How to Jailbreak Roku and Install Kodi (Full Tutorial)
The affordable and portable streaming device is the perfect solution for getting Netflix on your TV, watching Hulu, or catching up on all the latest live sports and TV shows. The only thing that could make Roku even more powerful is if it could run Kodi, the free, highly extensible open-source media center software. Can you jailbreak a Roku and install Kodi? The short answer is no, not exactly.
Instead of jailbreaking your Roku, though, you can use an alternate method to get Kodi on your TV. We’ll cover all the details below. Before you begin, though, make sure you take the proper steps to secure your device so you can use Kodi with full privacy. Get the #1 Rated VPN 68% OFF + 3 Month FREE Before Using Kodi on Roku, Get a Good VPN
The Kodi software itself is free and legal to use on a wide variety of devices. Some third-party add-ons you can use aren’t quite as safe, however, which means Kodi has gotten a bad reputation as of late. This has caused companies and ISPs to take extreme measures against Kodi users, tracking, throttling, or even blocking their connections automatically.
VPNs can easily keep you safe from these privacy threats. They work by encrypting all of your traffic so it’s impossible to read. Hackers, government agencies, and internet service providers alike will be unable to determine what you’re doing on the internet or which streams you’re watching on Kodi/Roku.
The bottom line is simple: if you want to stay safe, you have to use a VPN with Kodi. NordVPN – Best VPN for Kodi We’re not going to sugarcoat it: ISPs don’t like you using Kodi, even if you’re just streaming legally available content.
But with NordVPN, you can completely lock them out of your business, shrouded in a wall of unbreakable 256-bit encryption via the ultra-fast NordLynx protocol. This not only stops ISPs from tracking your activity, but removes the ability for them to throttle your Kodi traffic.
NordVPN’s massive network now spans 7,400+ servers across 118 countries, which vastly enhances the ability of Kodi to stream international content. You can also effectively change the region on your Roku through the same process; just click the server in a country you want within NordVPN’s intuitive user interface, and relax as the VPN handles the rest.
NordVPN supports up to 10 simultaneous devices per account and maintains a strict no-logs policy. Plans are frequently discounted—check the current pricing page for the latest 2-year deal and the usual 30-day money-back guarantee.
Can You Jailbreak a Roku to Install Kodi?
Jailbreaking usually refers to hacking a device to allow it to run a wider variety of software. Not allowed to install your favorite app on iOS? Jailbreak it and do it anyway! Android and Fire TV devices usually refer to this as rooting, but the basic principle is the same.
The Roku itself runs its own operating system called Roku OS that isn’t compatible with standard Android or iOS jailbreaking methods. But the good news is Roku doesn’t actually require any kind of jailbreaking to get at its full functionality. You can add channels with ease, including custom homebrew ones, no hacking required.
Mirror Kodi to Your Roku Below
Since jailbreaking isn’t possible, and since Kodi doesn’t support Roku OS, we’ll simply use a secondary device and mirror Kodi straight to Roku, nice and easy. Step 1 – Enable Roku Screen Mirroring Before you can mirror anything to your Roku, you’ll need to turn on screen mirroring. This is perfectly safe to do and only takes a few seconds.
Tip: Roku’s screen mirroring works with Miracast on compatible Android and Windows devices. For iPhone/iPad and Mac, use AirPlay (covered below).
Step 2 – Install Kodi on a Second Device (Android)
Now that your Roku is ready to go, you’ll need to get Kodi prepared on a secondary device. Which hardware you use really doesn’t matter, just as long as it’s capable of casting to your home network. We recommend using Kodi with Android for the best results, so that’s what we’ll cover below.
You can also install Kodi on Fire Stick if you like, though you won’t be able to mirror it to Roku in this instance.
Step 3 – Set Up Screen Mirroring
Any device you use with Kodi will now need screen mirroring to be set up. The steps below will let you quickly turn the features on so you can start watching some movies! Note: Some stock Android devices (e.g., recent Pixels) do not support Miracast.
Step 4 – Start Screen Mirroring
Now that your Roku is set up and your secondary device is ready to cast, you can finally start watching Kodi! This is the fun and easy part, and if you followed the steps above, you should be able to pull it off without a hitch.
If anything goes wrong, the most likely candidate is your Wi-Fi network. Both the device you’re casting from and the Roku need to be using the same wireless connection in order for screen mirroring to work.
Screen Mirror Kodi to Roku from Windows
Windows is the world’s most common PC operating system. It also happens to have just the right tools needed to screen mirror Kodi to your Roku. Follow the guide below (in order) to get everything set up.
Cast Kodi from iOS to Roku (AirPlay)
Unlike years past, you can now cast or mirror directly from iPhone/iPad to many Roku models via AirPlay 2—no third-party apps required.
Heads-up: Some streaming apps may block mirroring due to DRM. In those cases, use their built-in AirPlay button (if available) or play the content directly via the Roku app/channel instead.