms.