How to Check the Kodi Error Log File

If you use Kodi at all, you have most likely seen an error like this that says “Playback failed: One or more items failed to play.  Check the log file for details.”

Or maybe you’re getting a different error like the ever-so-frustrating Failed to Install a Dependency error.

But how exactly are you supposed to check this mysterious log file???

Good news… it’s really easy!  I’ll show you how.

What is the Kodi Log File?

Kodi has an error log system that is very helpful when troubleshooting issues with Kodi or add-ons.

When Kodi run across an error or warning, it logs details about it in a file called kodi.log.

Location of the Kodi Error Log File

This Kodi log file is stored in the “temp” folder in your userdata folder on Android or in the root of the folder just above that on Windows.  Here are the exact locations for each operating system.

• Windows: C:\Users\{user_name}\AppData\Roaming\Kodi\kodi.log
• Mac: /Users/{user_name}/Library/Application Support/Kodi/kodi.log
• iOS: /private/var/mobile/Library/Preferences/Kodi/kodi.log
• Android:{storage}/Android/data/org.xbmc.kodi/files/.kodi/temp/kodi.log
• Linux: ~/.kodi/kodi.log
• OpenELEC & LibreELEC: /storage/.kodi/kodi.log
• OSMC: /home/osmc/.kodi/temp/kodi.log
• XBian: /home/xbian/.kodi/temp/kodi.log

How to Open the Kodi Log File

Let me guess, you’re probably saying to yourself, “I don’t know how to browse the files on my device!”  Maybe you have a device like a Fire Stick and it’s not too easy to browse the files without knowing how to download a file browser (like ES Explorer).  Or, maybe it just sounds like too much of a hassle to exit Kodi just to open a file browser to find the Kodi log file.

Well, luckily there’s a super easy way to view the Kodi Error Log directly from Kodi itself!  Plus, it doesn’t require installing any unofficial repositories.

To learn how, read on.

How to Install the Kodi Log Viewer

• Go to the Add-on Browser screen by clicking on Add-ons on the main menu and then selecting the open box icon at the top.
• Select Install from Repository > Kodi Add-on repository > Program add-ons > Log Viewer for Kodi > Install
  

• After it installs, you can open it from the same screen where you installed it, or find it from the home screen > Add-ons > Program add-ons

• When you open the Kodi Log Viewer, you will have the option to Show Log, Show old Log, or go to Settings.

• I recommend you go to Settings and turn on Invert Log (most recent first).  This will make it so you don’t have to scroll all the way to the bottom of a potentially humongous file.  With this setting turned on, the most recent errors would be right at the top.

• If you click Show Log, then you will see a log that looks something like this.

Tip: if you are posting to a forum about an error you are having, you can use Ctrl+S on a keyboard to save a screenshot.  The first time you use it, it should prompt you to specify a location to save the screenshots.