How to Download Kodi on an Android tablet or Smartphone the Easy Way

Cassandra McBride April 2, 2023

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Kodi is one of the most versatile – if notorious – bits of streaming software you can download, and it’s available on everything from MacBooks and PCs to Chromecasts and Firesticks. But what about your smartphone or tablet? If you’ve got an Android device, you’re in luck.

How to Download Kodi on an Android tablet or Smartphone the Easy Way

Before you go any further, please note that many addons contain content that isn’t officially licensed, and accessing such content could be illegal. In short, if the content is free, but looks too good to be true, then it probably is. We recommend using a VPN like ExpressVPN just to be safe when watching content with Kodi.

How to install Kodi on an Android tablet or phone

Kodi is available on the Google Play store, and that makes installing it onto your Android phone or tablet relatively easy. Before, if you had an Android device and wanted Kodi, you’d have to use a process called “sideloading” – but not anymore. Therefore, we’ve decided to show you the most foolproof, straightforward way of getting Kodi on Android

Open the Google Play Store on your Android device. – This can be found in the app drawer or by using your devices’ search bar and typing in Google Play.
Use the search bar at the top of the Google Play Store to type in “Kodi.”
Click on the blue search icon on your keyboard or hit ‘Enter’ depending on which Android device you’re using.
Click ‘Install’ under Kodi.

Wait a moment while the application installs. Once it finishes, you can click ‘Open’ or find the app in your app drawer and tap on it.

How to Set Up Kodi on Your Android

Now that you’ve successfully installed Kodi on your Android device, we’ll walk you through setting it up.

Allow Permissions

Kodi will need access to certain permissions like your device’s memory. So first, you’ll need to allow that. Click ‘Continue.’
Next, tap ‘Allow.’

Install Add-Ons

Kodi will now open to the home screen. From here, you can tap on the Settings cog in the upper left-hand corner to install add-ons.

Tap ‘Add-Ons’ from the Settings page.
Tap on one of the options in the next window that applies to your specific add-ons.
Select the add-ons you’d like to add to Kodi. There are too many to choose from to review them all in each article. Depending on what you’re looking for, the ‘My Add-ons’ selection gives you a list by genre.

After you’ve installed the Add-Ons you like, they will appear in the homepage of Kodi.

Kodi Isn’t Working on My Android

Many users have complained of issues with Kodi on their Android devices. Unfortunately, there could be a number of reasons that Kodi isn’t working properly. We’ll take you through some basic troubleshooting steps to get Kodi working.

Make Sure You’re Using the Right Version

Kodi, like any application, has various versions of software. If you’ve downloaded the application from the Google Play Store, a version that is compatible with your current Android OS should’ve been installed.

But, just to be on the safe side, make sure your Android OS and Kodi are up-to-date.

Clear the Cache

Another common issue with the Kodi application occurs when there is corrupted data in the app’s cache. Head over to the Settings on your Android device and tap on ‘Apps.’

Next, tap on ‘Kodi,’ then ‘Storage.’
From here you can tap ‘Clear Cache.’

Performing this step will not affect your data, add-ons, or any important information. Re-open Kodi and see if it works properly.

Fix – Kodi Screen is Black

Another common issue (especially on newer Android versions) is a blank or black screen. When you open Kodi, it will go through the loading screen, then go black. If this is happening to you, there’s a simple fix. Just do this:

Open the Settings on your Android device and head over to ‘Display.’
Next, tap on ‘Motion Smoothness.’
Tap ‘Standard’ then tap ‘Apply.’
Reopen Kodi and let it load. The screen should appear after you’ve performed these steps.

Changing this setting not only saves battery life, but it changes your resolution from 120 FPS to 60 FPS. Unfortunately, Kodi sometimes has difficulty at the higher frame rate, so doing this will get it up and running.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you’re new to Kodi, you may still have questions. Don’t worry though, we’ve included this section just for you.

Is Kodi legal?

Absolutely! There is nothing illegal about the application itself. But, there are some users who have figured out ways to pirate content and because Kodi is an open-source platform that allows you to install add-ons from anywhere, what you do with Kodi could be illegal. Just to be safe, install something like ExpressVPN to secure your browsing experience

Not only could you get into legal trouble for pirating copyright content, but your ISP can also monitor what you do with Kodi. It’s for that reason that many users opt for a VPN when using add-ons that aren’t exactly lawful.

Can I download Kodi on iOS?

Yes, but it isn’t flawless by any means. iPhone users often have difficulty with applications like Kodi because Apple takes a very ‘Big Brother’ stance on their products.

Fortunately, you can download the application from the App Store or from Kodi’s website.