How to Fix Kodi Keeps Buffering | Fix Kodi Buffering Issues

One of the most annoying things that you can encounter is when you are enjoying a movie or series and then suddenly the Kodi starts to buffer. This is one of the most common issues that is faced by many users. Kodi buffering issues have many reasons although if you are a victim of the same issue then you are in the right place. In this guide, we have discussed the Kodi keeps buffering issues and how to fix this. For more information on how to get rid of this issue, you can go through the instruction provided below.

Why is the Kodi keeps Buffering?

When you are encountered by this annoying issue, you might be thinking about what is causing the issue? There are a lot of reasons that can trigger the Kodi buffering issue. Among which we have mentioned some of the common reasons that cause it.

Network Connectivity Issues with the system.
Slow internet or connection speed.
At the source, there is some network congestion.
From the Streaming Source, there is a limited bandwidth connection.
Throttling connection speed from the Internet Service Provider (ISP)
There might be some unsuitable Kodi Cache settings that are causing the issue.

Perhaps, the buffering issue of the Kodi is not related to stream or any specific add-ons. However, according to many users, Kodi streaming slow can be due to the use of some specific add-ons. Not to worry we have provided all the solutions that you can perform to fix the issue.

Why is Kodi so slow?

At times, apart from the buffering issue, the Kodi plays videos slowly and there can be a number of causes that basically trigger the issue. Some of the common causes for Kodi to slow down are discussed below.

Crushing or Freezing of the Video.
Shuttering Video issues.
Frequent video Buffering
Menu of the Kodi being Slow.

Therefore we have provided all the solutions that you can implement to solve the Kodi lagging issues.

How to Fix the Kodi Lagging or Kodi Buffering Issues?

Here we have mentioned all the methods that you can follow for Kodi buffering fix.

Fix 1: Check the Internet Connection and the Speed of the Connection

The major cause of the Kodi Buffering is due to the slow internet connection or when the internet is not connected properly to the Kodi. Therefore the first thing you need to check is the speed as well as the connection of the Internet. It is also necessary to have a stable connection. Therefore you can go to the Network Connection from the Settings menu of the Kodi and then check the Internet Connection.

You can also disconnect any other devices that you are not using from the connection. However, you can opt to use a third-party application and then check the connection of the internet as well as the speed of the internet. Also, check if the connection is stable or not.

Fix 2: Enable Unknown Sources on Kodi

As mentioned above, sometimes an add-on can trigger the issue. Therefore you can enable the unknown sources and then check if this fixes the issue or not. So if you wish to install any third-party add-on in your Kodi to get an optimum experience, then you need to enable the Kodi to install from the Unknown sources.

Launch the Kodi, then click on the gear icon to open the Setting menu of the Kodi, which you can find on the top right corner of the screen.
When the Settings menu opens, click on the System Settings option.
Then in the left panel, click on the Add-ons option.
After that, go to the right panel and then toggle on the Unknown Sources option in the menu.
This whole process will make sure that you have enabled this to install add ons from unknown sources.

Clear the Cache of the Addons:

However, if you have added too many add-ons, then this can be the reason behind the Kodi keeps buffering. Simply clear the cache of the Add-ons that you have added to the Kodi.

Click on the gear icon to open the Setting menu of the Kodi, which you can find on the top right corner of the screen.
Once the Settings menu opens, select the System Settings option.
Then in the left panel, click on the Add-ons option.
From there go to the Video Addons, then scroll down and select the Tools option.
Next, click on the Clear Cache option and then confirm it by clicking on the Ok button.

This process will clear all the cache of the addons in the Kodi stream.

Fix 3: Fix Kodi Buffering Using a Code

According to the experts, you can fix the buffering issue using a code. This is one of the most useful troubleshooting processes. Here in the below, we have provided all the necessary codes that you can apply to fix the issue.

Steps to follow for Windows System:

This is what you need to do if you are a Windows user.

First, open the notepad and then copy the below codes and paste it.

</network>

</advancedsettings>

Next you have to save the file and rename it tas “advancedsettings.xml”
Press Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box. In the box type this “%APPDATA%\kodi\userdata” and then hit the Enter button.
Lastly, copy the notepad file and paste it into that folder.

Alternative Method:

If you are using the latest version of Windows then open the Cortona and then search for the “%APPDATA%\kodi\userdata” and then hit the Enter button.
Once the folder opens, copy the notepad folder to the folder.

Steps to Open the Folder in other Platforms:

Here we have provided the location pathway to go to the folder. Follow the paths depending on the platform you are using and then paste the Notepad where you have copied the codes.

Android – “Android/data/org.xbmc.kodi/files/.kodi/userdata/”

iOS – “/private/var/mobile/Library/Preferences/Kodi/userdata/”

Linux – “~/.kodi/userdata/”

Mac – “/Users/<your_user_name>/Library/Application Support/Kodi/userdata/”

Fix 4: Adjust the High-Quality Scaler

This method to fix the issue is related to the internet connection issue, that is if you are trying to play a video to its high quality by default despite the fact that the internet is slow. Obviously, you will encounter Kodi streaming slow issue. Therefore you can select the option to play the video depending on the speed of Internet connectivity.

Launch the Kodi, then click on the gear icon to open the Setting menu of the Kodi, which you can find on the top right corner of the screen.
From there you have to go to the Player Settings.
Now click on the Video option, then scroll down and ensure it is set to Expert option.
Under the Processions section, go to the Enable HQ scalers for Scaling above option and then select to 20%, however, it will reduce the amount of scaling, thus you should try from 10%.
Apart from that, you can also turn off the Hardware Acceleration, from the same menu and check if the issue is fixed or not.

Additional Solutions that You can implement to Fix the Kodi Buffering issue:

Apart from the above solution, there are a few more solutions that you can perform to fix the Kodi Buffering issue.

Check Internet bandwidth settings.
Stream at Low quality at the start.
Check the Kodi installation process for issues.
Expand the Cache of the Kodi.
Install the newer version of the Kodi application.

If none of the methods solves the issue, then you can use a third-party application to fix the issue.

Use a VPN Service:

Too much streaming of the Kodi can affect the bandwidth throttling of the internet connection. At times the buffering is caused when the server is overloaded. Thus it is suggested to use a VPN service. Using a VPN service will ensure that your ISP will never know what you are using. Also if you use a VPN it will directly take you to the streaming service without passing through the ISP. There are a lot of VPN services that you can download and install in the system and then change the Server to a Chosen Location.

Clear the Kodi Cache:

The process to clear the Cache of the Kodi is quite complicated, thus it is better to use a third-party application to clear all the cache of the Kodi. You can find a lot of Cleaner applications on the Internet, download and install it on the system. After that clear the cache of the Kodi.

Summing Up

That is all with methods that you can implement for the Kodi lagging issues. Go through the instructions and then check which one solves the issue in your case.