Kodi: IPTV Setup

Kodi is more than a player — it’s a free, open-source media center. It works well as a home theater hub on PCs, Android boxes, Raspberry Pi and many other devices. IPTV is handled by the built-in PVR IPTV Simple Client add-on — no separate download required.

For an even more detailed walkthrough with screenshots of every step, see the help section of Arlekino.TV: step-by-step guide to setting up Kodi.

Features

  • Completely free, with no ads and no paid versions
  • Runs on Android, Windows, macOS, Linux, Fire TV and iOS
  • Supports M3U/M3U8 playlists and TV guides in XMLTV format
  • Extensive customization: skins, TV guide layout, control via remote, keyboard or gamepad
  • IPTV sits alongside your local library of movies, TV shows and music in a single interface
  • Hardware acceleration and automatic refresh rate matching

Step 1. Installing Kodi

Install the current version — Kodi 21 “Omega” or newer.

From the official app stores

  1. Open Google Play or the Microsoft Store on your device
  2. Search for Kodi and tap “Install”

Manually — for Fire TV, older boxes and PCs

  1. Open a browser or the Downloader app and go to the official website kodi.tv/download
  2. Select your operating system. On Android, it’s important to pick the right processor architecture — ARMV7A (32-bit) or ARMV8A (64-bit)
  3. Download the installer, allow installation from unknown sources and complete the installation

Step 2. Enabling PVR IPTV Simple Client

  1. On first launch, the interface is in English. To switch to another language: gear icon (Settings) → Interface → Regional → Language, then pick the language you want. An internet connection is required — the language pack is downloaded
  2. Go back to the home screen and open “Add-ons” → “My add-ons”
  3. Select “PVR clients”
  4. Find PVR IPTV Simple Client in the list and open it
  5. Click “Enable”

Step 3. Playlist and TV guide

Without leaving the add-on menu:

  1. Click “Configure”
  2. On the “General” tab, set “Location” to “Remote path (Internet address)”
  3. Open “M3U playlist URL” and paste the direct link to the playlist from your provider
  4. Go to the “EPG settings” tab, select the remote path there as well and paste the XMLTV link
  5. Click “OK”. Kodi will offer to restart the add-on — confirm
  6. A notification about loading channels and the TV guide will appear in the upper right corner

Step 4. Watching and useful settings

Once the channels have loaded, a new “TV” section appears on the home screen: inside, “Channels” is the list broken down by category and “Guide” is the program schedule grid.

  • Refresh rate matching. “Settings” → “Player” → “Videos” → “Adjust display refresh rate”, set to “On start/stop”. Playback will look smoother
  • Hardware acceleration. In the same section, make sure MediaCodec, DXVA2 or the equivalent for your platform is enabled — this takes load off the processor
  • Clearing data. Changed your playlist but the old channels are still there? “Settings” → “PVR & Live TV” → “General” → “Clear data”: Kodi will download the list again

The player is only half the story: the channels come from the provider. If you don’t have a subscription yet, check out our IPTV service rating, which covers prices, channel counts and terms. The other players are covered in the app setup section.