How to Install Kodi on Android

Yes, you can use Kodi on your smartphone or tablet

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Updated on May 21, 2022

Switching from iOS

What to Know

For most Androids: Go to Google Play and install Kodi > load your media.
Or, give permission to sideload Kodi APK: Tap Settings > Security > select Unknown sources.
On download page, select Android > choose a bit > download file > select downloaded file > Install.

This article explains how to install Kodi, the popular media player app, on your Android phone or tablet. Only devices with Android 5.0 (Lollipop) or higher are supported.

How to Install Kodi on Android With Google Play

For most phones, the process is simple: Go to the Kodi page in Google Play and install the app as you would any other on your phone. After completing the process, you can start loading up your media library and, if desired, install Kodi add-ons for movies and TV for additional capabilities.

Developers designed the Kodi Android app mainly for screens larger than 5 inches. However, Kodi supports smaller Android devices with the official app available from the Google Play Store.

Installing Kodi Without Using the Google Play Store

The best way to install Kodi is through Google Play. However, in the rare case of an Android device that doesn't have Google Play, you can install Kodi in a process known as sideloading.

First: Enable Installations From Unknown Sources

For most devices, navigate to Settings > Security, then check the Unknown sources box.

Android allow software from unknown sources

On a device with Android 8.0 (Oreo):

Go to Settings > Apps > Special Access.
Select Install unknown apps or Install other apps. This takes you to a screen where you can select Google Chrome to allow downloading and installing of Android APK files.

Installing the APK

Now that you've enabled the necessary permissions, you're ready to sideload the Kodi APK (Android package). Here's how:

Go to the Kodi download page.
Select Android, then choose the 32-bit or 64-bit option, depending on the hardware and operating system of your device.
Download the appropriate Android APK file.
Open your file browser, and navigate to the folder where your Kodi APK was downloaded.
Select the file to open it.
Android prompts you to confirm that you want to install the app. Tap Install.
You'll see a message that the APK was installed successfully. From there, you can launch Kodi as you normally would any app from the Play Store.

Don't worry if your version of Kodi doesn't look the same as other versions you've seen. Some special Kodi builds give the media player a custom appearance.

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