So, you have set up Kodi on your favorite device and now you want to kick back and watch some movies. But what if the phone rings or the pizza guy knocks on the door? You will have to pause Kodi. But how?
In a nutshell, you need to set up a Kodi remote. Maybe you didn't have one to start with, or you lost the one that came with your dedicated Kodi box How to choose the best Kodi box for your needs How to choose the best Kodi box for your needs Want to buy a Kodi box but not sure which one should you choose? In this article, we recommend particular frames for particular needs, helping you narrow down your options. Read more . Here's how to set up a remote with any Kodi media center.
It does not matter which platform you have installed Kodi on. You're going to need a remote. This could be the native device driver, if that suits you better. But if you're not good at managing Kodi, you might prefer the dedicated mobile app or even your TV remote.
Whichever option you choose, it all comes down to one thing:you need to enable remote controls in the Kodi settings screen. Once done, you can use:
However, before you can do any of this, you'll probably need to connect a mouse or keyboard to the device. With either connected, you will be able to navigate through the menus to enable the use of a remote control in Kodi.
If you plan to use the Kore app to remotely control your Kodi media center, or have another tool in mind, you can't proceed without first enabling remote controls in Kodi settings.
Start by navigating to the Settings cog, which is located at the top of the left column. Here, select Service and control settings , and enable Allow remote control over HTTP . Write down the port number 8080 and then the username. (Both options can be changed; leave the port number alone unless you know what you're doing.)
Then click on Password , and set a new password. This will be used in conjunction with your username to establish a secure connection from any app-based remote.
Before you finish, also make sure that Allow remote control from apps on this system. and Allow remote control from applications on other systems. They are also enabled. To save this setting, simply click the back button on your keyboard, or click the mouse in the upper left corner.
Whether you use Android or iOS, you have a wide variety of remote controls to choose from. However, the de facto choice is Kore, the remote app provided by the Kodi developers.
Download :Kore for Android
Download: Official Kodi Remote for iOS
The best thing about Kore is that it is very easy to set up. As long as your mobile device is on the same network as your Kodi media center, and you know the IP address How to Track an IP Address on a PC and How to Find Your Own How to Track an IP Address on a PC and How to Find Your Own Do you want to see the IP address of your computer? Maybe you want to find out where another computer is located? There are several free tools available that give you more information about a computer and its IP address. Read More
Once the app is installed, simply launch it and open the hamburger menu (steps are for Android, but the iOS version is similar).
Here, tap on the Add Media Center button, then Next . This will cause Kore to search for a Kodi media center on your network. If an incorrect one (or none) is detected, tap Search again . Otherwise, tap on your media center device to set it up manually. This should match what you entered as username and password in the Settings>Control screen in kodi.
You should now be able to control your Kodi box remotely from your smartphone How to use the Peel Smart Remote app to control your entertainment How to use the Peel Smart Remote app to control your entertainment The Peel Smart Remote app is a great way to Control all your devices from your Android phone or iPhone. Here is how to start using it. Read more !
Another option is to use a browser (perhaps on a PC or mobile device) to control your Kodi box. If you have enabled HTTP in the previous section, this will be possible by looking up the IP address of your Kodi box. You'll find this under Settings>System Information>Summary .
This is appended with the port number, which defaults to 8080. The URL you enter in your browser should be in the form of:
http://YOUR.IP.ADDRESS.HERE:8080So, from a PC, you can access your Kodi device remotely through Chrome, or whatever your favorite browser is. Likewise, if you're using a mobile device that doesn't have the Kore app, or doesn't have access to your platform's app store, you'll be able to control Kodi remotely over HTTP.
Although useful, remote connections over HTTP are slow, so don't expect great results. It's usable, but not as good as using a Kodi remote app. In fact, it might be smarter to try a completely different kind of remote.
If you are using Kodi on a device with its own remote, you may not need to use an app. For example, if you installed Kodi on an Amazon Fire Stick. How to install Kodi Media Center on an Amazon Fire Stick. How to install Kodi Media Center on an Amazon Fire Stick. In this article we explain how to install Kodi on an Amazon Fire TV Stick. Which, when you're done, will leave you with the best media center for anyone on a budget. Read More
It doesn't end there either. Even if you have a dedicated remote for the host device, you may prefer a different one. Since your Kodi box is connected to your TV via HDMI, if your TV and media center support HDMI-CEC (CEC stands for Consumer Electronics Control), you'll be able to use your TV remote to control Kodi.
But is HDMI-CEC enabled on your TV? The only way to find out is to head into your TV's settings. Unfortunately, this menu location will vary by manufacturer, as well as what it's called HDMI-CEC.
Unfortunately, almost every TV manufacturer has changed its name, so HDMI-CEC could be known as Bravia Sync (Sony), EasyLink (Philips), SimpLink (LG), etc. ad nauseum. However, you should note that if you have a Hitachi TV, you can simply search for HDMI-CEC.
Once this feature is enabled, your remote can be used to operate your Kodi media center. This can be more convenient than an app, so you should really give it a try.
With more and more people realizing Kodi's potential, setting up a remote is an obvious next step for beginners. Because there's nothing better than lounging on a couch and watching your favorite movies and TV shows without having to move a muscle.
And, as we hope we've shown, setting up a Kodi remote is really quite simple once you know how to do it.
Looking for more Kodi tips? Check out our comprehensive Kodi setup guide for beginners. How To Set Up And Use Kodi:For Beginners How To Set Up And Use Kodi:For Beginners You've probably heard people talking about Kodi, but what is it? And how to start doing it? Here's how to set up and get started with Kodi. Read more.