Installing Kodi on Android TV: Turning Your Android TV Box into a Kodi Streamer

Steve Larner April 3, 2023

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Kodi is a fantastic way to stream content to your TV from a computer or phone, and using Google’s Android TV is an excellent way to turn your basic TV into a “smart” one.

Installing Kodi on Android TV: Turning Your Android TV Box into a Kodi Streamer

While streaming Kodi to Chromecast is a little tricky, getting Kodi onto your Android TV is an easy task. Here’s how you can get Kodi installed on your Android TV and start streaming your stored content onto the big screen.

Note: Many add-ons contain content that isn’t officially licensed, and accessing such material could be illegal. If the content is free but looks too good to be true, then it probably is. Use one of our best VPN picks when streaming online, like ExpressVPN.

Option 1: Installing Kodi from the Play Store

To start, we’ll show the easiest method for installing Kodi on your Android TV. Assuming you have access to the Play Store, follow these steps:

Open the Google Play Store on your Android TV and sign in if prompted.
Download the Kodi app on your Android TV using Google Play.
Configure the Kodi app to see the content you have stored on the network. If the installation is successful, you are ready to use Kodi on your Chromecast.

If you have trouble installing Kodi, ensure you’re running Android 5.0 or higher. If you aren’t, you should update your operating system and try again.

Option 2: Installing Kodi from the Official Website

If you can’t use the Google Play Store for some reason, you can use the official Kodi site to complete the download. All you need to do is follow these steps:

If Kodi is not available in the Play Store, go to Android TV’s Settings panel and scroll to Security & Restrictions.
Turn on Unknown sources to allow for installing apps outside the Google Play Store.
On a PC, download Kodi for Android from Kodi’s download page. Depending on your hardware, you need to select the correct version.
Copy the downloaded .apk file to Google Drive or a USB drive and plug it into your Android TV.
Using the TV, browse and access the .apk file using the Files by Google app or another file manager of choice. NOTE: Be careful when choosing a file browser since copycat apps with spyware and background adware are abundant!
Open the .apk file to install Kodi, and follow the prompts. Kodi will function the same as downloading from the Google Play Store, except it will prompt you for security authorization.
Configure Kodi so you can see the content you have stored in the network.

As previously mentioned, many add-ons contain content that isn’t officially licensed. Accessing such content could infringe on copyrights or lead to illegal use. The user’s responsibility is to comply with all applicable laws in their country regarding data and content.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some more answers to help you install Kodi on your Android TV.

What do I do if I can’t run the latest version of Android?

If you can’t get the instructions above to work due to OS incompatibility issues, you can try Aptoide TV. As opposed to the Google Play Store, you can search for older versions of Kodi that may be compatible with your Android TV version.

Can I update Kodi on Android TV?

Yes! If you’re experiencing issues with Kodi or want to use the latest version, you can update Kodi through the Google Play Store. Open the Play Store and click on your profile in the upper right-hand corner. Then click on ‘Manage apps & devices.’ Next, click on ‘Updates.’ Click ‘See details.’ Scroll down to Kodi and click ‘Update’ if the option appears (if it doesn’t appear, then your version is up-to-date already).

You can also uninstall and reinstall Kodi if you have trouble installing the latest version of Kodi.

Do I have to run a VPN when using Kodi?

Kodi doesn’t require a VPN to operate properly. But, it’s a good idea to use something like ExpressVPN while using Kodi. The reason we recommend a VPN is some content available on the platform can get users in hot water with their ISP. A VPN will mask your streaming activity.

What is an Android TV?

When we say ‘Android TV,’ we mean a TV that runs AndroidOS. This could be a TV manufactured by various companies.

It’s best to check the specs on your TV to see which OS you’re running. If you see Android as the operating system, you have an Android TV. If you don’t have one, you can purchase an Android TV box on Amazon and install Kodi that way.

Kodi and Android TVs

Now that you have Kodi installed on your HDTV, you can enjoy playing around with it and explore the features and options to make it yours! It also allows profiles so other users can customize it to suit their needs. Feel free to leave your comments below on how you’re using Kodi on your Android TV.