How to Use ResolveURL in Kodi, the URLResolver Fork

ResolveURL is a background Kodi dependency, not a video catalog or a standalone player. Most users should install the add-on that needs it from a repository they trust; Kodi can then install ResolveURL as a dependency. To check it, open Kodi’s dependency manager. Add-on developers can declare script.module.resolveurl in their manifest and use ResolveURL’s current Python API.

ResolveURL is a fork of URLResolver. The maintained project identifies the package as script.module.resolveurl and publishes it through a separate Kodi repository. The project index listed version 5.1.212 when checked on October 27, 2026; use the live index for the current version because it can change. ResolveURL only handles links supported by its code and does not search the web for movies or shows. Use it with content you have the right to access.

What ResolveURL does in Kodi

A Kodi add-on may receive a page or file-host URL that is not itself a direct playable stream. ResolveURL tries to turn supported links into a stream URL that Kodi can open. It is a shared library used by other add-ons, so you normally interact with the parent add-on rather than opening ResolveURL from Kodi’s home screen.

ResolveURL and the older URLResolver are separate add-on packages. A fork does not automatically replace every older dependency or repair an add-on that has stopped working. Check the add-on’s own documentation before changing or removing anything.

Install it the normal way

1. Start with the add-on that needs it. In Kodi, open Add-ons, choose Install from repository, select the add-on’s publisher or another repository you trust, then install the compatible add-on. If its manifest requires ResolveURL and the dependency is available in an installed repository, Kodi handles the dependency installation during setup.
2. Use the developer’s repository only when needed. If the publisher specifically directs you to ResolveURL’s own repository, get the repository ZIP from the maintainer’s ZIP repository. Open its ZIP archive folder and select the current repository.resolveurl package. A repository ZIP registers an update source; it is not the ResolveURL module itself.
3. Install that ZIP in Kodi. In the Add-ons browser, choose Install from zip file, navigate to where you saved or copied the ZIP, and select it. Kodi may ask you to enable Unknown sources. Only continue if you trust the source: Kodi warns that add-ons from unknown sources can access personal data on the device. The exact menu layout can vary by Kodi version or skin.
4. Let the dependent add-on pull the module, then verify it. Install or update the add-on that declares ResolveURL. To check the result, go to Settings > System > Add-ons > Manage dependencies and look for ResolveURL. If that setting is hidden, change the settings level at the lower left to Advanced. A listed, enabled dependency confirms that Kodi has it installed; it does not guarantee that every host link will resolve.

The Add-ons browser separates ZIP installation from browsing installed repositories.

Kodi warns that add-ons from unknown sources may expose personal data.

Select the repository ZIP you obtained from the maintainer’s archive.

Manage dependencies is the place to confirm ResolveURL is present and enabled.

Use ResolveURL in an add-on

For developers, add ResolveURL as a required dependency in the add-on’s addon.xml. The version attribute is the minimum version your code needs; match it to the API you use and the Kodi versions you support.

<requires>
  <import addon="script.module.resolveurl" version="5.1.0" />
</requires>

Then use the upstream project’s HostedMediaFile interface to check and resolve a supported source URL:

import resolveurl

hosted_file = resolveurl.HostedMediaFile(source_url)
playable_url = hosted_file.resolve() if hosted_file else None

if not playable_url:
    # Report an unsupported or unavailable source to the user.
    pass

Pass the resulting URL to Kodi’s playback flow only after checking that the result is usable. A false or missing result can mean the host is unsupported, the source URL has expired, the host has changed its page, or the request failed. The resolver cannot make unavailable or unauthorized content playable.

The current interface and dependency example are documented in the ResolveURL source repository. Kodi’s add-on manifest guide explains automatic dependency resolution, and its Add-ons settings reference describes Manage dependencies and Unknown sources.

Troubleshoot without breaking other add-ons

• “Dependency not available”: Refresh or update the repository that provides the parent add-on, check that Kodi has internet access, and confirm the add-on supports your Kodi release. Kodi can install only dependencies available from a configured repository or supplied as directed by the publisher.
• ResolveURL is missing or disabled: Check the add-on’s dependency list and its installation message. Update from the same trusted repository that supplied the add-on; avoid mixing ZIPs from unrelated builds.
• A link still fails: Confirm the source link is valid and supported, then check the parent add-on’s log or support page. ResolveURL can stop working for a particular host when that host changes its service.
• Removing an old resolver: Do not delete Kodi’s add-on folders by hand. Kodi may prevent uninstalling a dependency while another add-on uses it. Remove it through Kodi only when the dependency manager marks it as orphaned or no add-on requires it.

In short, install the add-on that needs ResolveURL from a trusted source, let Kodi manage its dependency, and use the maintained project documentation if you are developing an add-on. Avoid repositories or add-ons that offer copyrighted streams without authorization.