How to Clone Your Kodi Configuration to Another Device

To clone your Kodi configuration, copy the complete Kodi data folder from the source device to the matching folder on the destination while Kodi is closed. That folder contains the changes you have made to Kodi, including add-ons, profiles, skins, settings, playlists, and library databases. You can also use Kodi’s Backup add-on for a guided export and restore. Either way, the video and music files stored outside Kodi’s data folder must be available separately on the new device.

What a Kodi clone does—and does not—copy

Kodi saves add-ons and their data, library databases, artwork cache, playlists, and other user changes in its data folder. Common subfolders include addons, media, and userdata; copy the complete folder to capture other files too. Kodi’s data-folder documentation describes what is stored there.

Your actual media files are separate. If the source library points to a local drive or a network share that the destination cannot reach, Kodi may show missing items until you connect the same share or update the source paths. Some add-ons also depend on the operating system, external services, or credentials and may need to be reinstalled, signed in, or configured again.

Before you transfer anything

• For the most reliable result, install the same Kodi release on both devices. Add-ons and databases may not behave the same across different Kodi versions or operating systems.
• Start Kodi once on the destination, then fully exit it. This creates its data folder and prevents Kodi from writing to files while you replace them.
• Keep a separate, private copy of the original data folder. It can contain personal settings and source details, so do not leave it in a public folder or shared account.

Find the Kodi data folder

The location depends on the operating system. These are the standard locations documented by Kodi; Linux distributions, app packages, and some Android devices can differ.

On macOS, the Library folder is hidden in Finder by default; use Finder’s Go to Folder command and enter the path above. Android access is more complicated: Android 11 and later restrict file-picker access to Android/data. Kodi lists the usual Android path, but your file manager may not be able to open or write there. In that case, use Kodi’s own backup option if available or a transfer method supported by the device. See Google’s Android storage documentation for the platform restriction.

Option 1: Use Kodi’s Backup add-on

Kodi’s official wiki documents a community-maintained Backup add-on in the Kodi repository. When it is available for your Kodi version, install it from the repository’s Program add-ons section, choose a destination Kodi can write to, and run a backup. The add-on can export items such as databases, playlists, thumbnails, add-ons, and configuration files; on the destination, install the add-on and use its restore function. Repository availability and screen labels can vary by Kodi version and skin, so follow the add-on’s own settings and current instructions. See Kodi’s backup guide.

Option 2: Copy the data folder manually

1. Close Kodi on the source. Wait for it to exit fully so its databases and settings are not being written during the copy.
2. Open the source data folder. Use the platform path in the table. If you use a portable or Flatpak installation, its data folder is in a different location; check Kodi’s data-folder documentation rather than assuming the standard path.
3. Copy the complete folder. Copy the Kodi data folder to a private USB drive or a network location both devices can reach. Do not copy only the Kodi program or installation folder.
4. Prepare the destination folder. Start then close the matching destination install, and back up its new data folder. Replace its contents with the copied source data, keeping the destination’s platform-specific location.
5. Open Kodi and check the result. Confirm the skin, settings, profiles, add-ons, playlists, and library appear as expected. Test a few add-ons and play a local or network item. If media is missing, reconnect its original share or correct the source path. Keep the old backup until the clone works.

Common problems after cloning

If Kodi starts with the default skin or missing settings, check that you copied the contents of the source data folder into the correct destination folder—not into an extra nested Kodi folder. If add-ons appear but fail, update or reinstall them from their original repositories and check whether they support the destination platform. If the library is present but its files will not play, the media paths likely changed; the clone does not move movies, shows, music, or network shares.

For a device that blocks access to its app-data directory, do not assume an older file manager can bypass the operating system. Use an in-app backup, a Kodi-supported network location, or the device maker’s supported transfer process. Once everything works, retain one private backup so you can restore the setup if a later update or device failure causes a problem.