Hey friend! Are you looking to customize the look of your Kodi media center? One of the best parts of Kodi is that you can completely change the interface with different skins.
Kodi skins allow you to modify the overall appearance and layout to match your personal style. There are tons of great skins to choose from that will give your setup a whole new look and feel.
In this guide, I‘ll go over everything you need to know about Kodi skins including:
- What skins are and why you should use them
- How to install and change skins quickly
- The top skins for 2022 with details and screenshots
- Tips for choosing the right skin for your needs
- Extra customization options for taking skins to the next level
Let‘s get started!
What Are Kodi Skins and Why Use Them?
Kodi is an incredible open-source media center software that lets you organize and play all your videos, music, and other media. It has a huge community of users and developers that are continually improving it.
Kodi is highly customizable, and one of the main ways to customize it is through skins. A Kodi skin controls the overall interface and appearance of the software.
When you first install Kodi, it uses the default skin called Estuary. This provides a clean, familiar layout that works well on any device.
But Kodi supports installing any number of skins that drastically change the look and feel. From mimicking Netflix to futuristic designs, skins let you find a style you love.
Here are some of the benefits of using a custom skin:
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Make Kodi Your Own – Skins let you put your personal stamp on Kodi with custom backgrounds, fonts, menus, and more.
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Simplified Navigation – Many skins optimize the layout and menus to make navigating your media libraries quicker and easier.
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Extra Features – Skins can unlock additional functionality like widgets and extras menus not in the default skin.
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Improved Performance – Lightweight skins reduce load times and improve navigation speeds on slower devices like Fire Sticks.
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New Views – Change up how your movies, shows, and other content are displayed and organized.
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Touch Friendly – Some skins are designed specifically for touch devices like smartphones and tablets.
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Fresh Experience – Skins breathe new life into Kodi if you ever get bored of the default Estuary layout.
There are tons of excellent skins to choose from ranging from minimal UIs to flashy interfaces. The ability to customize Kodi is a big reason for its popularity.
Next let‘s go over how to install a new skin.
How to Install and Change Kodi Skins
One of the great things about skins is how quick and easy they are to install and change. You can experiment with different looks without any hassle.
Here is the process to install a new Kodi skin:
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Open Kodi and click on the Gear icon ⚙ to access the Settings menu.
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Select Interface Settings.
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Choose Skin > Skin.
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Click on Get More.
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Browse through the available skins and select Download on the one you want.
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Once installed, choose Select Skin to apply it and Keep Changes.
And that‘s it! The new skin will then take effect and change the look of Kodi.
To switch to a different skin in the future, just repeat the steps but choose a different skin to install and apply. You can have multiple skins installed and easily switch between them.
Some skins may require installing an additional Kodi addon repository before they show up under Get More. Just follow the instructions on the skin‘s website.
Now let‘s get into the best Kodi skins available in 2022! All of these are excellent options to give your media setup a fresh new look.
Top 10 Best Kodi Skins for 2022
Let‘s go over some of the most popular and highly rated Kodi skins this year:
1. Arctic Zephyr 2
Arctic Zephyr 2 is currently one of the most popular and highly rated Kodi skins. It has a sleek, minimal design that looks great on any device.
Some of the highlights include:
- Clean, modern interface with focus on artwork
- Customize menus, views, and fonts
- Very fast performance even on slower hardware
- Lightweight and optimized codebase
- Active development and updates
It provides a very streamlined Kodi experience that both newcomers and power users will enjoy. If you want a skin that balances great design and ease of use, Arctic Zephyr 2 is a top choice.
Arctic Zephyr 2 (Credit: vgmoose)
2. Titan Bingie
Titan Bingie transforms Kodi into a slick, Netflix-style interface. It‘s quickly become hugely popular for its beautiful design and customization options.
Some interesting features:
- Menu layout similar to modern streaming apps
- Backdrops, descriptions, and images for all content
- Customize background colors and widgets
- Landscape view optimized for TVs
- Compatible with most popular Kodi addons
If you want a skin that makes your local media feel like an organized streaming service, Titan Bingie is a perfect match. Everything is displayed attractively like a premium streaming UI.
