How to Install Kodi on a Smart TV

Your smart TV is the heart of your home entertainment center; why not boost its streaming power with Kodi? If you’re ready to access a whole world of new TV shows, live streams, movies, music and more, this guide is for you. It’s pretty easy to install Kodi on smart TV devices–just follow our step-by-step instructions and you’ll be up and running in minutes.

There’s nothing like sitting down in front of a high-definition smart TV at the end of a long day. Kodi is a powerful open-source media player that can take that experience further — organizing your personal library, pulling in your own files, and supporting a wide range of add-ons. Installing Kodi on your smart TV is a great way to make sure you never want to leave your couch. If you’re ready to upgrade your entertainment options to the max, check out our guide below and learn how to install Kodi on a smart TV.

What Kodi Is and Isn’t

Before diving in, it’s worth setting realistic expectations. The official Kodi app ships with no movies, TV shows, live channels, or other content built in. Kodi is a media player and front end — think of it as a sophisticated player for content you already own or access through legitimate sources, such as your local video library, personal photo collection, or legally obtained media files.

Third-party add-ons can extend Kodi’s functionality considerably, but they vary widely in legitimacy. Some access content without proper licensing, which is why the official Kodi project does not endorse or distribute unofficial add-ons. If you see claims that Kodi automatically unlocks “free movies and shows from around the world,” treat those with skepticism — that is not how the official app works out of the box.

Reminder

Kodi and all of its add-ons provide an incredible amount of content, almost all of which is free. The catch is some of these unofficial extensions can access pirated movies and TV shows without your knowledge. This has raised red flags with rights holders who have shut down Kodi add-ons and pressured ISPs into throttling Kodi downloads or sending copyright infringement notices to streamers.

You can protect yourself from these threats by using a virtual private network. VPNs create a safe tunnel between you and the internet by encrypting data and sending it through remote servers. Nobody can tell who you are when you connect to a VPN, nor can they tell what you’re downloading.

NordVPN – Best VPN for Safe, Fast Kodi Streams

NordVPN is the best-regarded provider in the industry, and that’s in no small part due to how it enhances streaming apps like Kodi. The core offering here is an absolutely massive network of over 5,800 servers in 59 countries. This gives you ready access to tens of thousands of virtual IP addresses to “spoof” your way past geoblocks and access international content from across the globe. Want more anime? Pick a Japanese server. Mad for UK cooking shows? There’s a NordVPN server (well, more like hundreds of servers) for that too.

Unlike run of the mill proxy services, NordVPN also equips your connection with NSA-grade encryption via their NordLynx protocol. This blocks out ISP tracking and throttling, hides your true IP address from websites, dodges censorship and surveillance, and thwarts would-be cyber-attackers all at the click of a button. In conjunction with NordVPN’s SmartPlay feature, even infamously stubborn sites like Netflix are powerless to stop you.

NordVPN never limits your bandwidth, speed, traffic type, or server switches. You’re entirely free to use their network how you like — they never keep logs of your activity, so rest assured that your traffic is entirely anonymous and secure. And perhaps most importantly, NordVPN is available on Firestick, Android TV boxes, and other smart TV-compatible systems, making it the ideal companion when you run Kodi on smart TV hardware.

Read our full NordVPN review.

Will My Smart TV Run Kodi on Smart TV Operating Systems?

Kodi runs on a massive variety of hardware, including everything from streaming sticks to TV set boxes, mobile devices, and PCs. Not all smart TVs are capable of running custom software such as Kodi, however. Smart TVs are extremely low powered and have minimal processing and storage capabilities, which can make running apps a challenge. They also tend to use their own operating systems, many of which Kodi can’t support.

Whether or not you can install Kodi on smart TV hardware depends primarily on the operating system your TV runs. A general rule is that if you can access the Google Play Store from your TV’s interface, you can install Kodi directly from there. If you can’t, you’re better off looking into third-party Kodi options like Fire Stick TV or Roku.

Here is a current overview of Kodi compatibility by platform. Even if your television isn’t directly compatible, check the guides in the sections below for easy and fast workarounds.

