You have probably heard about Kodi and all the possibilities that it opens to enjoy a whole new world of entertainment. If you have a Roku device, you probably want to get Kodi on it. While searching for ways to bring all the power of Kodi to your Roku, you may come across some websites that claim that you need to jailbreak your Roku in order to be able to install Roku. The truth is that it is not possible to jailbreak a Roku device and you can’t actually install Kodi on Roku. However, that doesn’t mean that you won’t be able to use Kodi on Roku. The solution is screen mirroring to cast Kodi to your Roku. Here, we will discuss everything you need to know in order to be able to enjoy Kodi on Roku.
Is it possible to jailbreak Roku to install Kodi?
As we previously mentioned, in reality, it is not possible to jialbreak a Roku device. The first thing to consider is that there is no official Kodi app for Roku, which means that even if you were able to jailbreak your Roku, you wouldn’t have an app that you could install.
In addition, you just can’t jailbreak a Roku device. Their customized proprietary operating system, Roku OS, is based on C+ and modifying it is not an easy task. This means that it is not possible to make changes or upgrades on this platform. While you can run Plex on Roku, at the moment Roku doesn’t support Kodi.
The good news is that there is an alternative that you can consider. You can enjoy Kodi with Roku by using screen mirroring. This is a solution that is supported by Roku devices via the Miracast screen mirroring protocol. You can use screen mirroring from a Windows or Android device, which allows you to cast the content to Roku, just like you would do with Chromecast.
Preliminary steps
In order to ensure that your Roku device is ready for streaming, your Roku device need to work with Miracast protocol. The options available include Roku 2, Roku 3, Roku 4, Roku Streaming Stick and Roku Ultra.
How to enable screen mirroring
1. Press the home button on your Roku remote to get access to the main menu
2. Select Settings and then go to System
3. Select Screen Mirroring.
4. Select Always. While you leave it on Prompt, in that case, you will need to go through additional menus when you want to cast Kodi content.
That is all, now your Roku device is ready to accept screen mirroring from Android and Windows devices. The next step is to install Kodi and to set up screen mirroring on Android and Windows devices.
How to enable screen mirroring (Android)
You can download Kodi from the Google Play Store, which makes it very easy to set up. Just follow the below steps”
1. Go to the Google Play Store on your Android device
2. Look for Kodi in the upper search bar. The Kodi logo should pop up in the search results. You just need to select it to continue.
3. Select Install to start the installation process
4. Now, you just need to give Kodi access to Device and app history, as well as Photos/Media/Files to proceed. Then, select Accept.
5. Kodi will start downloading and installing on your smartphone or tablet. Allow some time for the process to complete.
6. Once the installation is completed, you will be able to access Kodi from the app tray or the home screen.
Once Kodi is installed, the next step is to enable screen mirroring. Since there are different brands of Android devices, the screen mirroring feature has a variety of names. Depending on your device, you will find another name for this functionality. Here are a few options:
Samsung
Quick Connect, Smart View, AllShare
Google Android devices
Display mirroring, Wireless display, Screen casting (Android Lollipop)
LG
SmartShare
HTC
HTC Connect
Other Android devices
Cast
The difference in the names can be confusing sometimes, but once you know what screen mirroring is called on your device, you will be able to enable this option easily. In general, you can find screen mirroring under the display, connection, network or display submenus. Here is an example on how you can enable casting on a Google Android device.
1. Open Settings from the app tray. Then, go to Device, and then Display.
2. Open the Display submenu. Since we are using Google Android devices as an example, in this case, the screen mirroring feature is known as Cast. You will find it at the bottom of the menu.
3. Now, you will see all the devices that support screen mirroring. If Roku is in your network, you will be able to select it.
That is all. After selecting your Roku, you will be ready to start enjoying Kodi. Just open Kodi and cast the content from your Android device, directly to your TV. The steps required may be different for you. As previously mentioned, the name of the screen mirroring option depends on your device, but once you find it, you will be able to enable it without issues.
