How To Update Kodi – Covering All Desktop, Mobile Platforms & More!

You already know what is Kodi and what this application is capable of doing. If you are reading this article, you probably already have a certain version of Kodi installed and now you want to install a new version. The good news is that you can do this in no time – and we’re about to show you how. So, let’s take a look at how to update Kodi.

Disclaimer: We will be talking about software developed for Kodi – which is based on open-source code. However, the following software comes from unofficial third-parties. In addition, it is publicly available and free of charge. Husham.com doesn’t claim any responsibility for how our readers decide to utilize the following software. Please note that we don’t condone sharing pirated content and copyright infringement. Husham.com is not affiliated with the software mentioned in this article in no way. Make sure to carefully read the above-said disclaimer and ensure the proper use of the software.

WARNING: Before You Continue…

Even without your explicit consent, your ISP (Internet Service Provider) is collecting and filtering your Web browser data. This means that using Kodi to stream copyrighted content might get you into legal trouble. Also, your ISP might block access to specific streams, which leads to Kodi errors, or entirely blocked and throttled streaming. This is why users of Kodi should always use a VPN to make sure their identity and privacy are protected while streaming.

Husham.com’s editorial team uses and strongly recommends ExpressVPN. This is, by far, the fastest and most reliable VPN with the power to unblock any website and service. Once activated, ExpressVPN encrypts your Web traffic and makes it anonymous – keeping it away from your ISP’s prying eyes. In fact, you will become invisible on the Web since your user logs, and your traffic history isn’t stored on any server.

 

Make sure your Web browsing and streaming aren’t used against you. Subscribe to ExpressVPN and enjoy using Kodi without any restrictions!

How to Update Kodi: The Basics

First, you should know that the latest official version of this application is – Kodi 17.6. You can use the provided link to get more information. However, you should know that incremental updates for Kodi do not bring new features or larger changes. Instead, they are focused on eliminating bugs and improving Kodi’s performance. As such, it is still recommended to update your Kodi installation, especially if you’re having technical issues. With this said, there are two types of upgrades you need to know about.

• Incremental upgrades are easy to do. For example, when you’re upgrading from Kodi 17.5 to Kodi 17.6. You need to download the new version of Kodi and simply reinstall the application. It is as simple as that.
• Major upgrades are trickier. Since major versions of Kodi usually bring a large overhaul, certain addons need time to support the new version. When installing a major version (like the upcoming Kodi 18, for example), it is recommended to start fresh. Alternatively, you can try to reinstall Kodi by installing a new version. In case everything continues to work normally, you’re done. In case of certain issues, you need to start fresh – which includes uninstalling Kodi first. As you can imagine, there’s a big chance to lose your settings, content library, and installed addons.

How to Update Kodi: Platform-Specific Guides

Kodi is compatible with a wide range of different devices. As you can assume, these devices are powered by different operating systems and platforms. This is why a single explanation of how to update Kodi doesn’t cut it. Let’s take a deeper look.

Desktop Platforms

When it comes to desktop platforms, all you need to do is to reinstall Kodi. In other words, you need to repeat the procedure you’ve done when installing Kodi in the first place. If you want to keep all your settings, do not uninstall Kodi. Continue reading to see installation guides covering desktop platforms. These will tell you how to update Kodi the right way.

• You can update Kodi on Windows by downloading the newest file and reinstalling it;
• Updating Kodi on Mac requires you to download a DMG file of the newest version. Then, you need to drag-and-drop Kodi’s self-contained file to the Applications folder;
• You can also update Kodi on Linux by using the Terminal.

Mobile Platforms

As you are about to see, users of Android devices have the advantage here. That’s because Kodi can be found in the Play Store, which isn’t the case with iOS’ App Store.

• You can easily update Kodi on Android if you have access to the Google Play Store. This applies not just to smartphones and tablets, but to Smart TVs and Kodi Boxes powered by Google’s mobile OS. The same also applies to updating Kodi on Chromebooks.
• Since you can’t find Kodi on the iOS App Store, you will need to sideload it. You can update Kodi on iOS by repeating the steps from our installation guide.

Other Platforms

Kodi is also available on other devices such as media streamers, consoles, and Smart TVs. The general rule is – if you can install Kodi on a device, you can update it as well.

• First, there are Raspberry Pi models. You can update Kodi on Raspberry Pi by reinstalling the application over the existing installation;
• Next, there are different ways to update Kodi on Amazon Firestick. The easiest is to use an app called Downloader to download the newest version of Kodi. Your Fire device will do the rest;
• We also shouldn’t forget to mention another highly popular media streamer. Roku offers a range of affordable devices with advanced features. Read how you can run Kodi on Roku;
• Not all Smart TV models are compatible with Kodi. You’re in luck if your TV is powered by Android TV. However, there are alternative ways to run Kodi on these kinds of devices. So, make sure to read our guide on running Kodi on Smart TVs.
• Finally, we also have different media streamers/gaming consoles. Some of these can run Kodi on their own, while others require a more creative approach. Here are our guides on how to run Kodi on devices like Nvidia Shield TV, Razer Forge TV, and Microsoft Xbox.

Additional Resources: What’s Next?

We hope that now you know how to update Kodi. In the majority of cases, this process doesn’t cause any issues. This means that you can continue using your content library and installed add-ons without any issues. However, maybe you want to start fresh. This is why we’d like to include some helpful guides:

• If you want to re-import files to your Kodi library, we’re here to help. Learn how to import videos and how to import music into Kodi;
• Next, make sure you download only fully-working and updated addons. Here’s Husham.com’s bulletproof list of the very best addons for Kodi;
• Finally, you can skip our other suggestion and go for a highly capable build. This way, you will end up with numerous powerful addons and an amazingly large content library. Still, make sure you install one of the fully-working Kodi builds.

Final Thoughts

Don’t forget to tell us if this article helped you learn how to update Kodi? We hope you didn’t encounter any issues and that you enjoy Kodi as much as before. As always, you can count on Husham.com’s help. Write to us by using the comments section below.

Finally, do you think this article could be of help to other Kodi users? If that’s the case, don’t hesitate to share it on social networks. And finally, follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Thanks!