Have you noticed Kodi working sluggishly or found bugs and issues in the interface lately? This likely means you haven‘t updated Kodi on your Windows PC in awhile. Updating Kodi can provide speed improvements, fix bugs, and grant you access to the latest addons and features.
But many Kodi users hesitate to update, worried they’ll lose all their add-ons, settings and customized skins in the process.
Not to worry! In this detailed guide, I‘ll show you how to safely update Kodi on a Windows PC while preserving all your current settings and add-ons.
By the end of this guide, you‘ll be able to:
- Update to the latest Kodi version on Windows with zero hassle
- Retain all your configured settings, skins, add-ons etc. after updating
- Troubleshoot any issues with add-ons not working after updating
- Learn best practices for backing up Kodi before updating
I‘ll also provide a full overview of the new features and improvements in Kodi 19 Matrix releases.
Let‘s first look at why over 45 million users love Kodi, and the benefits of staying up to date…
An Introduction to Kodi Media Center
Chances are you‘re already familiar with Kodi and use it regularly on your Windows PC. But just in case, here‘s a quick overview.
Kodi is a free, open-source media center application that runs on Windows, Android, iOS, Linux and more. It provides a beautiful unified interface for all your music, video and photo content.
With Kodi, you can:
- Stream movies, TV shows, live channels and more
- Listen to your music library and podcasts
- View photos and home videos
- Play games and applications
- Access online add-ons and services
Kodi shines thanks to its vast library of community-developed add-ons. These add-ons let you do things like:
- Stream from free services like YouTube, PlutoTV, TubiTV etc.
- Access your Plex media server or Emby server
- Watch content from premium services like Netflix and Hulu
- Experience specialized add-ons for news, sports, kids shows and more
But the key is that Kodi neatly organizes all this content in one place, with a consistent interface. You don’t have to jump between different apps.
Why Update Kodi Regularly?
Kodi is under active open-source development. The team is always adding new features and fixing bugs and issues.
That‘s why it‘s important to regularly update Kodi to the latest stable version. Here are some key benefits:
- Performance improvements: Updates fix memory leaks, optimize playback and speed up navigation.
- Bug fixes: Annoying glitches, crashes and issues get resolved in updates.
- New features: Updates add handy new functionality like UPnP support, Airplay etc.
- Add-on support: New Kodi versions maintain compatibility with add-ons.
Updates are delivered on an ongoing basis. Let‘s look at the latest major release…
Introducing Kodi 19 Matrix
After 3 years of development, Kodi 19 "Matrix" was released in August 2021. This major update brought some highly anticipated additions, including:
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Kodi 19 Statistics
- 3+ years in development
- 5,000+ code commits
- 200+ developers contributed
- 6 pre-release alphas and 4 release candidates
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UPnP and DLNA client support – Stream media from UPnP servers like Plex right in Kodi‘s interface.
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Airplay support – Cast content from Kodi to Airplay devices like Apple TV.
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Gaming improvements – Better controller mapping, overlay support for gamepads, improved scrapers and more.
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Web browser support – Useful for add-ons that leverage web-based content.
The Matrix version also has under-the-hood changes to improve stability, memory usage, and platform support.
Overall, updating to Kodi 19 provide a nice boost in performance and great new functionality. But let‘s get to the meat of this guide…
How to Update Kodi on Windows Without Losing Settings
The golden rule is to wait at least a few weeks after a major Kodi release before updating. This gives add-on developers time to add compatibility.
Once a release has proven stable, here is the full process to update Kodi on your Windows desktop or laptop:
Prerequisites
Before getting started, you‘ll want to:
- Back up your Kodi configuration for safety
- Note down any installed add-ons you use frequently
- Check add-on compatibility with the new Kodi version (more on this later)
Step 1: Close and Exit Kodi
First, completely close out of the current Kodi app on your Windows PC:
- Highlight the Kodi icon in your system tray.
- Right click on it and choose Quit to ensure Kodi is fully exited.
Or you can open Kodi, go to the main system menu, and select Exit.
Step 2: Download the New Kodi Installer
Go to the official Kodi website at kodi.tv and download the Windows installer for the latest Kodi version:
For example, here is theMatrix 19.4 Windows 64-bit installer:
Make sure to choose the correct Windows installer for your system architecture (32 or 64-bit).
