Short answer: in Kodi 21 Omega, go to Settings, Add-ons, Install from repository, PVR clients, and install PVR IPTV Simple Client. Then open it under My add-ons, choose Configure, paste your M3U URL on the General tab and your XMLTV guide on the EPG tab, and restart Kodi. What's different from older guides: since Kodi 20 the add-on supports several configurations side by side, so Configure may ask you to pick or add one, and old instructions that assume a single settings screen no longer match what you see.
At a glance
IPTV Simple Client on Kodi 21
| Install from | Kodi's official repository, PVR clients |
| Needs | M3U playlist URL; XMLTV guide URL optional |
| New since Kodi 20 | Multiple configurations in one add-on |
| Reset when stuck | PVR & Live TV settings, Clear data |
| Avoid | Builds and third-party repositories |
Check you're really on Kodi 21
Menus have shifted across versions, so confirm yours first: Settings > System information, and look at the version line on the Summary page. It should read 21.x "Omega". Kodi 21 is the current supported release on kodi.tv; the older 20 "Nexus" line is no longer developed.
Install Kodi only from kodi.tv or your platform's official store (Google Play, the Microsoft Store, or the Amazon Appstore on Fire OS devices). Copies bundled with "builds" often lag versions behind and include add-ons you don't want. If you're on Kodi 22 "Piers", the next major version, the steps below still broadly apply; the add-on has a separate branch for it.
If you've never set up Kodi for live TV at all, our general Kodi IPTV guide covers the basics, including the settings-level trap that hides options. This page goes deeper on Omega specifically.
Install the add-on
- Open Settings (the cog on the home screen).
- Choose Add-ons, then Install from repository.
- If you see several repositories, choose Kodi Add-on repository. Then open PVR clients.
- Select PVR IPTV Simple Client and choose Install.
On some Linux distributions the add-on comes from the system's package manager rather than inside Kodi; look for a package named along the lines of kodi-pvr-iptvsimple.
The Kodi wiki gives one important instruction here: disable other PVR client add-ons before setting this one up. Two PVR clients fighting over the TV section produce duplicate channels and confusing guides. You'll find them under Settings > Add-ons > My add-ons > PVR clients; anything showing as enabled that you don't use, open and choose Disable.
Configurations: the Omega difference
Kodi 20 introduced multi-instance support for PVR clients, and it carries through Kodi 21. In plain terms, one IPTV Simple Client can now hold several independent setups, each with its own playlist, guide and settings.
When you open the add-on and choose Configure, you may see a list of existing configurations and an option to add a new one, rather than the settings screen directly. Pick the existing one to edit it, or add a new configuration and give it a recognisable name.
When that's useful:
- Two sources. A licensed service's playlist and a free broadcaster playlist, kept separate so a problem with one doesn't break the other.
- Testing. A copy of your working setup with a different guide or refresh setting, which you can delete if it doesn't help.
- A household split. A trimmed playlist for the children's profile and a full one for everyone else.
Channels from all configurations appear together in the TV section. Give each a distinct channel number range on the General tab to avoid collisions.
The settings that matter, tab by tab
IPTV Simple has a lot of options. Most can stay at their defaults. These are the ones worth touching, by tab, using the add-on's own category names. Exact labels vary slightly between add-on releases.
| Tab | Setting | What to set |
|---|---|---|
| General | Location | Remote path for a URL, Local path for a file |
| General | M3U play list URL | Your playlist link |
| General | Cache M3U at local storage | On, so Kodi starts faster |
| General | Refresh mode / interval | Once a day, so playlist changes appear without restarting |
| General | Start channel number | Unique range per configuration, e.g. 1 and 1001 |
| EPG | XMLTV URL | Your guide link |
| EPG | EPG time shift | Only if every programme is offset by the same hours |
| Channel logos | Logo source preference | Prefer the playlist's logos unless they're missing |
| Groups | TV / radio groups | Limit to the groups you watch, if your playlist uses group-title
|
| Catchup | Enable catchup | On only if your source supports archives |
| Timeshift | Enable timeshift | On if you want to pause live TV; needs disk or RAM |
| Advanced | Inputstream options | Leave default unless HLS streams misbehave |
The refresh setting is the one older guides never mention, and it explains a common Omega complaint: "I changed my playlist and Kodi still shows the old one." By default the add-on may only reload on restart. Set a refresh mode and it fetches updates itself.
Channel matching to the guide uses the playlist's tvg-id values, falling back to names. If your provider's IDs and guide don't agree, some channels will stay blank whatever you do in Kodi. What those M3U tags mean.
