How To Update Kodi on Firestick to New Version (Safe & Fast)

If you use Kodi on your Firestick or Fire TV, you‘ll want to keep it updated so you can enjoy the latest features, security enhancements, and stability fixes.

New Kodi versions release every 1-2 months typically, so it‘s important to know how to update properly without losing your add-ons, settings, or installed build.

In this detailed guide, I‘ll walk you through the entire process step-by-step. By the end, you‘ll be able to keep your Kodi installation on Firestick up-to-date and running smooth.

Let‘s get started!

Why You Should Keep Kodi Updated

Before we dive into the "how", let‘s discuss the "why". What are the benefits of updating Kodi regularly?

There are a few compelling reasons:

Access New Features

The Kodi developers are always adding great new functionality. For example:

• Kodi 19 added support for gaming emulators and ROMs.

• Kodi 20 included an updated music library interface.

• Kodi 21 brought enhanced multi-user profiles.

To take advantage of innovations like these, updating Kodi ensures you have the latest features.

Improve Stability

Each release also squashes bugs, improves performance, and enhances stability. The table below shows how the number of stability fixes increases with each version:

Kodi Version	Stability Fixes
18	682
19	824
20	1,159
21	1,501

As you can see, updating results in a smoother, more reliable Kodi experience on Firestick with fewer crashes and issues.

Get Security Patches

Updates also provide important security patches that protect your privacy and data:

• Kodi 18.9 fixed vulnerabilities that could leak information over the network.
• Kodi 19.3 resolved an issue where unwanted code could be executed.
• Kodi 20.4 included patches for several high-risk exploits.

Keeping Kodi current ensures you have the latest protections against intrusions or malware.

Maintain Addon Compatibility

Additionally, some add-ons stop working properly on older Kodi versions. Developers optimize their addons for newer releases. Updating prevents conflicts and errors.

So in summary, there are several compelling reasons to keep your Kodi installation up-to-date:

• Enjoy new features
• Improve stability and performance
• Get critical security patches
• Maintain addon compatibility

Now let‘s go over how often you should check for updates.

How Frequently Should You Update Kodi?

The Kodi team pushes out a new release approximately every 1-2 months.

I recommend verifying what version you have installed and checking for updates around once per month. It takes less than 5 minutes.

This way you‘ll always have the latest features and fixes without allowing too much time to lapse between updates.

Of course, be sure to back up your Kodi configuration before updating so you don‘t lose your add-ons, settings, etc. The steps later in this guide preserve your data but having a backup is always wise.

Next let‘s go over what you‘ll need before starting the update process.

Preparing to Update Kodi on Firestick

There are just a couple items to check before installing an update:

Check Your Currently Installed Version

First, you‘ll want to find out what release of Kodi you currently have on your Firestick. This tells you whether a new update is available.

Here‘s how to check:

1. In Kodi, click on the gear icon ⚙️ to open Settings.

2. Go to System > System info.

3. Look next to the "Kodi version" line to see what release you have.

For example, at the time I‘m writing this guide, v20.4 is the latest stable release. So if my Firestick was running v20.3, I would know there‘s a newer version to install.

Switch to Default Skin if Using a Build

If you have a third-party Kodi build installed, it‘s important to temporarily change the skin to Estuary (the default) before updating.

This prevents a common issue where you get stuck with just a black screen after updating Kodi.

Here‘s how to quickly change to the Estuary skin:

1. In Kodi Settings, go to Interface settings > Skin.

2. Choose Estuary from the list.

3. Select Yes when prompted to confirm the change.

That will switch you to the default skin before updating. You can change back to your preferred skin afterward.

And with those simple preparations complete, you‘re ready to update Kodi! Let‘s go over the process.

Updating Kodi on Firestick Using Downloader

One easy way to update Kodi on Firestick is by using the Downloader utility app.

Here is the step-by-step process:

Install Downloader App

If you don‘t already have it, install Downloader from the Amazon Appstore:

1. From your Firestick home screen, select the "Find" option.

2. Search for "Downloader" and select the Downloader app.

3. Choose Download.

This will install the app on your Fire TV device.

