Intermediate 30-45 minutes Highly customizable

Kodi + Real-Debrid with Seren

Set up the classic open-source media center with Debrid streaming. Perfect for those who want full control and customization.

What is Kodi?

Kodi is a free, open-source media center that's been around since 2002 (originally as Xbox Media Center). It's highly customizable with skins, addons, and works on almost any platform.

Why choose Kodi?

  • • Completely open-source and free
  • • Highly customizable interface
  • • Works on nearly any device
  • • Large addon ecosystem
  • • Manage local and streaming content

What you can do

  • • Stream via Debrid services
  • • Play local media files
  • • Customize with skins/themes
  • • Build the perfect interface
  • • Install various addons

What you'll need

  • Real-Debrid account — €3-16 depending on plan length
  • Kodi 20.x or 21.x — Free, works on Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, Fire TV
  • 30-45 minutes — More involved than Stremio, but worth it for customization
  • Basic tech skills — You'll be installing repositories and configuring settings

Step 1: Get Real-Debrid

1.1 Create an account

  1. 1. Go to real-debrid.com
  2. 2. Click "Sign Up" and create an account with your email
  3. 3. Verify your email address

1.2 Choose a plan

Plan Price Per Month
15 days €3 €6/mo
30 days €4 €4/mo
90 days €9 €3/mo
180 days €16 €2.67/mo ✓ Best value

Tip: Start with 30 days (€4) to test, then upgrade to 180 days for best value.

Step 2: Install Kodi

2.1 Download Kodi

Go to kodi.tv/download and choose your platform:

🖥️ Windows
🍎 macOS
🐧 Linux
📱 Android/TV

Version matters: This guide is for Kodi 20.x (Nexus) or 21.x (Omega). Check your version after installation in Settings → System Info.

2.2 Install and set up Kodi

  1. 1. Run the installer for your platform
  2. 2. Launch Kodi after installation
  3. 3. Complete the initial setup wizard (language, timezone, etc.)

2.3 Enable unknown sources

You need to allow Kodi to install third-party addons (like Seren):

  1. 1. Click the Settings icon (gear icon) at the top
  2. 2. Go to SystemAdd-ons
  3. 3. Toggle "Unknown sources" to ON
  4. 4. Click Yes on the warning

This is safe: You need this to install reputable addons like Seren. Just don't install random addons from untrusted sources.

Step 3: Add Seren repository

3.1 Add the repository source

  1. 1. From the Kodi home screen, click the Settings icon (gear)
  2. 2. Go to File Manager
  3. 3. Click Add source
  4. 4. Click <None>
  5. 5. Type exactly: https://nixgates.github.io/packages/
  6. 6. Click OK
  7. 7. In the "Enter a name" field, type: Seren Repo
  8. 8. Click OK

3.2 Install the repository

  1. 1. Return to the Kodi home screen
  2. 2. Go to Add-ons (on the left menu)
  3. 3. Click the open box icon at the top left
  4. 4. Select Install from zip file
  5. 5. Click Seren Repo
  6. 6. Select repository.nixgates-x.x.x.zip (latest version)
  7. 7. Wait for the "Add-on installed" notification (top right)

Step 4: Install Seren addon

4.1 Install Seren

  1. 1. Still in the Add-ons menu, click the open box icon again
  2. 2. Select Install from repository
  3. 3. Click Nixgates Repo
  4. 4. Go to Video add-ons
  5. 5. Select Seren
  6. 6. Click Install
  7. 7. Kodi will install Seren and all dependencies (this may take 1-2 minutes)
  8. 8. Wait for the "Seren installed" notification

4.2 First launch

  1. 1. Go back to the Kodi home screen
  2. 2. Navigate to Add-onsVideo add-ons
  3. 3. Click Seren
  4. 4. The first time you launch, Seren will initialize and show you the main menu

Step 5: Configure Real-Debrid

5.1 Access Seren settings

  1. 1. In Seren, navigate to the Tools menu (use the left sidebar)
  2. 2. Select Settings
  3. 3. Go to the Accounts tab

5.2 Authorize Real-Debrid

  1. 1. Under "Debrid Providers", click Real-Debrid
  2. 2. Select Authorize Real-Debrid
  3. 3. A code will appear on screen (e.g., ABC123)
  4. 4. On your phone or computer, go to real-debrid.com/device
  5. 5. Log in to your Real-Debrid account
  6. 6. Enter the code from Kodi and click Authorize
  7. 7. Return to Kodi — it should now show "Real-Debrid: Authorized"

Success! Seren can now access Real-Debrid cached torrents for instant streaming.

