How to Back Up and Restore Kodi on Any Device

To back up and restore Kodi, use the Backup program add-on from Kodi’s official repository, or copy Kodi’s entire data folder to a safe location while the app is closed. The first method is convenient for most devices; the second is particularly useful on Windows, macOS, and Linux. Both can preserve settings, add-ons, and library information without rebuilding your setup from scratch.

Keep the backup outside the Kodi data folder—ideally on a USB drive, network share, or other storage that will survive a reinstall. These methods do not back up your actual movies, TV episodes, or music files stored elsewhere.

Method 1: Back Up Kodi With the Official Backup Add-on

Kodi provides a community-maintained Backup program add-on in its official repository. It supports on-demand backups and restores, selectable data, and scheduled backups. You do not need to enable Unknown sources or install an unofficial wizard. See the official Backup add-on instructions and Kodi add-on listing.

1. Open Kodi’s add-on browser

1. From Kodi’s home screen, select the Settings gear.
2. Open Add-ons, then Install from repository.
3. If you see more than one repository, select Kodi Add-on repository.

2. Install and configure Backup

1. Open Program add-ons, select Backup, and choose Install.
2. After installation, open the Backup add-on’s Configure or Settings option.
3. Set a writable destination (called Remote path in some releases). Avoid a location that will be erased when Kodi is removed.
4. Under the available include options, select the items you need: add-ons, add-on data, databases, settings, playlists, and other supported files. Thumbnails can make backups much larger.

3. Create the backup

1. Return to Add-ons and launch Backup from your installed program add-ons.
2. Select Backup and allow the operation to finish.
3. Check the destination in a file manager to confirm that a new backup was created. For additional protection, copy it to another drive.

4. Restore Kodi from a saved backup

1. Install Kodi on the destination device, preferably using the same major Kodi version as the original installation.
2. Install the official Backup add-on again and point its settings to the folder containing your saved backup.
3. Launch Backup, choose Restore, and select the correct backup entry.
4. After the restore completes, restart Kodi. Verify your library, add-ons, sources, and skin settings before deleting the original copy.

Method 2: Make a Full Manual Kodi Backup

Manual copying is often the simplest option on a computer. Kodi stores customizations in its data folder, separate from the application’s program files. Copy the entire folder, not just userdata, if you want installed add-ons and their settings too. See Kodi’s backup documentation and the Kodi data folder reference.

1. Close Kodi completely so its databases are not being written during the copy.
2. Locate the data folder for your operating system in the table below.
3. Copy the entire folder to external storage, preserving its subfolders and filenames.
4. To restore, close Kodi on the destination computer, rename its existing data folder as a safety copy, then put your backed-up folder in the correct location.
5. Restart Kodi and check the restored setup.

For Microsoft Store/Xbox, portable installations, iOS, and other systems, paths differ. Consult official userdata paths rather than assuming the desktop directory applies. Android’s storage restrictions may prevent an ordinary file manager from opening the app’s data directory; the Backup add-on or Kodi’s built-in file manager may be more practical.

Moving Kodi to Another Device: What Can Go Wrong?

A full data-folder copy is not a universal migration file. Kodi cautions against restoring it across different operating systems or different major Kodi versions. Even between devices running the same OS, audio, display, storage paths, and add-on dependencies may need adjustment.

If you are changing platforms, favor a fresh Kodi installation and migrate only compatible configuration or library data. Files referenced by network shares, USB drives, and local folder paths must still be accessible. Do not expect a backup to recreate media files that were never stored inside Kodi.

On LibreELEC, a separate backup and restore feature is also available through its settings add-on, as noted in LibreELEC’s official update documentation. Back up before major system upgrades, not only after problems appear.

Fix Common Backup and Restore Problems

• Backup destination unavailable: Confirm the USB drive or network share is connected and Kodi has write access. Select a different folder if necessary.
• Restore list is empty: Verify that Backup points to the actual destination folder and that the saved backup files remain there.
• Missing add-on settings: Check whether add-on data and settings were included; restore the matching backup, or reinstall a compatible add-on.
• Black screen or unstable skin: Return to the default skin if possible and review add-ons that may be incompatible with the installed Kodi version.
• Library items do not play: Check media source paths and network permissions; the backup preserves library records, not the underlying media.

Before resetting or uninstalling Kodi, make a dated backup and verify that you can read it. A backup stored only inside the folder you plan to erase is no backup at all.