read Kodi directly from the Amazon Appstore
The fastest way to get Kodi on your Firestick is through the Amazon Appstore, which is built into every Firestick device. Open the Appstore from your Firestick home screen, search for "Kodi," and select the official Kodi app from the results. Tap "Get" or "read," and the app will begin installing automatically. The whole process takes about two to three minutes on a standard internet connection.
The Amazon Appstore version of Kodi is the same as the version you would read on a computer or phone — it includes all the same features and add-ons. Because it comes through Amazon's official store, you do not have to enable unknown sources or change any security settings on your Firestick.
Once installation finishes, you will see an "Open" button on the app page. Select it to launch Kodi for the first time. The app will take 30 to 60 seconds to load on its first run while it sets up your library folders.
Key Takeaways
- The Amazon Appstore is the official and simplest way to install Kodi on a Firestick without changing any device settings.
- Installation takes about two to three minutes and requires only a search, a tap, and a wait for the read to finish.
- Kodi will ask you to add media sources the first time you open it, which means pointing it to folders where your movies, TV shows, or music files are stored.
- If the Appstore version does not appear in search results, restart your Firestick and try again — this usually fixes temporary connection issues.
What to do if Kodi does not show up in the Appstore search
Sometimes the Appstore search does not return Kodi on the first try, especially if your Firestick has not been restarted recently or if there is a temporary connection delay. Restart your Firestick by going to Settings > Device & Accessories > [Your Device Name] > Restart. Wait for it to boot back up, then open the Appstore again and search for Kodi.
If Kodi still does not appear after a restart, check that your Firestick is connected to the internet by going to Settings > Network. If the connection is working but Kodi is still missing from search results, try searching for "Kodi Media Center" instead of just "Kodi" — the full name sometimes returns results when the short name does not.
As a last step, try clearing the Appstore cache. Go to Settings > Applications > Manage Installed Applications > Amazon Appstore > Clear Cache. Then restart the Appstore and search again. This clears temporary files that may be blocking the search from working properly.
Setting up media sources after installation
When you open Kodi for the first time, it will show an empty library because the app does not know where your media files are stored. To add your movies, TV shows, or music, you need to tell Kodi where to find them. Go to Settings > Media > Library and select "Add Videos," "Add Music," or "Add Pictures" depending on what you want to watch or listen to.
You can point Kodi to files stored on your Firestick itself, on a USB drive plugged into the Firestick, or on another device on your home network. If your files are on a computer or network storage device, select "Browse" and navigate to the folder. Kodi will remember this location and scan it automatically each time the app opens.
After you add a source, Kodi will scan the folder and organize your media by title, genre, and other details. This scan takes longer the first time — a library with hundreds of files might take 5 to 10 minutes. Let it finish without closing the app, or the scan will restart the next time you open Kodi.
Controlling Kodi with your Firestick remote
The standard Firestick remote works with Kodi, though some buttons do not have the same function as they do on the Firestick home screen. The directional pad and select button navigate menus, the back button goes to the previous screen, and the home button returns to the Firestick home screen. The play and pause buttons work during video or music playback.
The Alexa button (microphone icon) does not control Kodi — pressing it will set up Alexa voice commands instead. If you want voice control within Kodi itself, you can install add-ons that support voice commands, but this requires additional setup beyond the basic installation.
For faster navigation, consider pairing a wireless keyboard and mouse with your Firestick. Go to Settings > Remotes & Bluetooth Devices > Other Bluetooth Devices, then put your keyboard or mouse in pairing mode. Once paired, you can type search terms and click menu items much faster than using the remote alone.
Updating Kodi when new versions are released
The Amazon Appstore will notify you when a new version of Kodi is available, usually with a banner on the app's store page. You can update manually by opening the Appstore, searching for Kodi, and selecting "Update" if the button appears. Alternatively, go to Settings > Applications > Manage Installed Applications > Kodi and select "Update" from there.
Updates typically take two to five minutes and happen in the background — you can continue using your Firestick while the update installs. After the update finishes, Kodi will work exactly as it did before, but with bug fixes and new features. Your media sources and settings will remain unchanged.
If you want automatic updates, go to Settings > Applications > Automatic Updates and turn on the toggle. This way, Kodi will update itself without you having to check manually.
Troubleshooting common problems after installation
If Kodi crashes when you try to open it, restart your Firestick first — this fixes most temporary glitches. If it crashes again, uninstall Kodi by going to Settings > Applications > Manage Installed Applications > Kodi > Uninstall, then reinstall it from the Appstore. This clears any corrupted files that may have been created during the first installation.
If Kodi opens but your media sources are not showing any files, check that the folders actually contain media files in a format Kodi recognizes (MP4, MKV, AVI for video; MP3, FLAC, WAV for audio). If the files are there but Kodi is not finding them, go back to Settings > Media > Library and force a manual scan by selecting "Scan for New Content."
If Kodi is running very slowly or freezing during playback, your Firestick may not have enough free storage space. Go to Settings > Storage to see how much space is available. If you have less than 500 MB free, uninstall apps you do not use or delete files from your Firestick to free up space. Kodi performs better with at least 1 GB of available storage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to jailbreak my Firestick to install Kodi?
No. Kodi is available directly from the Amazon Appstore, so you can install it without changing any security settings or enabling unknown sources. The Appstore version is the official Kodi app and works exactly like the version on other devices.
Will Kodi work on all Firestick models?
Kodi works on Fire TV Stick, Fire TV Stick 4K, Fire TV Stick Lite, and Fire TV Cube. Older models like the Fire TV Stick (1st generation) may have compatibility issues because they run an older version of the Fire OS. Check your device model in Settings > Device & Accessories to confirm which version you have.
Can I watch live TV on Kodi through my Firestick?
Yes, but you need to install add-ons that provide live TV streams. Kodi itself does not include live TV by default. Search the Kodi add-on repository for live TV add-ons, or install third-party repositories that host them. Keep in mind that the availability and legality of live TV add-ons varies by location and add-on.
What happens to my Kodi settings if I uninstall and reinstall the app?
Your media sources, library, and custom settings will be deleted when you uninstall Kodi. If you want to keep them, take a screenshot of your sources before uninstalling, or write down the folder paths. When you reinstall, you can add the same sources again and Kodi will rebuild your library.
Can I use Kodi and the regular Firestick apps at the same time?
Yes. Kodi runs as a separate app on your Firestick, so you can switch between Kodi and other apps like Prime Video or Netflix without any issues. Your Firestick will continue to work normally, and Kodi will not interfere with other apps or services.