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To show Kodi’s full interface on a TV, connect the PC to the TV with HDMI and select that input. To play media from the PC’s Kodi library over your home network, enable Kodi’s UPnP/DLNA sharing and browse it with a compatible TV or media-player app. These are different setups: UPnP shares media, not Kodi’s complete interface or library features.
Choose how you want to use Kodi on the TV
| Goal | Setup | What appears on the TV | Main dependency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Use Kodi’s full interface | Connect the PC to the TV with HDMI | The PC display, including Kodi | A suitable PC video output and TV HDMI input (Kodi FAQ) |
| Browse and play the PC’s Kodi library on the TV | Enable UPnP/DLNA sharing on the PC and open the server from a compatible TV or player client | Shared media in the client’s own browsing and playback interface | UPnP/DLNA support and local-network discovery (Kodi UPnP guide; UPnP/DLNA settings) |
| Start playback from Kodi on the PC | Enable remote UPnP players and use “Play with…” | The selected item on the network player | A discoverable, compatible UPnP player (Kodi UPnP guide) |
| Keep Kodi’s interface on the TV while media is stored on the PC | Run Kodi on hardware connected to the TV and access the PC’s shared files or library | Kodi’s interface on the TV-attached device | A compatible Kodi device and network access to the PC (Kodi FAQ; Kodi downloads) |
Use an HDMI cable for Kodi’s full interface
Kodi is designed to run on hardware connected directly to a TV or AV receiver, preferably over HDMI, according to its official FAQ. With this arrangement, the TV acts as the PC’s display; you operate Kodi on the PC, and the TV shows the same screen.
- Check that the PC has a video output and the TV has an available HDMI input. If the ports do not match, verify any adapter separately before buying it; Kodi’s documentation does not specify a required adapter, cable version, or length.
- Connect the PC and TV, then use the TV’s input or source control to select the HDMI port you used.
- Start Kodi on the PC. Adjust the operating system’s display arrangement and resolution if needed. The exact menus vary by operating system and device, and Kodi’s cited instructions do not provide model-specific display steps.
This method carries the PC’s display to the TV, rather than asking the TV to run Kodi itself.
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Kodi includes a UPnP server that can share music and video from its library with other devices, and Kodi can also act as a UPnP client. UPnP is disabled by default. The TV or connected media player must have a compatible UPnP/DLNA browsing function; being marketed as a “smart TV” does not by itself establish that it has one.
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- Scan the content into Kodi’s library. On the PC, add and scan the media you want to share. Kodi’s UPnP guide identifies the Kodi installation containing the library as the server.
- Enable sharing in Kodi. Open Settings → Services → UPnP / DLNA, enable UPnP support, and turn on Share my libraries. Kodi’s settings documentation describes this as enabling the UPnP server for streaming library media to network clients.
- Open the TV’s media browser. Find its UPnP/DLNA or network-media browsing feature and look for the Kodi server. Menu names and availability vary by TV brand and model; check the TV’s manual or app list for the exact steps.
- Browse and play a file. The TV or player accesses the server’s media through its own interface. Kodi’s guide explains that UPnP browsing does not create a local Kodi library on the client or provide Kodi’s library features.
If the Kodi server does not appear
- Check that sharing is enabled in Kodi and that the PC’s library has been scanned.
- Confirm the PC and TV or player can communicate on the same local network, then refresh the client’s UPnP device browser. Kodi says available servers should appear there, but does not provide TV-brand-specific troubleshooting.
- Do not assume you must enable UPnP on the router. Kodi’s guide warns that router UPnP can pose security risks and says local-network UPnP use may still work while router UPnP is disabled. Consult the router’s instructions before changing its settings.
Send playback from Kodi to a network player
If you want to select a file in Kodi on the PC but have a network player handle playback, use Kodi’s remote-player feature. This is different from browsing the Kodi server from the TV.
- On the PC, open Settings → Services → UPnP / DLNA and enable Look for remote UPnP players.
- Browse to the media item in Kodi and open its context menu.
- Choose Play with…, then select a discovered player.
The destination must be discoverable and compatible. To control another Kodi installation this way, Kodi’s UPnP guide says that client must also allow control via UPnP.
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Check device and playback compatibility
Confirm the TV can act as a client
Kodi’s official download page lists platform choices, but that does not confirm Kodi is available as an app for every smart-TV model. Check the exact TV’s apps and documentation. If the TV cannot run Kodi, a Kodi-compatible device connected to it can provide the Kodi interface, subject to the device and network requirements.
Account for PC and file limits
Kodi’s Windows documentation describes 1080p and 4K playback using software decoding or hardware acceleration. Those references are not a guarantee for every PC, file, TV, or network: performance depends on the computer’s capabilities, and the cited documentation does not test a particular reader’s equipment.
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With network playback, the client must support the media formats and playback behavior of the files being served. Network conditions and device capabilities also affect results; the Kodi sources do not establish compatibility or smooth playback for a specific TV and PC combination.
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Kodi is media-center software, not a source of movies or other content. Its download page says the official version contains no content and that users provide their own media; Kodi’s team statement says the project does not endorse pirated content.
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