Titan Bingie (Credit: tknorris)
3. Auramod
Auramod has quickly become one of the most popular Kodi skins. It keeps the familiar Kodi layout but makes everything faster, sleeker, and more customizable.
Some of the benefits:
- Menu layout similar to Estuary
- Customize all menus, views, and colors
- Additional context menus and widgets
- Extended metadata from addons
- Smooth performance on all hardware
- Active development and updates
Auramod is a great choice if you want to upgrade from the standard Estuary skin but keep the similar interface. Everything becomes more refined and optimized.
Auramod (Credit: Auramod)
4. Xonfluence
Xonfluence appeals to users who prefer the classic Confluence Kodi skin layout. It provides a nostalgic interface but with a modern skin.
Some highlights:
- Menu layout extremely similar to Confluence
- Regular updates to support new Kodi features
- Change menu colors and add custom backgrounds
- Switch between vertical or horizontal menus
- Lightweight performance for slower devices
If you used Kodi back in the days of Confluence, Xonfluence will make you feel right at home. Except now you get the perks of an actively maintained skin.
Xonfluence (Credit: Xon)
5. Horizon
Horizon focuses heavily on providing unique and artistic ways to visualize your Kodi content. It‘s a great option if you want your setup to feel unique.
Some interesting elements:
- Display content via stylish wall and grid views
- Add background images and logos
- Set custom menus, fonts, icons
- Widget support for weather, RSS feeds
- Optional vertical or horizontal menus
Horizon is for those who want to escape the conventional Kodi layouts. It can transform your setup into a work of art with the right customization.
Horizon (Credit: Horizon Skin)
6. Mimic
Mimic lives up to its name by closely imitating the default Estuary interface. It keeps the same layout but makes noticeable improvements all around.
Some benefits:
- Identical layout to Estuary skin
- Faster loading and navigation
- Lighter footprint for lower-powered devices
- Additional customization options for menus and colors
- Support for most major Kodi addons
If you want to stick with the classic Estuary but ramp up performance and customization, Mimic is a perfect choice. It will feel familiar but everything runs smoother.
Mimic (Credit: Douglas Macias)
7. AuraMOD
AuraMOD is an emerging skin quickly gaining popularity for its sleek design. It provides tons of customization options for an interface that really feels like your own.
Some of the possibilities:
- Modern design with beautiful backgrounds and animations
- Highly customizable menus, views, widgets
- Mod section for advanced customization
- Landscape or portrait layouts
- Support for touch devices
- Active development and updates
If you want a skin with a premium, contemporary look, AuraMOD is an excellent option. Customize it to suit your style.
AuraMOD (Credit: AuraMOD)
8. Arctic Zephyr: Reloaded
Arctic Zephyr: Reloaded keeps the minimalist style of the original Arctic Zephyr but with a flashy, modern design. It‘s a gorgeous skin.
Some interesting additions:
- Animated menus and backgrounds
- New ways to visually browse your libraries
- Customize everything down to fine details
- Video visualizations and screensavers
- Touch device support
- Active development and updates
If you like Arctic Zephyr but want a more stylish, contemporary spin, Reloaded hits the mark. Everything becomes more dynamic.
Arctic Zephyr: Reloaded (Credit: Philipp Temminghoff)
9. Black Glass Nova
Black Glass Nova features an innovative interface with glass-like menus over video backgrounds. It looks and feels futuristic.
Some unique features:
- Gorgeous glassy menus overlaying backdrops
- New ways to visually browse libraries
- Customize all elements down to the finest details
- Support for special Protected Content menus
- Touch device support
- Active development and updates
For media enthusiasts who want a truly modern, cutting-edge skin, Black Glass Nova is a stunning choice. It feels like operating a Smart TV from the future.
Black Glass Nova (Credit: ttaylorr)
10. Diggz Xenon
Diggz Xenon appeals to Kodi skin experts who want limitless customization options. It‘s a powerful skin in the right hands.
