Adding Movies to Kodi: Your Definitive Guide

Adding movies to Kodi transforms it from a barebones media player into a powerful entertainment hub. This process generally involves either importing local files from your hard drive or connecting to a movie library hosted on a network share, each requiring specific steps to ensure a seamless and enjoyable viewing experience.

Table of Contents

Understanding Kodi’s Movie Library

Kodi’s strength lies in its ability to organize and present your movie collection in an attractive and user-friendly format. Unlike simple file browsers, Kodi scrapes metadata – information like movie titles, descriptions, cast lists, posters, and trailers – from online databases, providing a rich and informative viewing experience. The core principle of adding movies to Kodi revolves around pointing Kodi to the location of your movie files, and then letting it do its magic.

Adding Movies from Local Storage

Adding movies stored directly on your computer’s hard drive is a common starting point for many Kodi users. Here’s how to do it:

Step 1: Accessing the Video Source Settings

Open Kodi.
Navigate to “Movies” on the main menu.
You’ll likely see a prompt to “Enter files section.” Click on it.
Select “Add videos…”

Step 2: Browsing for Your Movie Folder

Click the “Browse” button.
Navigate through your computer’s file system to find the folder where your movies are stored.
Select the folder and click “OK.”

Step 3: Setting the Content Type

You’ll now be presented with a window titled “Set content.”
Under “This directory contains,” select “Movies.”
Important: Ensure “Choose information provider” is set to a metadata scraper like “The Movie Database” or “TMDB”. This allows Kodi to automatically download movie information.

Step 4: Customizing Scraper Settings (Optional)

Click on “Settings” within the “Set content” window.
Here you can fine-tune the scraper’s behavior, such as specifying the language for metadata and setting preferences for retrieving trailers. These settings can significantly affect the quality of your movie library.

Step 5: Initiating the Scan

Click “OK” to save the settings.
Kodi will ask if you want to refresh the information for all items in the path. Choose “Yes.” This begins the scraping process.
Kodi will now scan the folder, identify each movie, and download its metadata. This process can take some time depending on the size of your collection.

Adding Movies from Network Shares (NAS or Shared Folders)

If your movies are stored on a Network Attached Storage (NAS) device or a shared folder on another computer, you need to configure Kodi to access them over your network.

Step 1: Setting up Network Sharing (Outside of Kodi)

Before you can add a network share to Kodi, you need to ensure that the folder containing your movies is properly shared on your network. This involves configuring sharing settings on the device hosting the movies (e.g., NAS or computer). Refer to the documentation for your NAS device or operating system for instructions on setting up network shares using protocols like SMB (Samba) or NFS.

Step 2: Adding the Network Source in Kodi

The process within Kodi is similar to adding local storage, with a slight variation when browsing.

Follow steps 1 and 2 from “Adding Movies from Local Storage” to access the “Add videos…” option.
Click “Browse.”
Instead of browsing your local file system, look for options like “Add network location…” or “Windows network (SMB).” This will vary based on your operating system and network configuration.
Enter the network path to your shared folder. This typically looks like \SERVERNAMESHARENAME or smb://SERVERNAME/SHARENAME, where SERVERNAME is the name or IP address of the device hosting the share, and SHARENAME is the name of the shared folder.
You may be prompted for a username and password if the share requires authentication.

Step 3: Configure Content and Scrape

Once you’ve added the network source, follow steps 3, 4, and 5 from “Adding Movies from Local Storage” to set the content type to “Movies” and initiate the scraping process.

Common Issues and Troubleshooting

Adding movies to Kodi is generally straightforward, but sometimes issues arise. Here are some common problems and solutions:

Movies not being recognized: Ensure the movie filenames are clean and descriptive. For example, “Movie Title (Year).mkv” is better than “MovieFile001.avi”. If problems persist, try manually refreshing the information for individual movies by right-clicking on the movie in Kodi and selecting “Information” followed by “Refresh.”
Incorrect movie information: This is usually due to inaccurate or ambiguous filenames. Try renaming the file to be more specific. You can also manually edit the movie information by right-clicking on the movie in Kodi, selecting “Information,” and then choosing “Edit.”
Network connection problems: Verify that your network is working correctly and that Kodi can access the network share. Double-check the network path, username, and password.
Scraper issues: Sometimes, online movie databases experience downtime. If the scraper isn’t working, try a different scraper or try again later.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

FAQ 1: Which is the best metadata scraper for Kodi?

The “best” scraper is subjective and depends on your preferences. The Movie Database (TMDB) and TVDB (for TV Shows) are popular and generally reliable choices. Try experimenting with different scrapers to see which one provides the most accurate results for your collection.

FAQ 2: Can I use Kodi to play movies directly from a DVD or Blu-ray disc?

Yes, Kodi supports playing movies from physical discs, but your computer needs to have a DVD or Blu-ray drive. You can typically insert the disc and Kodi will recognize it as a source. However, playing encrypted Blu-ray discs requires additional software and configuration.

FAQ 3: How do I update my Kodi movie library?

If you’ve added new movies to your folder, you can update your library by navigating to the “Movies” section, opening the context menu (right-click or long-press), and selecting “Update library.” This will scan your sources for new content.

FAQ 4: How do I exclude certain folders from being scanned by Kodi?

When adding a source, there’s an option to “Exclude from library updates” in the “Set content” window. This is useful if you have folders containing content you don’t want Kodi to include in your movie library.

FAQ 5: Why are some of my movies showing up as duplicates in Kodi?

This often happens when Kodi incorrectly identifies the same movie under different filenames. Try cleaning your library by navigating to the “Videos” section, opening the context menu, and selecting “Clean library.” This removes orphaned entries from the database.

FAQ 6: What file formats does Kodi support?

Kodi supports a wide range of video file formats, including MP4, AVI, MKV, MOV, WMV, and many more. Generally, if your computer can play it, Kodi can play it.

FAQ 7: Can I stream movies to Kodi from online sources?

Yes, Kodi supports streaming movies through various add-ons. However, be aware that many add-ons offer access to copyrighted content illegally. Always ensure you are using legal streaming services.

FAQ 8: How do I create custom movie genres in Kodi?

You can create custom movie genres using the advancedsettings.xml file. This requires some technical knowledge and editing XML files. There are many online guides that can provide detailed instructions.

FAQ 9: How can I improve the performance of Kodi when playing high-resolution movies?

Ensure your hardware meets the minimum requirements for playing high-resolution videos. You can also try adjusting Kodi’s video settings, such as enabling hardware acceleration and adjusting the render method.

FAQ 10: Can I use Kodi on a mobile device?

Yes, Kodi is available for Android and iOS devices. The process of adding movies is similar to the desktop version.

FAQ 11: How do I backup my Kodi library?

You can backup your Kodi library by copying the userdata folder to a safe location. This folder contains your library database, settings, and add-ons.

FAQ 12: What is the best way to organize my movie files for Kodi?

A well-organized folder structure greatly improves Kodi’s ability to identify and scrape movies correctly. A common approach is to create a main “Movies” folder, with subfolders for each movie named after the movie title. Inside each movie folder, place the movie file and any associated artwork (poster.jpg, fanart.jpg). Consistency is key.