Step 3: Run the Installer to Update Kodi
Once downloaded, launch the Kodi installer executable and walk through the setup wizard:
- Click Next to advance through each screen
- Accept the license agreement
- On the prompts, choose to overwrite and update your existing Kodi installation
This will replace the old Kodi version with the new one you downloaded. The installer willpreserve your library databases, add-ons and settings.
Once complete, you may get a popup that Kodi was successfully updated:
Step 4: Launch the Updated Kodi Version
You can now open Kodi from the Start Menu (or desktop shortcut) and enjoy it updated to the latest version!
All of your add-ons, settings, playlists and libraries should remain intact through the update. The interface may look slightly different if Kodi changed skins or designs between versions.
Navigate around and verify that your add-ons work correctly after updating. If you notice any issues, see the troubleshooting tips below.
And that‘s it! Updating Kodi on your Windows PC is a quick and painless process thanks to the official installers.
Now let‘s go over some frequently asked questions and additional tips for updating Kodi like a pro.
Updating Kodi on Windows – FAQs and Expert Tips
Here are answers to common questions and some pro power-user tips for Kodi updates:
1. Should I backup my configuration before updating Kodi?
Yes! It‘s always wise to backup your Kodi configuration before any major update. Here are two easy ways to do this on Windows:
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A. Backup the Kodi AppData folder:
- Navigate to C:\Users\YOUR_USER_NAME\AppData\Roaming\Kodi\userdata\
- Copy this folder to create a backup you can restore if needed
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B. Use Kodi‘s built-in export function:
- In Kodi, go to System > Export
- Choose to export your library, add-ons, playlists etc.
- Save the export .zip file as a backup
Backing up ensures you have a fallback plan if something goes wrong during an update.
2. What‘s the best way to check Kodi add-on compatibility?
Most add-ons will continue working when you update Kodi. But some may have compatibility issues or bugs initially after a major new release.
To check, go to the add-on page on the Kodi repository. This will show the Kodi versions supported:
You can also check the GitHub page or website of the specific add-on author. Many list the supported Kodi releases.
As a rule of thumb, wait 1-2 weeks after a new Kodi release to let add-on devs catch up.
3. What should I do if an add-on stops working after a Kodi update?
Don‘t panic if an add-on suddenly has problems after you update Kodi. Here are some troubleshooting steps:
- Try disabling the add-on and re-enabling it
- Check the add-on for available updates and install them
- See if the add-on has compatibility issues with the Kodi version you updated to
- As a last resort, rollback to your previous Kodi version
With a little troubleshooting, you can usually get add-ons working again without much hassle.
4. Can I revert and go back to my previous Kodi version?
If the new Kodi update causes major issues, you can revert to your previous working version:
On Windows:
- Uninstall Kodi from Control Panel > Programs > Uninstall
- Restore your Kodi AppData backup (see first question)
- Reinstall the previous Kodi version you had
Just be sure to export your Kodi data before installing the update, so you have backups to restore.
5. What are some expert tips for updating large Kodi setups?
Here are some pro power-user tips for smooth updating:
- Update on a fresh Windows install if possible, for a "clean slate"
- Only restore the sections you need from your Kodi backup
- Force refresh all add-ons and repositories to update databases
- Clear packages and do a clean startup after installing the update
- Scan your media libraries to repopulate indexes and art
Taking precautions like this helps avoid issues when updating large complex Kodi builds.
6. Does updating Kodi on Windows also update add-ons?
Unfortunately no – updating the Kodi app itself does not update any installed add-ons. You‘ll need to check for add-on updates separately after updating Kodi.
I recommend enabling "Auto-update" for add-ons you use frequently. You can also manually check for updates by going to My Add-ons > Updates.
This ensures all your add-ons stay up to date along with Kodi.
I hope this guide cleared up everything you need to know about smoothly updating Kodi on a Windows PC or laptop! Let‘s recap the key points:
In Summary
- Updating Kodi improves performance, fixes bugs, and unlocks new features
- Use the official Kodi Windows installer to easily update to the latest version
- Your add-ons, settings and libraries stay intact when updating Kodi
- Check add-on compatibility before updating to avoid potential issues
- Backup your config and be prepared to troubleshoot if an add-on breaks
- Kodi 19 Matrix brings nice improvements like UPnP, Airplay and more
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You can also connect with me via my YouTube channel here for video tutorials. I‘m always happy to help fellow Kodi users!
Thanks for reading, and enjoy the latest Kodi release on your Windows computer.
