Install Kodi on Ubuntu 18.04: Add the Official PPA and Set Up

Kodi (formerly XBMC, short for Xbox Media Center) is a free, open-source, cross-platform media player and entertainment hub. It plays video, music, and photos from local drives, network shares, and online streaming sources, and it is extensible through hundreds of official add-ons for streaming services, music, sports, and game emulators.

This guide covers how to install Kodi on Ubuntu 18.04 using the official Team Kodi PPA. The default Ubuntu repositories usually ship an outdated version, so the PPA is the better choice for the latest stable release. The same steps apply to Ubuntu 16.04, Kubuntu, Linux Mint, and Elementary OS.

<strong>Prerequisite:</strong>&nbsp;You need sudo access.

Install Kodi on Ubuntu via the Official Team Kodi PPA

Install the required dependencies:

bashsudo apt updatesudo apt install software-properties-common apt-transport-https

software-properties-common provides the add-apt-repository command needed to add the Kodi PPA. apt-transport-https allows apt to fetch packages from HTTPS sources.

Add the Team Kodi PPA:

bashsudo add-apt-repository ppa:team-xbmc/ppa

When prompted, press Enter to confirm. This PPA is maintained by the official Kodi development team, not a third party.

Install Kodi:

bashsudo apt updatesudo apt install kodi

Launch Kodi, Add Your Media Libraries, and Install Add-ons

Start Kodi from the Activities menu by searching for “Kodi,” or from the terminal:

bashkodi

The first time Kodi opens, you land on the default Estuary skin home screen. Navigation uses keyboard and mouse. Press Esc to go back, arrow keys to navigate, and Enter to select. To exit Kodi, click the power-off icon in the top-left corner or press Ctrl+END.

Add a media library. From the home screen, select a media type (Videos, Music, or Pictures), go to Files and Add videos, and browse to your media folder. Kodi scans the folder and scrapes metadata from online databases automatically.

Install add-ons. Go to Add-ons > Download to browse the official Kodi repository. Categories include:

• Video add-ons: streaming content sources and catch-up TV services
• Music add-ons: internet radio streams and on-demand music
• Skins: full UI theme overhauls that change the look of the entire interface
• Program add-ons: utilities such as backup tools and system information panels

Avoid unofficial third-party repositories that offer pirated content. They pose security risks and break frequently with Kodi updates.

Update and Uninstall Kodi on Ubuntu 18.04

Update Kodi. Because Kodi was installed through the Team Kodi PPA, updates arrive through the standard Ubuntu package manager:

bashsudo apt updatesudo apt upgrade

Uninstall Kodi completely. To remove the application and disable the PPA:

bashsudo apt remove --auto-remove kodisudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:team-xbmc/ppa

This removes the Kodi application but leaves your personal configuration, installed add-ons, and thumbnail cache in ~/.kodi/. To delete that data as well:

bashrm -r ~/.kodi/

Remove this directory only if you are sure you no longer need your add-on settings or media library configuration.

Kodi is now installed on your Ubuntu 18.04 system. Add your media libraries, explore the official add-on repository, and customize the interface with a skin that fits your setup. Leave a comment below if you run into any issues.