Kodi, the popular open-source streaming platform, is a lifeline for fans of live sports, movies, TV shows, and music. Despite its versatility and compatibility with major streaming devices, Kodi users often need help with buffering problems, disrupting their streaming experience.
Buffering issues on Kodi can disrupt your favorite shows, movies, or live sports, leaving you frustrated. Whether you’re a casual viewer or a Kodi enthusiast, fixing buffering is essential for seamless streaming.
If you’re frustrated by these interruptions, this guide will help you understand why Kodi buffers and how to resolve it using proven solutions.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore why buffering happens and offer actionable solutions. Don’t worry about this issue; we’ll help you with everything from optimizing internet speed and adjusting Kodi settings to using a VPN to bypass ISP throttling.
Say goodbye to buffering and enjoy uninterrupted entertainment with these proven fixes.
Common Causes of Kodi Buffering
Before guiding you to the solution, it is essential to know the root cause and main reasons behind Kodi buffering issues. There are several reasons why you may need help with Kodi lagging.
Let’s look at the possible reasons.
Internet-Related Issues:
- Slow download or upload speeds.
- Network congestion.
- Bandwidth limitations imposed by your ISP.
Device Limitations:
- Outdated streaming devices.
- Incompatible Kodi versions.
Cache Mismanagement:
- Overloaded Kodi video cache.
- Insufficient memory allocation for streaming.
Top Solutions to Fix Kodi Buffering Issues
Although it is expected on Kodi, the buffering issue might be severe when it happens during streaming. If you are looking for common solutions to stop Kodi from buffering permanently in the easiest way, try fixing these possible problems.
Test your Internet Speed
To initiate the Kodi buffering fixes, you may need to look into the settings of your Kodi application. But before going straight to the settings option, try testing your internet speed first. Most people hardly get a desirable download speed, as it depends on shared and dedicated connections as well.
Most video streaming websites are well-optimized for a slow internet connection, allowing users to continue watching their favorite movies or sports without any difficulty.
For example, Netflix and YouTube are well-programmed for poor connections. However, to access the video resources, the user needs to maintain a reliable and fast internet connection.
How to Test Speed for Fixing Kodi Buffering
To get a clear idea of your internet speed at the moment, try testing it with an online tool. Log on to your browser, enter www.speedtest.net, and download the mobile app according to your device. Open the app on the same connection you use to watch live videos.
Now, run the test, and observe the ping rate, download, and upload speed. In terms of streaming, you need to be highly concerned about the download speed and ping rate. If the ping is higher than your expectation, then you are likely to face buffering issues.
For live streaming and watching HD or 4K videos, you will always need a faster internet connection than usual. For users who have high-end internet speed, the buffering issue is unknown as they never face hurdles in watching videos through Kodi or live streaming sports content.
Users with slower Internet connections should contact their service provider and ask if the issue can be easily fixed.
The list below shows the required internet speed for streaming various video resolutions.
Recommended Speeds of the Internet:
If your speed is below these thresholds, consider upgrading your internet plan or reducing video quality
- SD Video Resolution – A minimum of 3Mbps internet connection is required
- HD Video – A minimum of 5 Mbps internet speed is required to play such video
- Full HD Video – 10 Mbps speed is required
- 4K Video – A minimum of 25 Mbps speed of internet is required to play such video without buffering on Kodi
If you are getting fine-quality speed, then proceed with other methods to fix buffering issues in Kodi. You can also look for broadband deals to find the best internet services. These minor tweaks will help you resolve the buffering issue in Kodi.
Fix HQ Scaler on Kodi
Although this method is not directly associated with Kodi buffering issues, it will help fix your Kodi screen’s frame size and stuttering issues. Some videos, especially low-quality video content, create frame-dropping issues. You can fix this issue, which will help you stop the buffering and stuttering on Kodi.
Let’s have a look at how you can work on the HQ scaling for a buffering fix.
- Open Kodi From the home screen
- Click on the “Settings” icon and select “Player Settings.”
- Check if the setting option is set to “Expert.” If not, do it.
- Click on “Processing.”
- Now click on “Enable HQ Scalers for scaling above.”
- Reduce the value from 20% to something within 5 to 10 percent.
- This will help you to fix the frame dropping on low-quality videos.
Position Your Streaming Device Strategically
If the internet speed is fast and reliable, you need to look into the distance of your device from the router. Two methods achieve this as it depends on the type of connectivity. If your Kodi box is accessing the internet through Wi-Fi signals, you can try fixing Kodi buffering issues by taking the media streamer closer to the router.
You can try the following:
- For Wi-Fi users, ensure your device is close to the router to enhance signal strength.
- Preferably use an Ethernet cable for a stable connection.
Trying these two methods depends on the media streamer device. Most devices have built-in ports for Ethernet connectivity, whereas others are compelled to connect through Wi-Fi only. In such a situation, you can try tweaking the settings for resolving buffering issues on Kodi.