• Android TV and Google TV – TVs running Android TV or Google TV (from Sony, Hisense, TCL, and others) can install Kodi directly from the Google Play Store. This is the easiest and most reliable path to native Kodi on a smart TV.
• LG Smart TVs (webOS 4+) – LG TVs running webOS 4 or later are now a supported Kodi platform. Installation requires sideloading via LG’s Developer Mode rather than downloading from the LG Content Store, but it is an officially documented process. See the dedicated LG installation section below for full steps. Note that some older or entry-level webOS hardware may not be supported.
• Samsung Smart TVs (Tizen) – Nearly all Samsung TVs run the Tizen operating system, which does not have a native Kodi app. There is no official Kodi port available for Tizen. Samsung TV owners should plan on using an external streaming device if Kodi support is a priority.
• Sony Smart TVs – Sony’s TV lineup has broadly shifted to Android TV and Google TV in recent years. If your Sony TV can access the Google Play Store, you can install Kodi easily from there.

How to Install Kodi on a Smart TV

If your smart TV runs a newer version of the Android TV operating system, you’re in luck! It’s easy to install Kodi on smart TV devices running Android, opening up the entire ecosystem of third-party and official Kodi add-ons. All you need to do is access the Google Play Store and install. Note that some TVs may prevent you from doing this, even if they run the right operating system. Your performance can be a little sluggish, as well, so install and stream with caution.

1. Launch the Google Play Store by selecting the icon in your TV’s menu.
2. Sign in with your Google account.
3. Select the search bar and type in “kodi“
4. Click on the icon, then click “Install“
5. After a few moments Kodi will appear on your apps menu, ready to go!

Remember: if you’re using Kodi on smart TV hardware, always activate a VPN on the same device. Smart TVs running Android OS also support a number of VPNs by default, including our recommendation above. Install and sign in first, then stream with complete privacy.

How to Install Kodi on LG Smart TVs (webOS 4+)

LG TVs running webOS 4 or later are an officially supported Kodi platform, though the installation process is different from simply downloading an app. Because Kodi is not available in the LG Content Store, you need to sideload it using LG’s Developer Mode. Here is what you need and how to do it.

Supported Hardware

This method works on LG TVs running webOS 4 or later, with the exception of TVs built on the K5LP platform. If you are unsure which version of webOS your TV runs, you can check under Settings > Support > TV Information.

What You Need Before You Start

• A computer connected to the same local network as your LG TV
• A free LG developer account (register at the LG Developer Portal)
• The Developer Mode app installed on your LG TV (available from the LG Content Store)
• DevMode Manager for webOS TV installed on your computer
• The latest Kodi IPK file for webOS, downloaded from the official Kodi website

Installation Steps

1. Open the Developer Mode app on your LG TV and sign in with your LG developer account. Toggle Developer Mode On and restart the TV when prompted.
2. On your computer, open DevMode Manager for webOS TV and enter your TV’s IP address to connect to it.
3. Once connected, click Install in DevMode Manager.
4. Browse to the Kodi IPK file you downloaded and select it.
5. Wait for the installation to complete. Kodi will then appear in your LG TV’s app list.

Important Caveats

• Kodi is not available from the LG Content Store — sideloading via Developer Mode is the only supported install path.
• Binary add-ons are not available from the Kodi repository on webOS.
• There are known quirks with GUI audio and resolution handling on webOS, as documented on the official Kodi wiki.

Best Smart TVs Compatible with Kodi

If you’re in the market for a new smart TV and want Kodi compatibility, the most important thing to look at is the operating system the TV runs — not just the brand name. Here is how to think about it when shopping today.

