Setting up Kodi / XBMC - a guide

The platform-independent Kodi media center software - formerly XBMC - is one of the most popular on the market. Instructions on how to set up Kodi can be found in this practical tip.

1. Select the "Movies / Videos" item.
2. Then click on the "Files" tab and then on "Add Videos".
3. Under "Search" you can now select the directory with the films.
4. Now you can give the selected directory a name and confirm with "OK".
5. Now select from a list what kind of content it is, such as films.
6. You can then make a few settings for the content - for example, how the films are organized and where the description should be downloaded from.
7. If you now click on "Scan", the specified path will be searched and the films will be added to your library.

Add music library to Kodi: how it works

To add your music library in Kodi, do the following:

1. Note: In order for Kodi to scan and catalog your music, the music files must have valid ID tags.
2. Make sure you are not in library mode.
3. Scroll to your music in the browser. This can be a single song, but also one or more folders.
4. Use the [C] key to open the context menu.
5. "Scan object for library" adds the file or folder to your music library.

Installing add-ons for Kodi / XBMC: how to do it

There are a variety of add-ons for Kodi that add functionality and content to Kodi. To install add-ons such as YouTube or the ARD media library, proceed as follows:

1. Open the menu item "System" and go to "Add-Ons".
2. Then select the item "Add add-ons".
3. You must now select the source from which you want to install the add-on.
4. Then select the add-on category and the add-on you want to install.
5. Now click on Install and confirm the message window. The add-on will then be installed.
6. The 15 best add-ons for Kodi can be found in our picture gallery on the subject.

• We explain how you can use Plex or watch Twitch.tv via Kodi.

Change the look of Kodi: that's what you need to do

To change the look of your media center, Kodi and third parties offer a large selection of different skins:

1. Open the "System" item and select "Appearance / Appearance".
2. Go to "Skins".
3. Here you can choose from a list of pre-installed skins.
4. A variety of skins are available via "Download more".
5. Tip: In another article we will show you the 5 best skins for Kodi / XBMC.

On the next page we present the Android version of the media center.