How to Set Up and Manage Kodi Profiles for Multiple Users

Kodi profiles let people share one Kodi installation while keeping different settings, media libraries, and media sources. You can create a profile for each family member, keep a separate setup for testing add-ons, or customize the appearance of a shared TV. The process starts in Kodi’s profile settings and does not require an extra account or subscription.

What Kodi profiles can—and cannot—do

Each profile can have its own skin, view preferences, add-on settings, keymaps, and media information. You decide whether to reuse the master profile’s media sources or keep a separate list. The default Master user profile already exists; you add other profiles alongside it.

Important: Profiles organize access inside Kodi, but they are not strong security boundaries. Someone with access to your computer’s files or certain Kodi remote-control features may be able to bypass profile locks. For sensitive or truly restricted content, also use device accounts and file-system permissions. See Kodi’s official profiles documentation.

How to create a Kodi profile

The following labels follow Kodi’s standard Estuary-style interface. Your skin may arrange the screens differently.

1. Open Settings. From Kodi’s home screen, select the gear icon near the top of the interface.

2. Find profile settings. Open Profiles or Profile settings in the Settings area. This section contains General and Profiles.

3. Add a profile. Select Profiles, then Add profile.... The existing Master user profile should appear alongside the add option.

4. Name it. Enter a recognizable name, such as “Kids” or “Guest,” and select OK. When Kodi asks for a profile directory, accepting the default location normally creates a folder under Kodi’s userdata/profiles directory.

5. Choose the profile options. In Edit profile, you can change the name and picture, configure lock preferences, and choose how media information and sources work. Confirm your changes, then respond to Kodi’s prompts to Copy default settings/sources or Start fresh.

Should you share or separate media libraries?

Kodi treats Media info (library records, including titles and watched states) separately from Media sources (the folders or network locations that Kodi scans). You can configure each independently:

• Separate: Keep independent media information or source lists, with normal editing access. A useful choice for children or a testing profile.
• Shares with Default: Reuse the Master user’s data with editing access.
• Shares with Default (Read Only): Reuse master data while limiting changes through Kodi’s lock mechanism.
• Separate (Locked): Keep separate data but restrict modifications until master mode is enabled.

For a family profile with its own watched status, choose separate media information. To point several profiles at the same movie folders, share or copy media sources as appropriate. Copying settings or sources during setup creates a starting configuration; it is not the same as maintaining a shared source list.

How to switch between profiles

Return to Settings → Profiles → Profiles, open the context menu on the profile you want, and choose Load profile. On a keyboard, the C key opens Kodi’s context menu; supported remotes have an equivalent menu command. You can also open the power menu and choose Log off to select another user.

To make profile selection appear whenever Kodi starts, open Settings → Profiles → General and turn on Show login screen on startup. If you leave that option off, Automatic Login on startup lets you use the last-used profile or select a particular one. These settings are documented in Kodi’s Profile settings reference.

How to edit, lock, or delete a profile

Choose a profile from the Profiles list to review its options. For a household setup, consider a distinct profile picture and limited media sources. To protect settings from casual changes, configure Lock preferences or Kodi’s Master lock. A profile lock does not encrypt your data or replace operating-system permissions; Kodi explains these limitations in its Master lock documentation.

To remove an unused profile, open its context menu in the Profiles list and choose Delete. Back up any profile-specific library information, add-on settings, or other data you want to retain before confirming. Do not edit or delete profiles.xml manually just to manage accounts.

Fix common profile problems

If an add-on or skin is available in Master user but missing in another profile, check Add-ons → My add-ons: it may already be installed but disabled for that profile. Enable it there if needed. The screen below shows Kodi’s add-on area, which can differ according to installed add-ons and skin.

If the interface looks incomplete after switching profiles, restart Kodi. Kodi also documents a skin-reload workaround for affected systems, but advanced keymap changes are generally unnecessary for routine profile use. If users can see media you intended to hide, review both the profile’s source-sharing selection and the underlying folder permissions.

Kodi profiles work best as a way to personalize a shared media center: give each user a familiar home screen, select the right library and sources, and use login selection when the device serves multiple people.