How to Update Your Kodi Library Automatically or Manually

To update Kodi’s media library, select Update library from the video or music section’s side menu. To automate scans, enable Update library on startup or schedule the official Library Auto Update add-on if it is available for your Kodi release. A scan adds media to Kodi’s catalog; it does not update the Kodi application.

Before scanning, add the media folder as a Kodi source and assign it the right content type. Menu labels can vary by version, platform, and skin.

Update the library automatically at startup

Startup scanning is the simplest automatic option. Kodi checks for new video or music content whenever it launches.

1. Open Settings > Media > Library.
2. Under Video Library, enable Update library on startup. Repeat under Music Library if you want Kodi to scan music, too.
3. Restart Kodi. It will scan the libraries for which you enabled the setting.

Startup scans may take time with large collections, and Kodi may contact an information provider while processing files. If your collection rarely changes, leave this option off and scan only when needed. See Kodi’s library settings guide for the video and music options.

Update Kodi’s library manually

Scan all sources

Open Videos or Music from the home menu. In the library view, open the left side menu—usually with the left-arrow key or by moving the pointer to the left edge—and select Update library.

In Music, use the same command from a music library view to scan music sources. Kodi describes this as a global scan in its Update Music Library guide. The video update guide documents the equivalent procedure.

Scan one source or item

If you added files to one folder, scan only that source. Open Videos > Files, highlight the source, open its context menu, and choose Scan for new content. For music, open Music > Files, highlight the source, and choose Scan item to library.

To add one movie or episode, use the scan command for that item in Files view. If the item is already in the library and you changed its metadata or artwork, open its information screen and choose Refresh. A normal scan looks for new content; it may not replace existing details from an edited NFO file or scraper result.

Schedule scans between Kodi sessions

The Library Auto Update add-on can scan video and music libraries on an interval or a cron-style schedule. Open Settings > Add-ons > Install from repository to begin.

1. Select Program add-ons.
2. Choose Library Auto Update and select Install.
3. Open the add-on’s settings to choose the libraries and scan schedule.

The settings let you choose video, music, or both; set an interval or cron-style timer; and skip an update while a file is playing. Use a schedule that matches how often your media changes.

Check compatibility: Kodi’s Wiki entry currently lists Library Auto Update in the Kodi 20 and 21 repositories. If it is not available in the official repository for your installed release, use startup or manual scans instead. Read the official add-on page for its repository notes.

Kodi also documents Library Watchdog, a service that watches media sources for additions or removals. Its Wiki entry lists Kodi 20 and 21 repositories, so check that your version offers a compatible copy before relying on it.

Troubleshoot missing or outdated items

• New media is missing: confirm that its folder is a Kodi source with the right content type. Check video naming and folder structure; for music, verify that files have usable embedded tags.
• A network folder is unavailable: reconnect the share or removable drive before scanning or cleaning. Kodi protects entries from disconnected sources to reduce accidental removals.
• Deleted media remains listed: an update scan does not necessarily remove library entries. Use Kodi’s removal procedure, then run Clean library if needed. See the Kodi library settings documentation for its safeguards.

For occasional additions, manual or startup scanning is usually enough. Use a scheduled add-on only when you need scans between sessions and it is compatible with your Kodi version.