How to Install Kodi on Apple TV 4, 3, and 2: What Still Works

You can install Kodi on Apple TV 4 (now called Apple TV HD) by sideloading the tvOS app from a Mac. You cannot install Kodi directly on Apple TV 3, and Apple TV 2 is no longer supported by current Kodi releases. The correct method depends on the model—not just the number in its name.

Which Apple TV models can run Kodi?

First, check the model number on the device or in its settings against Apple’s identification guide. An Apple TV HD is model A1625; Apple TV 3 is A1427 or A1469; Apple TV 2 is A1378.

Kodi is not a normal Apple TV App Store download. The Kodi project documents sideloading for tvOS-capable models; availability and compatibility of any particular build still depend on its tvOS requirements. See the official Kodi hardware guide.

How to install Kodi on Apple TV 4 (Apple TV HD)

1. Download Kodi and the Mac tools

On a Mac, install a compatible copy of Xcode from Apple’s App Store. Sign in to Xcode with your Apple Account. Download the tvOS package from Kodi’s official tvOS page and obtain iOS App Signer from its developer’s GitHub releases. The latter converts and signs supported app packages; it is a separate, community-maintained utility.

2. Connect or pair your Apple TV

Keep the Apple TV powered on. Apple TV HD has a USB-C service port that can connect to the Mac with a suitable cable. For wireless pairing—required for Apple TV 4K—place the Mac and Apple TV on the same network.

On Apple TV, open Settings > Remotes and Devices > Remote App and Devices. Leave that screen open while you switch to the Mac.

In Xcode, open Window > Devices and Simulators (or its equivalent device-management view). Select the discovered Apple TV, click Pair if offered, and enter the verification code shown on the TV. If the device does not appear, check the network and restart pairing.

3. Create a tvOS signing profile in Xcode

Create a new Xcode project using the current tvOS App template. Give it a project name and a unique bundle identifier. Under Signing & Capabilities, choose your Apple developer team and enable automatic signing. Select the connected Apple TV as the target so Xcode can prepare the appropriate certificate and provisioning profile.

A free Apple Account can be used for personal testing, but Apple says its free provisioning profiles expire after seven days. That means reinstalling or re-signing the app periodically; a paid developer membership follows different signing rules. See Apple’s developer account guidance.

4. Sign the Kodi package

Open iOS App Signer. Select the downloaded .deb package as the input, then choose the signing certificate and matching provisioning profile prepared in Xcode. Start the signing process and save the output .ipa file. If the package or its extensions cannot be signed, consult the Kodi tvOS installation notes rather than mixing files from unrelated Kodi versions.

5. Install the signed IPA

Return to Xcode’s Apple TV device view. Use the Add (+) control in the installed-apps area, or the equivalent Apps inspector in newer Xcode versions, and select your signed .ipa. When installation finishes, open Kodi from the Apple TV Home Screen. Apple documents this device-install workflow in its Xcode device-management instructions.

Can you install Kodi on Apple TV 3?

No direct installation is supported. Apple TV 3 lacks the app installation support required by Kodi. The practical alternative is to run Kodi on a Mac and use AirPlay screen mirroring to the Apple TV if the Mac and Apple TV support that connection. Open Kodi on the Mac, use the macOS Screen Mirroring control, and select the Apple TV. Video playback quality and audio behavior can vary; this does not install Kodi on the box. See Apple’s AirPlay instructions.

What about Kodi on Apple TV 2?

Apple TV 2 once ran jailbroken XBMC/Kodi builds, but the Kodi project ended support starting with version 15. Old tutorials that tell you to SSH into the box, use a default root password, and install abandoned package repositories are not a dependable or secure way to set up a media player today. For an actively maintained Kodi installation, use supported hardware instead.

Quick troubleshooting

• Apple TV not detected: verify power, cable or shared network, and the pairing code; reopen the Xcode device window.
• Signing error: confirm that the certificate, developer team, bundle ID, and provisioning profile match.
• App stopped opening after several days: check whether a free seven-day provisioning profile expired and sign and install it again.
• Kodi launches but media is missing: add your own local or network media sources; Kodi does not supply a library of movies or channels.

Only use Kodi with media and services you are authorized to access. Third-party add-ons should come from sources you trust; a VPN does not make an unsafe add-on safe or grant rights to copyrighted streams.