• Prioritize Google TV or Android TV – TVs running Google TV or Android TV give you the easiest, most straightforward path to Kodi. You simply install it from the Google Play Store, just as you would on a phone. Many current TVs from Sony, TCL, Hisense, and others run these platforms. If Kodi support is a must-have, this is the operating system to look for.
• LG (webOS 4 or later) – Supported with limitations – LG’s webOS 4+ TVs can run Kodi via the sideloading method described above. It works, but it requires more setup than a Play Store install, and features like binary add-ons are not available. If you already own or prefer an LG TV, it is a viable option — just go in with realistic expectations.
• Samsung (Tizen) – Plan for an external device – Samsung makes excellent TVs, but Tizen does not support Kodi natively, and there is no official port on the horizon. If you buy a Samsung TV and want Kodi, budget for an Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K, Chromecast with Google TV, or similar external streaming device to plug into your HDMI port.

Can’t Install Kodi on Your Smart TV? Try These Workarounds!

The vast majority of smart TVs on the market simply can’t run Kodi. Some compatibility issues make custom ports impossible, and others are just too underpowered to stream movies through Kodi and its add-ons. The good news is that there are dozens of other ways to add the Kodi experience to your smart TV. Check out some of our favorite alternatives below!

Amazon Fire TV – Inexpensive Kodi Streams for Any Smart TV

Amazon has two fantastic movie streaming devices called the Fire TV and Fire TV Stick. The former is a set top box that plugs into your TV and adds a ton of new video options, including Amazon’s own Prime streaming service. The Fire TV Stick is a less expensive and portable version of the set top box that offers the same functionality in a smaller package. Both are wonderful movie devices, and both run Kodi without any problems.

Installing Kodi on an Amazon Fire TV Stick or set top device is laughably simple. You can do it in just a few minutes, and you don’t need to be a tech genius to get it done. You can also install a VPN on your Fire TV device for better privacy, making this one of the easiest, safest, and least expensive ways of watching Kodi on your smart TV.

Run Kodi on Raspberry Pi – Cheap and Customizable

If you’ve got a little more time on your hands and don’t mind a little command line manipulation, installing Kodi on a Raspberry Pi is an excellent way to stream movies to your smart TV. Basically all you need is a Pi device, an HDMI port, and a quiet afternoon you can spend working on the setup.

If you’re new to the Raspberry Pi community, follow the official Kodi installation guide for detailed instructions. The Kodi wiki also has a full page dedicated to tweaking, optimizing, and installing Kodi on the Pi. And don’t forget to install a VPN on your Raspberry Pi, as well!

Kodi on Apple TV – All Your Media Everywhere

Most Apple and iOS products are locked down in an effort to keep sketchy apps away from trusting users. With a little time and the right tutorials, however, Apple TVs can be a surprisingly comfortable home for Kodi. We have a complete guide on how to install Kodi on an Apple TV, covering everything from the original hardware versions all the way to more modern releases. You’ll need time and some technical knowledge to get it done, but once you’re finished there’s nothing like seeing that Kodi logo on your Apple TV device.

Alternatives to Kodi on Smart TV – Plex and Sling TV

One theory explaining why smart TV manufacturers exclude Kodi is to encourage people to use built-in apps with similar functionality. Kodi’s open source nature gives you a ton of movie, TV, and international streaming options, but when you can’t physically access the software those features don’t do you much good! Even if your smart TV doesn’t support Kodi, there are a few programs with similar features you can install to stream videos and custom content.

• Plex – Plex does a lot of things Kodi does, with a few extras. One of the biggest bonuses is the ability to stream downloaded videos from one device to another. Install Plex on your PC, for example, add the app to your smart TV, then stream content wirelessly. Most smart TV interfaces have support for Plex built in, making this a viable option when you can’t use Kodi on smart TV hardware directly.
• Sling TV – Sling TV is an a la carte TV service that lets you purchase live channels and watch them at your leisure. No crazy packages to buy, just the content you want at extremely low prices. Almost all smart TVs support Sling TV out of the box, as well. You can even unblock Sling TV and watch it abroad!

Many smart TVs also come with popular streaming apps pre-installed or available for download. If you need help setting up streaming services like YouTube, check out our YouTube activation instructions to get started quickly.

Best Kodi on Smart TV Tips from Our Users

How do you watch your favorite shows using Kodi on smart TV setups at home? If you’ve got a clever workaround or know of a fool proof method for getting Kodi on smart TV devices, share it in the comments below!

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