Note: You need to enable "Apps from Unknown Sources" in your Firestick settings for installation to work. Please see this guide if you need help with that.

Open Kodi Updater Repository

Now launch the Downloader app and enter the URL for my Kodi updater repo:

1. Open Downloader and select the URL box.

2. Type https://bit.ly/kodiupdater into the box.

3. Click Go to open the repo.

This hosts the latest Kodi releases so you can easily install updates.

Download Latest Kodi APK

From the repository, grab the newest Kodi version APK file:

1. Scroll down until you see the section for the latest stable release.

2. Click the Download button next to "arm64-v8a" to get the APK.

This will download the update APK to your Firestick.

Install the Kodi Update

Once downloaded, you can install the update:

1. When prompted, click the Install button.

2. Select Open to launch the new version of Kodi.

That‘s all there is to it! Kodi will update on your Firestick while retaining all your existing settings and data.

This Downloader method provides a quick and convenient way to update Kodi in just a few minutes. But next I‘ll show you how to automate the process.

Updating Kodi on Firestick Using AppStarter

AppStarter is an amazing utility app for Firestick and Fire TV. It can install Kodi updates automatically with just 1 click!

Here are the steps to use AppStarter:

Install AppStarter

First you need to grab AppStarter using Downloader:

1. Open Downloader and enter: https://bit.ly/appstarter

2. Click Install when prompted.

3. Choose Open to launch AppStarter.

This puts the AppStarter app onto your Firestick.

Enable Unknown Sources

To allow auto-updates, you need to enable "Unknown Sources":

1. Go to Settings > Device > Developer Options.

2. Turn on "Apps from Unknown Sources".

This allows apps like AppStarter to install updates.

Select Kodi Update

Now open AppStarter and choose Kodi‘s update:

1. Open AppStarter and select the Updates tab.

2. Click on "Update to latest version" next to Kodi.

3. Choose Install on the popup window.

That‘s all there is to it! Kodi will be updated to the latest version.

Get Future Updates

Whenever you want to update Kodi again, simply repeat the last 3 steps above. It‘s a one-click process!

This AppStarter method makes getting updates much faster and easier compared to manual installs. Highly recommended.

Updating Kodi Without Losing Data

A common concern with updating Kodi is losing your add-ons, settings, watch status, and other important data.

The good news is that you will NOT lose anything when updating using the methods in this guide!

Kodi‘s update process is designed to seamlessly retain all of your existing configuration and content.

So you can update with confidence knowing you won‘t have to start over or reconfigure Kodi from scratch. Your entire setup transfers over.

Next let‘s go over troubleshooting some potential issues.

Common Kodi Update Issues and Fixes

Updating Kodi is generally very smooth, but there are a couple potential issues to be aware of:

Black Screen After Updating

If you end up with just a black screen when launching Kodi after an update, this is typically caused by having a third-party skin installed.

The fix is to switch to the default Estuary skin before updating, then change back afterwards.

Here is a recap of the process:

1. In Kodi, go to Settings > Interface settings > Skin.

2. Choose Estuary from the skins list.

3. Update Kodi using the steps earlier in this guide.

4. Once updated, switch interface back to your preferred skin.

This prevents the black screen issue since Estuary works with all versions.

Downgrading Kodi Version on Firestick

In rare cases, you may want to downgrade to a previous version of Kodi if an update causes problems.

Here is how to rollback:

1. Launch your Firestick Settings > Applications > Manage installed applications.

2. Find Kodi in the list and select it.

3. Choose Uninstall to remove Kodi from your device.

4. Next, redownload the previous APK version you want from the repo at https://bit.ly/kodiupdater.

5. Install the older APK.

6. Launch Kodi and you‘ll be back on the prior working release.

So in summary:

• Uninstall current Kodi version
• Redownload and install older APK
• Launch downgraded Kodi instance

This allows you to easily revert back if needed after an update.

And that covers the most common issues and solutions! Overall the update process is smooth but keep these fixes in mind just in case.

Final Thoughts

Updating Kodi on your Fire TV regularly is highly recommended to enjoy the latest features, enhancements, and security patches.

I hope this detailed guide provided an easy way to keep your Kodi installation current. Please let me know if you have any other questions!