First launch and the TV menu
After saving, restart Kodi. The add-on loads at start-up, and a first big playlist can take a minute or two. You'll see a progress notification in the corner.
Then open TV from the home screen. If TV isn't on your home menu, enable it under Settings > Interface > Skin > Configure skin > Main menu items in the default Estuary skin.
Three Live TV settings worth changing now, under Settings > PVR & Live TV:
- Guide: increase the days to display if your source supplies a week of guide data.
- Playback: a short delay on channel switching makes flicking through channels feel smoother, because Kodi doesn't start every stream you pass.
- Channels and groups: hide groups you never watch so the channel list stays short.
If channels play but stutter on a small box, check hardware acceleration under Settings > Player > Videos, at Advanced or Expert settings level. And if you're comparing Kodi with a dedicated player, Kodi vs TiviMate sets out the trade-offs.
Catch-up and timeshift
These two features get confused, and they work differently.
Catch-up plays programmes that already aired, from your provider's archive. It only works if your source keeps archives and your playlist says so, usually with catchup attributes on each channel. IPTV Simple understands several catch-up formats, including the Xtream-style one. Turn it on in the Catchup tab, then select a past programme in the guide and play it. How catch-up works and which services offer it.
Timeshift lets you pause and rewind live TV by buffering the stream locally. It relies on one of Kodi's inputstream add-ons doing the buffering. On a device with little storage, keep the buffer small, or leave it off.
If neither feature appears after enabling it, the source probably doesn't support it, not Kodi.
The clean reset
When channels are duplicated, the guide shows yesterday's data, or a removed playlist's channels won't go away, Kodi's TV database is holding stale information. Rather than reinstalling everything:
- Go to Settings > PVR & Live TV > General.
- Choose Clear data and select what to clear: the guide, channels, or everything.
- Confirm, then restart Kodi.
The add-on reloads your playlist and guide from scratch. Your add-on settings aren't touched, so you don't need to re-enter URLs. It's the single most useful fix on this page.
Symptoms and fixes
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| "No PVR add-on enabled" | Client disabled or not installed | My add-ons > PVR clients > enable IPTV Simple |
| Configure shows a list, not settings | Multi-instance (normal since Kodi 20) | Pick the configuration, or add one |
| Duplicate channels | Two configurations or two PVR clients | Remove one; Clear data; restart |
| Playlist changes don't appear | No refresh mode set | Set refresh to once a day; restart once |
| Guide empty | No XMLTV URL, or IDs don't match | Add the URL; Clear data for the guide |
| Guide hours out | Time zone offset | EPG time shift, after checking Kodi's own time zone |
| Channel won't play | Stream or format | Test it in VLC; if it fails there, it's the source |
| Slow start-up | Huge playlist | Cache M3U; use a trimmed, live-only playlist |
| Broke after a Kodi update | Add-on version mismatch | Check Add-ons for updates; reinstall the client |
The VLC test separates Kodi problems from source problems in a minute. How to do it properly. If it plays in VLC on the same network but not in Kodi, the fix is in the table above. If it doesn't play anywhere, it's your source. Guide problems in more depth.
Last point, and it matters: IPTV Simple is a player for playlists you're entitled to. Kodi itself is legal and open source. The "builds" and third-party repositories pushed alongside it are not part of Kodi, often carry unlicensed add-ons, and aren't supported by the project.
Quick answers
How do I install IPTV Simple Client on Kodi 21? Settings > Add-ons > Install from repository > Kodi Add-on repository > PVR clients > PVR IPTV Simple Client > Install.
Why does Configure show a list instead of settings? Since Kodi 20, the add-on supports multiple configurations. Pick an existing one or add a new one.
Where do I put the M3U link? On the General tab: set Location to Remote path and paste it into M3U play list URL.
Why don't playlist changes show up? Set a refresh mode on the General tab, or restart Kodi. Use Clear data if old channels remain.
How do I reset Kodi's TV channels and guide? Settings > PVR & Live TV > General > Clear data, then restart Kodi.
Does IPTV Simple support Xtream Codes? It reads M3U playlists, including those generated from an Xtream account, and supports the Xtream catch-up format. It doesn't take a server, username and password directly.
Do these steps work on Kodi 22? Broadly, yes. The add-on has a branch for Kodi 22 "Piers", and the menus are similar.
Based on Kodi 21 "Omega", the official Kodi wiki and the add-on's documentation. Option names vary slightly between add-on releases and skins. Use IPTV Simple Client only with playlists you're licensed to watch. Checked September 2026.