How to enable screen mirroring (Windows)
1. Go to Kodi website https://kodi.tv/ and select Download. Then, select Windows.
2. The next step is to select the Kodi installer. You can select INSTALLER (32BIT) in this case.
3. Now your download will start automatically. It is about 80mb in size, but if your connection is slow, you will need to be patient. Once the download is completed, go to your default downloads folder and locate kodi-17.5-Krypton-x86.exe
Keep in mind that the name may be a bit different, depending on the Kodi release that is currently available.
4. Click twice on the installation file. The Kodi installer will open.
5. Select I Agree to proceed with the Kodi installation.
6. On the following screen, you will be able to select the Kodi components that you wish to install. We recommend you not to select anything here, at least by now. Just press Next to proceed.
7. Select the file directory in which you want to install Kodi, then press Next to proceed.
The installation will start. The process can take a while, but once it is completed, you will see a screen in which you can tick the Run Kodi box. Then, press Finish to close the installer and open Kodi on your Windows computer.
That is all. Now you will be able to access Kodi from the Start menu or search Kodi on the Windows search bar. In order to get screen mirroring set up on Windows, you need to do the below:
1. Open the Control Center. You can do this by swiping in from the right edge of the screen, or just click the icon that looks like a square message box on the start bar.
2. Select Project on the lower menu. If Miracast is supported by your computer, an option that says Add a wireless display will also appear.
3. Choose the display that is connected to the Roku device. Follow the on-screen instructions to finish the setup. If you additional drivers are needed, the will be downloaded automatically.
4. Now, select re-open the Control Center or press Windows Key+P to access projection options. Select the Roku display to start mirroring the screen. That is all, you can now connect to your Roku display at any time. Just use the Windows Key+P shortcut.
Is Kodi legal?
One of the main questions regarding Kodi is if it using it can lead to legal issues. While there is a lot of controversy surrounding Kodi, the truth is that the software itself is completely legal. On its own, Kodi is simply a media player that offers support for HTPC (Home Theater PC) systems. It can be used to play music, movies or even to see photos. You can manage your own media files with the help of Kodi and access your videos, audio tracks, photos and more, with high quality and in an easy way.
However, there are third-party add-ons that could land users into trouble. Since Kodi is an open-source platform, independent developers can create add-ons compatible with it. Some of these add-ons offer additional functionality or allow you to customize the appearance of Kodi. The problem is that there are also third-party add-ons that allow users to find and stream copyrighted content such as the latest movie releases, or TV series that are only available on paid channels. Using these add-ons could result in legal warning, fines and other penalties.
While the best way to avoid legal issues is simply by not installing video add-ons that provide access to copyrighted content, if you choose to install them you need to protect your privacy. Using a VPN is a highly effective solution to keep your privacy protected. Since VPNs apply encryption to your connection, they prevent others from seeing what you are doing online. Your data is scrambled, which means that others can’t understand it and won’t know what you are doing. VPNs also allow you to overcome online restrictions, so you will have freedom to access a greater selection of content.
With a VPN, you will be able to bypass blocks and enjoy online freedom, and the fact that it protects your internet traffic with encryption and that it adds anonymity to your connection by masking your real IP address, make it a comprehensive solution to enjoy a secure experience with Kodi. We recommend options like ExpressVPN, IPVanish and NordVPN.
Is it worth using Kodi on your Roku device?
While you can use screen mirroring to access Kodi content via Roku, this is not the most convenient solution. This method requires you to use both your Android/Windows device and your Roku device, which means that you need to use more bandwidth and the energy consumption is increased as well. Plus, the connections via Miracast screen mirroring are not always reliable. If you are an Apple users, this option won’t work for you. This is why, we recommend to consider the below alternatives.
Google Chromecast
One of the best things about Google Chromecast is that it is very easy to use with Kodi. It works well with Android and iOS devices. You just need to open up Kodi on your phone, select Cast, and then you can start streaming media directly to your TV. Chromecats is very affordable and it is a simple solution to be able to watch Kodi§s content in a large screen.
Amazon Fire TV Stick
You can install Kodi on Amazon Fire TV Stick as well, although the process is not as simple as with Chromecast. Still, it is fairly easy and if you use Kodi on this Amazon device, you won’t need to use your phone to control playback. It is a bit more expensive than Chromecast, but it works well and it is a great alternative to Roku.