Kodi IPTV Setup: PVR IPTV Simple Client Step by Step

Kodi is a free, open-source media centre that runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, Android TV and Fire TV. On its own it doesn’t play IPTV channel lists with a guide — but with the official PVR IPTV Simple Client add-on it becomes a capable IPTV player with a full electronic programme guide. This Kodi IPTV setup guide shows you how.

Kodi and the add-on are both free and contain no channels. You add the M3U playlist and guide link from your own provider.

What you need

• Kodi from the official website (kodi.tv) or your device’s official app store. On Android TV, Google Play is the easiest source; see our guide to IPTV on Android TV and Google TV.
• An M3U playlist link and, ideally, an XMLTV (EPG) link from your provider.

Step 1: Install PVR IPTV Simple Client

1. Open Kodi and go to Add-ons.
2. Choose Install from repository (on some versions: Download).
3. Open Kodi Add-on repository → PVR clients.
4. Select PVR IPTV Simple Client and choose Install.

On some Linux installations the add-on is a separate system package; install it with your distribution’s package manager if it doesn’t appear in Kodi.

Step 2: Add your playlist

1. Go to Add-ons → My add-ons → PVR clients → PVR IPTV Simple Client.
2. Choose Configure.
3. On the General tab, set Location to Remote path (Internet address).
4. In M3U playlist URL, enter your playlist link.
5. Leave Cache M3U at local storage on so Kodi doesn’t download the list every time.

Recent Kodi versions can hold more than one configuration of the add-on, so you can add a second playlist later as a separate instance.

Step 3: Add the TV guide

1. In the same configuration screen, open the EPG tab.
2. Set Location to Remote path (Internet address).
3. Enter your XMLTV URL.
4. If programmes appear early or late, adjust the EPG time shift here.
5. Select OK to save.

Step 4: Restart the add-on and open the TV section

Kodi applies changes when the add-on restarts. Disable and re-enable PVR IPTV Simple Client, or simply restart Kodi. Then:

1. Open TV from the main menu.
2. Choose Channels for the list, or Guide for the grid EPG.
3. Select a channel to start watching.

The first guide download can take a few minutes on large playlists.

Kodi on Fire TV

Kodi isn’t normally listed in the Amazon Appstore. On Fire TV devices running Fire OS, you can install the official Android build from kodi.tv using the safe sideloading steps in our Firestick IPTV setup guide — kodi.tv’s download page explains which Android build to choose for Fire TV, so follow its current advice rather than guessing. Fire TV devices running Vega OS can’t install Kodi.

Make Kodi open straight into live TV

If Kodi is mainly your IPTV player, set it to start in the TV section: go to Settings → Interface → Startup and set the Startup window to TV channels (or the guide). The next time Kodi starts, you land straight on your channel list, which makes it feel much more like a regular TV box.

Useful Kodi settings for IPTV

• Settings → PVR & Live TV → Guide: choose how many days of guide data to show and whether to hide “no information” entries.
• Settings → PVR & Live TV → Playback: options such as starting playback minimised or instant channel switching.
• Settings → Player → Videos: turn on Adjust display refresh rate to match each channel’s frame rate and reduce judder.
• Settings → System → Audio: turn passthrough on for a capable AV receiver, or off if you get silence.

For a broader explanation of buffer, decoder and audio options, see IPTV player settings explained.

Channel groups and logos

If your M3U playlist includes group titles and logo links, Kodi uses them automatically. In TV → Channels, open the side menu to switch between channel groups, or create your own groups for favourites.

Common Kodi IPTV problems

No channels after setup. Restart the add-on or Kodi. Then check the M3U link plays in VLC — if it fails there too, the link or account is the problem.

Guide shows “No information available”. Check the XMLTV URL, wait for the download, and confirm your provider supplies guide data for those channels.

Programmes at the wrong time. Adjust the EPG time shift in the add-on and make sure the device clock is correct.

Playback stutters. Turn on refresh-rate matching, use a wired connection, and on low-power devices avoid very high-bitrate channels.

Kodi is slow with a huge playlist. Ask your provider for a smaller, live-only playlist, or remove groups you don’t watch.

Only use trustworthy add-ons

Kodi’s official repository contains vetted add-ons such as PVR IPTV Simple Client. Third-party repositories that promise free premium channels are a common source of unlicensed content and malware. Stick to the official repository and playlists from a provider you trust.

The bottom line

Kodi plus PVR IPTV Simple Client gives you a free IPTV player with a proper TV guide on almost any device. Install the add-on, add your M3U and XMLTV links, restart it, and open the TV section — setup takes about ten minutes.