Use Quicker Kodi Skin to Minimize Buffering Issues
Kodi skins provide a unique interface design, but unnecessary features and high-resolution graphics cause buffering issues. Turning off the Kodi skin functionality could significantly decrease the buffering issues.
To do this, ensure the following;
- Click on the settings icon from Kodi home
- Click on “Interface.”
- From the left side menu, click on “Skin” and then “Configure Skin”
- Click on “Artwork” and then turn off the “Show media fun-art as background.”
Furthermore, in the Kodi skins settings, from the “General” tab, make sure you have swithced off the following features;
- Display media flags
- Display of data in the top bar
- Utilize slide animations
When you switch off these settings, Kodi’s speed will significantly increase, minimizing buffering while you watch your favorite video content.
Use Reliable VPN to Stop ISP Blocking
In most regions, the local ISP blocks some websites and content. In this case, buffering issues and low-quality videos occur. To avoid video buffering issues on Kodi in regions with content blockage, it is recommended to use a Kodi-recommended VPN.
What does a VPN do? A VPN with a Kodi screen helps you encrypt your screen data and send it through the server from another location in an imaginary way. It means that a VPN helps you to stop your ISP from being throttling on your data, and you can use Kodi at full speed. Most of the Kodi users use IPVanish VPN while browsing on Kodi.
There are various VPNs available, but all of these never work well with Kodi. If you want prime protection, then IPVanish is the best solution to use with Kodi. It provides powerful internet privacy while browsing video content and helps you secure your Wi-Fi connection. If you want to protect your personal data, then IPVanish is also the best in defending your data from online data stealers.
Clear and Adjust the Cache
There are plenty of other reasons buffering issues on Kodi may occur, but the most common one is the Video cache. You may face difficulties streaming if the Video cache on your system is too small or if you have too many applications open at a time. This issue can be fixed by considering the following elements.
- You can use a wizard to fix the video cache issues. Add-ons, such as Ares Wizard, are available for this.
- You can clear Ares Wizard to clear existing files on Cache
- After cleaning the cache, test the updated system by playing a video
- You can play with the cache by clearing it and adjusting it until the buffering issues go
- Check other system settings to see if the buffering is still there
Modify Video Cache in Kodi to Stop buffering issues
Once you ensure owning a reliable and fast internet connection, you need to move on to modifying the video cache, and other settings in the Kodi application are still struggling with buffering.
Tweaking the Kodi software for its video cache is an effective alternative for fixing Kodi buffering problem. Following is an easy-to-use method for configuring settings for distortion-free video streaming.
- Open the Kodi application, click Settings, and navigate to ‘File Manager.’
- Click ‘Add New Source,’ and a popup window will appear. Type http://repo.ares-project.com/magic/ in the field
- Customize the source with an easy-to-remember name and hit Ok
- Return to the Settings tab and navigate to the Add-ons section
- Click ‘Install from Zip file’ and now select the source you have added with a custom name
- Now click Repository. art project and move to repository.aresproject.zip
- Install the Ares Project repository, and it will enable within a few seconds
- Move back to the Add-ons section and choose ‘Install from repository.’
- Click Ares Project, enter the program add-ons, select Ares Wizard and click ‘Install.’
- Wait until the application is installed. It will notify upon completion.
- Go to the main menu and enter the Add-ons section. Click Program add-ons and then Ares Wizard. This will instantly download files and install them automatically.
- In the Ares Wizard, click Tweaks, move to the advanced settings wizard, and hit next. The wizard will prompt you about the RAM available on your device. Note down the amount of RAM available and click ‘Generate.‘
- Define the video cache size to one-half of the amount of RAM available you noted in the previous step. Do not alter the rest of the settings.
- Click ‘Apply Settings’ and reboot Kodi.
Our Verdict on Kodi Buffering Issues Fixes
Buffering on Kodi can be frustrating, but the solutions outlined above can help you enjoy uninterrupted streaming. From improving internet speeds to tweaking Kodi settings and using a VPN, these strategies are effective in resolving buffering issues.
If the issue persists after applying the above fixes to stop buffering on Kodi, there might be some hardware compatibility issues with your system.
If you have a slow system and installed a bundle of Kodi builds and addons, it may slow down your system and cause buffering issues. In this scenario, you have to look for some Kodi forks, remove unused addons, and build better streaming.
Another good option might be to look for some alternatives to Kodi, such as some movie streaming apps from the Play Store and Apple App Store. You can find some alternative solutions for Firestick, Android TV, and your mobile phone.
Following any of the above methods without committing mistakes will successfully fix the buffering issues on Kodi. It may be a complex method for a newbie, but overall, the stream improvement is worth the effort.
However, if you’re still having issues, contact us through our contact page or social media channels for personalized assistance. Enjoy seamless streaming with Kodi!
