Kodi doesn't come with any TV channels. What it does very well is take a playlist and a programme guide that you already have, from a legitimate provider, a TV tuner server or a free broadcaster feed, and turn them into a proper live TV section with a grid guide. The tool that does that is PVR IPTV Simple Client, and on Kodi 21 "Omega" it takes about ten minutes to set up if you do things in the right order.
Short answer: install Kodi 21.3 from the official source for your device, enable PVR IPTV Simple Client under Add-ons → My add-ons → PVR clients, paste your M3U link into the General tab and your XMLTV link into the EPG tab, then open TV from the home screen. The catch: Kodi can't be installed at all on Roku, Samsung's Tizen TVs or Amazon's new Vega OS Fire TV sticks, so check your device before you start.
At a glance
IPTV on Kodi, October 2026
| Stable Kodi | 21.3 "Omega" (December 2025) |
| Next version | 22 "Piers", Beta 2 (September 2026) |
| Add-on you need | PVR IPTV Simple Client (free, official) |
| What you supply | An M3U playlist URL, ideally an XMLTV guide URL |
| Setup time | 10 to 15 minutes |
Before you start: two links and the right device
You need two things from whoever supplies your channels.
-
An M3U playlist URL. A web address that returns the channel list. It usually ends in
.m3uor.m3u8, or containsget.phportype=m3u. -
An XMLTV guide URL. The programme listings, usually ending in
.xmlor.xml.gz. Kodi will run without it, but you'll get a channel list with no schedule.
If your provider only gave you a server address, username and password (an "Xtream" style login), you can usually build both links yourself. Our explainer on M3U URL formats shows the pattern.
Legitimate sources that hand out links like these include home tuner servers such as HDHomeRun and Tvheadend, some public broadcasters and free ad-supported channel lists, and paid operators that support third-party players. Kodi itself is open-source, legal software; the Kodi Foundation doesn't supply content or endorse any service. A cheap "subscription" that only exists as a playlist link with no company behind it is usually unlicensed, and you shouldn't build your setup around it.
Step 1: Get Kodi 21 from the right place
Most "Kodi won't install" problems come from using the wrong source for the device. Here's where Kodi 21 comes from on each platform.
| Device | Where to get Kodi | Simple Client included? |
|---|---|---|
| Google TV, Android TV, Android phones | Google Play | Yes |
| Fire TV on Fire OS (4K Max, Cube, Fire TVs) | Android build from kodi.tv, sideloaded | Yes |
| Fire TV on Vega OS (newer sticks) | Not possible | n/a |
| Windows PC | Installer from kodi.tv or Microsoft Store | Yes |
| Mac | Download from kodi.tv | Yes |
| Linux | Distro package, Team Kodi PPA or Flatpak | Sometimes a separate package |
| Raspberry Pi | LibreELEC or OSMC image | Yes, via the add-on repository |
| Xbox Series X|S / One | Microsoft Store | Yes |
| Apple TV, iPhone, iPad | Not in the App Store; needs self-signing | Yes |
| Roku, Samsung Tizen TVs | Not available | n/a |
Two notes. On Linux, Ubuntu and Debian ship IPTV Simple Client as its own package (kodi-pvr-iptvsimple); if PVR clients is empty, that's why. Our IPTV on Linux guide covers it. On Fire TV, check whether your stick runs Fire OS or Vega OS first; this model-by-model list tells you.
Avoid "builds" and pre-loaded Kodi boxes. They bundle third-party add-ons, often outdated or pointing at unlicensed streams, and they make troubleshooting a nightmare. Start from a clean official install.
Step 2: Enable PVR IPTV Simple Client
Simple Client is maintained by Team Kodi and is already on most installs, just switched off.
- From the home screen, open the cog (Settings) → Add-ons → My add-ons.
- Choose PVR clients. You'll see a long list of back-ends (HDHomeRun, Tvheadend HTSP, NextPVR and so on).
- Select PVR IPTV Simple Client, then Enable. Don't open anything else yet.
If it isn't listed under My add-ons, go back to Add-ons → Install from repository → Kodi Add-on repository → PVR clients and install it from there.
You may also see IPTV Manager recommended. That's a different thing: a helper that feeds channels from other video add-ons (such as some broadcasters' catch-up add-ons) into Simple Client. You don't need it for a plain M3U playlist.
Step 3: Add your playlist
With Simple Client selected, choose Configure. Kodi 20 and later can hold several configurations of the same add-on (for example, one playlist from a tuner and one from a broadcaster); you'll add the first one now.
- In the General tab, set Location to Remote path (Internet address). Use Local path only if the .m3u file is saved on the device.
- Select M3U play list URL and type or paste your link. On a TV remote, it's quicker to use Kodi's web remote or the official Kore app on your phone to paste text.
- Leave Start channel number at 1 unless you want channel numbers to match a cable lineup.
