How to Install YouTube Kodi Addon on Firestick, Fire TV, and Android TV

If you love watching YouTube videos, installing the YouTube addon in Kodi opens up a whole new way to immerse yourself in YouTube‘s massive library.

With over 2 billion monthly logged-in users, YouTube sees over a billion hours of video watched every single day. That‘s a staggering amount of content!

Luckily, the official YouTube addon brings all of YouTube right into Kodi, joining over 40 million active Kodi users worldwide.

In this guide, I‘ll show you how to get the YouTube addon set up on your device, no matter if you use a Firestick, NVIDIA Shield, or any other platform that runs Kodi.

Let‘s dive in!

Why Use the YouTube Kodi Addon?

Here are some of the biggest reasons to install the YouTube addon for Kodi:

• All YouTube content in Kodi – Get access to virtually any video available on YouTube through the Kodi interface.

• No ads – Watch videos uninterrupted without annoying ads.

• Works offline – Download videos to watch offline when internet is unavailable.

• 4K and HDR support – Stream YouTube‘s growing library of 4K and HDR videos. Over 10 million 4K videos now available!

• Live streaming – Watch YouTube live events, news, sports, and more right in the addon.

• Faster streaming – Videos tend to load faster than the regular YouTube app.

• Enhanced privacy – Increased privacy when accessing YouTube through Kodi instead of signed into a Google account.

• Customizable interface – Pair with different Kodi skins to customize the look and layout.

According to Kodi usage statistics, the YouTube addon is installed on over 17.6% of Kodi devices, making it one of the most popular choices.

And with YouTube serving over 5 billion video views per day (that‘s over 58,000 years worth of content!), having all these videos integrated into your customized Kodi setup is a game-changer.

The YouTube addon really expands Kodi‘s capabilities as a central hub for all your streaming media. Read on to get it installed!

Installing the YouTube Addon on Kodi

One of the best parts about Kodi addons is how easy they are to install. Here is a step-by-step walkthrough:

1. Launch Kodi on your preferred device. I‘ll be using a Fire TV Stick 4K for this demo, but the process is the same across platforms.

2. From the main menu, navigate to Add-ons > Install from repository. This is where you‘ll browse and install new addons.

3. Select the Kodi Add-on repository from the list. This contains all the official addons created by the Kodi team for stable integration.

4. Choose Video add-ons from the next menu. This is the category we want for watching YouTube videos.

5. Select the YouTube addon. This is the official YouTube addon for Kodi maintained by the Kodi project.

6. Click Install in the bottom right corner. Kodi will now install the addon along with any required dependencies.

7. You‘ll get a notification when the installation completes successfully. Then the YouTube addon will be available in your Video add-ons section.

The first time you open the YouTube addon, you‘ll need to enter your API keys before you can start browsing and watching videos. Let‘s go over that next.

Getting API Keys for the YouTube Addon

The YouTube addon requires API keys from Google to function properly. Don‘t worry – getting API keys is completely free and only takes a few minutes.

Here are the steps:

1. Go to https://console.developers.google.com and login with your Google account. If you don‘t already have one, you can quickly create a free account.

2. Create a new project. You can name it whatever you want, like "Kodi YouTube". This will be used when generating credentials.

3. From the API library, enable the YouTube Data API v3. This allows the addon to communicate with YouTube‘s servers.

4. Under Credentials, create an API key. Make sure to restrict it to the YouTube Data API you enabled.

5. Copy and save the API key. You‘ll paste this into the addon later.

6. Next create an OAuth client ID under Credentials as well. This allows logging into your YouTube account.

7. Name the application something like "Kodi YouTube" and select "Other" for the type.

8. Now copy and save the Client ID and Client secret.

And that‘s all you need to generate the required API credentials!

Here‘s a recap of the keys you need:

• API key
• Client ID
• Client secret

Save these somewhere safe, as you‘ll need to enter them into the YouTube addon to finish setup.

Adding API Keys to the YouTube Addon

Now we can jump back into Kodi to link your API credentials to the YouTube addon:

1. Launch the YouTube addon from the Video add-ons section in Kodi.

2. Go to Settings > API keys. This is where you‘ll paste the credentials you generated.

3. Enter your API key in the first box.

4. Then paste your Client ID and Client secret into the next two boxes.

5. Triple check you entered all the keys correctly! Any typos can cause issues.

6. Select Okay once everything is entered.

7. Lastly, choose Sign in from the addon main menu.

8. Follow the authorization process to link your YouTube account.

Once you complete the signup, the YouTube addon will spring to life! You are now ready to watch any YouTube video or channel you want within Kodi.

Navigating and Using the YouTube Addon

Here is an overview of how to use the core features of the YouTube addon:

• Search – Search for videos by keywords or channels. Great way to find videos on any topic.

• Most Popular – View trending videos across YouTube. See what‘s hot right now.

• Subscriptions – Access new videos from your subscribed YouTube channels. Stay up-to-date on your favorites.

• Playlists – Watch videos from your YouTube playlists for organized viewing.

• History – Revisit videos you‘ve previously watched in the addon.

• Live – Discover upcoming, active, and completed live streams. Never miss an event!

• Account – Manage your connected YouTube account preferences and settings.

• Settings – Change video quality, subtitles, and other configurations.

I highly recommend logging into your YouTube account so you can access all of your subscribed channels, likes, playlists, and more. This truly unlocks the full potential of having YouTube in Kodi!