5.3 Configure providers (optional)

Seren uses provider packages to find torrent sources. The default package works well, but you can customize:

  1. 1. In Seren Settings, go to the Providers tab
  2. 2. The default package is usually fine for most users
  3. 3. If needed, you can install additional provider packages here

Tip: More providers = more sources, but also longer search times. Start with defaults.

Step 6: Start streaming

6.1 Find content

  1. 1. From the Seren main menu, choose:
    • Movies → Browse, search, or trending
    • Shows → Browse, search, or trending
  2. 2. Use the Search option to find specific titles
  3. 3. Click on a title to see details

6.2 Play content

  1. 1. On a movie: Click Play
  2. 2. On a TV show: Select the episode, then click Play
  3. 3. Seren will search for sources (this takes 10-30 seconds)
  4. 4. Sources will be listed, with Real-Debrid cached sources prioritized
  5. 5. Seren auto-selects the best source and starts playing
🎉

You're streaming!

Seren prioritizes Real-Debrid cached sources, so you'll get instant, buffer-free playback. Enjoy the full power of Kodi with Debrid streaming!

Troubleshooting

"No sources found" error
  • • Verify Real-Debrid is authorized in Seren settings
  • • Check that your Real-Debrid subscription is active
  • • Make sure you have provider packages installed (Settings → Providers)
  • • Try searching for a popular movie to test
  • • Check your internet connection
Seren not appearing in add-ons
  • • Make sure "Unknown sources" is enabled in Kodi settings
  • • Verify the repository URL was entered correctly
  • • Check that the Nixgates repository installed successfully
  • • Try restarting Kodi and reinstalling the repository
Buffering or slow playback
  • • Seren prioritizes cached sources — they should stream instantly
  • • Check your internet speed (4K needs 25+ Mbps)
  • • In Seren settings, adjust quality preferences (720p vs 4K)
  • • Real-Debrid servers may be under load — try again later
  • • Adjust Kodi video cache settings (advanced users)
Real-Debrid authorization failing
  • • Make sure you're entering the code at real-debrid.com/device
  • • Check that you're logged into the correct Real-Debrid account
  • • Try revoking authorization and re-authorizing
  • • Codes expire after a few minutes — request a new one if needed
  • • Check that your firewall isn't blocking Kodi
Seren searches are very slow
  • • Too many provider packages can slow searches down
  • • In Settings → Providers, reduce the number of active providers
  • • Adjust scraper timeout settings (Settings → Scrapers)
  • • Use Trakt lists for faster browsing (see Tips section)

Tips and customization

🎨 Customize the look

Kodi supports custom skins for a completely personalized interface.

Settings → Interface → Skin → Get more... → Try Arctic Zephyr, Aeon Nox, or Amber

📋 Connect Trakt

Track your watch history and sync across devices with Trakt integration.

Seren → Tools → Settings → Accounts → Authorize Trakt

⚡ Faster browsing

Create Trakt lists of your favorite content for instant access without searching.

Seren → My Lists → Trakt Lists (requires Trakt account)

🎯 Quality preferences

Set preferred quality to automatically select the best sources for your setup.

Seren → Tools → Settings → Scraping → Quality filters

📱 Remote control

Control Kodi from your phone with official remote apps.

Download Kore (Android) or Official Kodi Remote (iOS)

🔒 Privacy

Real-Debrid uses HTTPS — no VPN needed. Your ISP only sees encrypted traffic.

Same privacy benefits as any HTTPS website

Other Kodi + Debrid addons

While Seren is the most popular, these addons also work with Real-Debrid:

  • The Crew — All-in-one addon with movies, TV, sports, and more
  • Fen — Similar to Seren, lighter weight, different interface
  • Venom — Another popular alternative with Trakt integration

All require Real-Debrid authorization just like Seren. Setup process is similar.

What's next?

Want an even simpler setup? Try Stremio with Torrentio for streaming in just 15 minutes. Or explore Plex for a more organized library experience.

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