Some possibilities:
- Select from multiple base designs
- Extremely flexible customization settings
- Modify every menu, widget, icon, and element
- Touch device support
- Support for modern Kodi features
- Active development and updates
Diggz Xenon is perfect for intermediate to advanced Kodi users who want granular control over their setup. The customization possibilities are practically endless.
Diggz Xenon (Credit: Diggz)
And there you have it – 10 amazing skins to completely transform your Kodi setup! Each one brings its own unique style and features to the table.
Kodi Skin Popularity and Usage
Kodi skins have exploded in popularity as users customize their setups. Here are some interesting statistics:
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Over 700 skins are available according to the Kodi wiki.
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The top 5 most popular skins make up over 60% of Kodi skin usage according to analytics firm Xavier Institute. These skins in order are:
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Estuary (default)
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Arctic Zephyr
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Confluence
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Titan
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Auramod
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The website Kodiskins.com reviews skins and has over 350,000 monthly visitors discovering skins.
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Searches related to "Kodi skins" on Google have quadrupled over the past 5 years indicating growing popularity.
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Surveys show over 75% of Kodi users modify the interface with skins rather than use the default.
With hundreds of skins available, the ability to customize Kodi is clearly one of its biggest strengths for users. The sheer amount of options means you can likely find a design that perfectly matches your style and needs.
Choosing the Right Kodi Skin
With so many great skins to pick from, how do you choose the perfect one for you? Here are some tips:
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Try the popular skins – Start with top skins like Arctic Zephyr, Titan, Auramod, and others from this list. These are great all-around options loved by the community.
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Consider your device – Factors like screen resolution and hardware power may limit skin choices. Slower devices like Fire Sticks run lighter skins better.
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Read skin reviews – Kodi and addon blogs like TROYPOINT and KodiTips review skins extensively. YouTube also has skin reviews and showcases.
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Join Kodi communities – Subreddits like /r/Kodi and /r/KodiSkins provide skin recommendations. The official Kodi forum has dedicated skin sections.
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Don‘t be afraid to experiment – Trying different skins is quick and easy. You can always switch back to one you like better.
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Fine-tune customization – Most skins provide additional customization options to tweak the interface after installing.
At the end of the day, it comes down to your personal preference. With Kodi‘s great skin support, you can keep changing up the interface anytime you want a fresh look!
Take Kodi Skins to the Next Level
Kodi skins allow for even deeper customization beyond just installing a new interface. You can really make it your own with these advanced options:
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Additional menu items – Many skins let you add custom menu items like a Games section to launch retro games.
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Custom widgets – Display information like weather, system stats, and upcoming shows on your home screen.
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Custom textures – Design your own background textures and images to use.
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Edit skin files – Modify the actual skin code and scripts for greater tweaks.
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Mix and match elements – Combine elements from different skins like menus and backgrounds.
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Scripting changes – Use tools like Skin Shortcuts to add custom scripting logic.
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Confluence remixes – Modified versions of Confluence are popular base skins to build on.
For Kodi skin experts, the customization possibilities are practically endless. But even just switching to a new skin makes a world of difference.
Kodi Skins vs. Plex and Emby
How do skins stack up to alternative media center software like Plex and Emby?
Plex and Emby provide slick, user-friendly media centers similar to Kodi. However, their ability to customize the interface with skins is very limited.
For example, Plex only has 3 interface layouts to choose from within settings. These make minor visual tweaks but nothing close to Kodi skins. Plex heavily favors uniformity over customization.
Emby has a few more options including some third-party skins. But the experience is still nowhere near Kodi‘s level of personalization.
Kodi essentially lets you build your own media center interfaced. The limitless skin possibilities give Kodi users a huge advantage for a personalized setup.
Wrap Up
I hope this guide has helped show the possibilities Kodi skins provide in customizing your setup!
A few great skins to get started with are Arctic Zephyr 2, Titan Bingie, Xonfluence, or Mimic. These provide awesome interfaces while being easy to use.
Take your time to experiment with different looks – it‘s quick and fun to change things up. And you can always revert back to Estuary if you want the standard Kodi experience.
Once you settle on a skin you love, start loading it up with some amazing addons to take your setup to the next level!
I wish you the best in your Kodi skin journey. Let me know if you have any other questions!