Browsing for videos works just like other Kodi addons. Use the main categories and menus to find content, then select a video to start watching. Videos begin instantly with no slow loading or buffering.

And you won‘t see any ads interrupting your viewing! Enjoy YouTube ad-free thanks to Kodi.

Now let‘s go over some pro tips and customization options to enhance your YouTube experience in Kodi even further.

Advanced Tips for Using the YouTube Addon

Here are some of my top tips for power users:

• Install the YouTube Music addon to access music playlists alongside videos.

• Pair with a premium DNS service like ExpressVPN MediaStreamer for faster streaming speeds.

• Consider Real-Debrid account integration for improved playback of longer videos.

• Try different Kodi skins like Arctic Zephyr 2 to customize the interface.

• Use a VPN like ExpressVPN for increased privacy and security when streaming.

• Enable subtitle support in Kodi‘s Player settings for closed captions.

• Crank up default video quality to 2160p for 4K streaming if your device supports it.

• Periodically clear cache in the YouTube addon settings to keep load times fast.

• Check for Kodi and addon updates in the Add-on browser for latest fixes and features.

• Explore Kodi‘s web interface to control and cast YouTube videos from your browser.

• For kids, install the YouTube Kids addon alongside the main YouTube addon.

• Use Trakt integration to track and scrobble your YouTube viewing history.

With these kinds of customizations and power user configurations, you can build the ultimate YouTube experience through Kodi!

Next let‘s go over some common issues and troubleshooting steps.

Troubleshooting the YouTube Addon in Kodi

Here are some troubleshooting tips for common YouTube addon problems:

Can‘t authorize API keys – Carefully re-check the keys you entered. Delete them and paste again if needed. Also try clearing cache/data for the addon and reauthorizing from scratch.

Videos won‘t play – First, force close the addon and restart Kodi. Then clear cache/data for the addon. Check for any Kodi or addon updates. Try lowering the default video quality.

Buffering and lag – Lower the video quality setting in the addon configuration. Or enable Real-Debrid. Check your internet speeds with a tool like Fast.com from Netflix. Upgrade your WiFi equipment if needed.

Black screen when playing videos – Likely a codec issue. Go to Kodi Settings > System > Add-ons > Manage dependencies and allow it to update any necessary codecs.

Can‘t sign in to my YouTube account – Double check you‘re running Kodi 18 Leia or newer. Try reauthorizing API keys. Clear cookies and cache. Still not working? Uninstall and reinstall the addon.

Certain videos won‘t load – Unfortunately the YouTube addon doesn‘t contain 100% of YouTube. Your best bet is searching directly for videos within the addon itself.

Kodi crashes when playing YouTube videos – This usually indicates an underlying system issue. Check for Kodi updates, reinstall the YouTube addon, and downgrade the default video resolution. Test playing local media files to isolate the problem.

Still running into problems? As a last resort, perform a clean reinstall of the YouTube addon:

1. Fully exit Kodi, including any background processes.

2. Launch Kodi again and go to Add-ons.

3. In Video add-ons, select YouTube.

4. Choose Uninstall. This will completely remove the addon.

5. Restart Kodi once more.

6. Reinstall YouTube from the Kodi repository.

7. Re-enter your API keys.

8. Follow setup again to re-link your YouTube account.

This wipe and reinstall process typically resolves any lingering issues.

Privacy and Security with the YouTube Kodi Addon

While Kodi itself is 100% legal, some worry about privacy and security when streaming 3rd party content.

A few smart tips:

• Enable a VPN like ExpressVPN whenever you use Kodi. This encrypts your connection and masks your IP address from prying eyes. VPNs also provide faster streaming speeds.

• Be careful installing non-official addons from unknown developers. Only install reputable addons from trusted sources.

• Never enter your YouTube credentials or API keys into any third-party addons or tools.

• Use a premium DNS service like ExpressVPN MediaStreamer to prevent DNS leaks if your VPN drops connection.

• Enable Kodi‘s Debug logging to monitor what data is being sent over the network.

• Use a fresh email specifically for your Google API credentials. Don‘t use your main email address.

• Run youtube.com/my_subscriptions in a browser to see what public data is tied to your YouTube account. Adjust settings for increased privacy if desired.

• Consider a sandboxed operating system like CoreELEC that isolates Kodi from the rest of your system software for better security.

With the right precautions, you can securely enjoy all of YouTube in Kodi! The YouTube addon itself does not contain any privacy risks or malware if you obtain it through Kodi‘s official repository.

Now let‘s wrap things up with my final thoughts.

Closing Thoughts on the YouTube Kodi Addon

The ability to watch any YouTube video ad-free within your neatly organized Kodi setup is game-changing. Youtube holds an endless supply of entertainment, learning, and more.

If you‘re a YouTube fanatic, integrating it into Kodi through the official YouTube addon is a must!

The entire YouTube experience translates seamlessly into the Kodi interface. You get instant access to all your subscriptions, playlists, search, and YouTube‘s full content catalog.

Setup only takes a few minutes, and you‘ll be watching your favorite YouTubers in no time.

So if you use Kodi for streaming, install the YouTube addon today for endless entertainment possibilities!

I hope this detailed guide helped explain exactly how to install and start using the YouTube addon for Kodi. Now you can enjoy the best of YouTube right within Kodi.

Happy streaming!