- Optional: set Auto refresh mode to "Once per day" if your provider changes the lineup often.
- Press OK. Kodi shows a "loaded X channels" notice in the corner within a few seconds.
If nothing appears, the URL is the usual suspect. Open it in a phone browser: a working link downloads or shows a text file that starts with #EXTM3U.
Step 4: Add the guide
Reopen Configure and go to the EPG tab.
- Set Location to Remote path.
- Paste the XMLTV URL.
- If listings are an hour or more out, adjust EPG time shift rather than your device clock.
Kodi matches guide data to channels using the tvg-id in each playlist entry. Where IDs are missing or mismatched, those channels show "No information available" while others work fine. That's a playlist issue, not a Kodi one, and our EPG URL guide goes through how to fix it or find a better guide source.
The first guide import on a large playlist can take a few minutes, longer on a Fire TV Stick or a Pi 3. Let it finish before you start browsing.
The Channel Logos, Catchup, Timeshift and Advanced tabs can wait. We go through each of them, with recommended values, in Kodi IPTV Simple Client: Setup and Settings.
Step 5: Make Kodi open on live TV
Back on the home screen, Kodi's default Estuary skin now shows a TV entry. Choose it, and you'll find Channels, Guide, Recordings, Timers and Search. If you mostly use Kodi as a TV box, a few changes make it behave like one:
- Settings → Interface → Startup → Startup window → TV channels. If you can't see the option, change the settings level (bottom-left of the settings screen) to Standard or Advanced.
- Settings → PVR & Live TV → Playback: switch Start playback minimised off if you want channel changes to go straight to full screen.
- Settings → PVR & Live TV → Guide: reduce Days to display in guide to 3 or so on low-powered devices. It makes the grid noticeably quicker.
- In the Channels view, long-press (or press C/menu on the remote) on a channel to hide it, move it or add it to a group. Hiding the channels you'll never watch is the single biggest usability improvement on a big playlist.
First-run problems and fixes
| What you see | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| No TV entry on home screen | Add-on not enabled, or skin hides it | Enable Simple Client; in Estuary, Settings → Interface → Skin → Configure skin → Main menu items |
| "Unable to load playlist" | Mistyped URL, expired login, or the server blocks the request | Test the URL in a browser; confirm it with the provider |
| Channels load, guide empty | No XMLTV URL, or tvg-id mismatch | Add the EPG URL; wait for the import to finish |
| Old channel list keeps coming back | Kodi's TV database caches it | Settings → PVR & Live TV → General → Clear data |
| Channel won't play, others do | Dead stream or unsupported format | Check that one entry in VLC; report it to the provider |
If the guide still won't fill after all that, our EPG troubleshooting guide works through the less obvious causes, including compressed guide files and time zones.
Should you wait for Kodi 22?
No. Kodi 22 "Piers" reached Beta 2 on 5 September 2026, with improved HDR handling among the changes. Betas are fine for tinkering on a spare device, but for the TV the family uses, stay on 21.3 until Piers reaches a final release and your PVR add-on has caught up.
When you do upgrade, Simple Client updates along with Kodi, and your settings carry over in most cases. Make a note of your M3U and EPG URLs anyway; reinstalling from scratch is a five-minute job if you have them.
Our opinion, for what it's worth: Kodi is the best free option if you want a fast grid guide, recording from a home tuner and full control. If you just want to press a button and watch, a licensed live TV service's own app is less work.
Quick answers
How do I add IPTV to Kodi? Enable PVR IPTV Simple Client under Settings → Add-ons → My add-ons → PVR clients, open Configure, paste your M3U URL in the General tab and your XMLTV URL in the EPG tab, then open TV from the home screen.
Is IPTV on Kodi legal? Kodi and Simple Client are legal, open-source software. Legality depends on the source of the playlist: licensed providers, your own tuner and free broadcaster feeds are fine; unlicensed streams aren't.
Which Kodi version should I use for IPTV? Kodi 21.3 "Omega", the current stable release as of October 2026. Kodi 22 "Piers" is still in beta.
Do I need IPTV Manager? Only if you want channels from other Kodi video add-ons to appear in the TV guide. For a normal M3U playlist, Simple Client alone is enough.
Can I add more than one playlist? Yes. Since Kodi 20, you can add a second configuration of Simple Client from its Configure screen, each with its own playlist and guide.
Why are my Kodi channels showing no guide? Either no XMLTV URL has been added, or the tvg-id values in the playlist don't match the guide's channel IDs.
Can I install Kodi on a Roku or Samsung TV? No. Neither platform supports Kodi. Use a Google TV device or a Fire OS model plugged into the TV instead.
Kodi version numbers, add-on menus and device support change with each release. Kodi 22 may become the stable version soon after this was written, and some menu names may shift. Checked October 2026.