Here's everything you need to know about the upcoming version of Kodi.
Kodi 17.1 "Krypton" is the current release that's available through the Windows Store and the Kodi website But work on next version of the popular media server software is already well underway. In a break from the normal routine of choosing names with the community, Kodi 18 will be known as "Leia," in honor of everyone's favorite princess who sadly left us.
It hurts our hearts to have lost a great woman and actress and, with her, the character she portrayed, the princess we grew up with. It feels fitting, then, to announce that Kodi 18 will be named 'Leia' in honor of the late Carrie Fisher, as a tribute to one of the characters that defined an industry, and as a celebration of the whole Star Wars universe.
It's still early days right now, and there's not a whole lot to talk about regarding Kodi 18. But here's what we do know so far. And as updates become available, we'll keep this guide updated, so be sure to slap it into your bookmarks.
Update May 13 2017: Added information on Windows compatibility following the decision to drop Vista support from version 18.
When will Kodi 18 Leia be available?
At this point, it doesn't have an official release date.
What's new?
It's still in development, so the final feature list isn't publicly revealed. It's still in the early stages, too, so there's not a lot immediately obvious that has changed. The best place to keep tabs on new features is the Kodi 18 Leia changelog on the official Kodi Wiki.
Can I try it yet?
Absolutely! If you're OK with being on the bleeding edge and dealing with bugs, you can already get the latest nightly builds for version 18. Hit the link below to get started.
Download Kodi 18 Leia nightly builds
Do I need to uninstall Kodi 17 to try the new nightly builds?
No. If you're using the Kodi 17 app from the Windows Store, for example, the nightly installer will place the new version on your machine alongside it.
Is it good enough for my main build right now?
No, you should stick with the release version of Kodi 17. Leia is still a long way off, and lots of things don't work properly.
Does it look the same?
Yes! The stock skin was updated from Kodi 16 to Kodi 17, from the old "Confluence" skin to the new, more modern looking "Estuary." There's nothing to suggest that will change for version 18, but you can always install your own skins.
Will it be available on Xbox One?
Hopefully. The Kodi developer team has already stated a commitment to producing a Universal Windows Platform (UWP) version for the Windows Store that will work on the Xbox One. Whether that will happen with version 18 or not is unclear.
Which versions of Windows will be supported?
As of version 18 Kodi will no longer support Windows Vista. Users on Vista will still be able to use version 17 without issue, with the only potential problems coming with the compatibility of add-ons in the future. The main Kodi system, however, will keep on keeping on.
That means you'll need Windows 7, 8 or 10 to use Kodi 18. The first two will be delivered through the Kodi website, the latter through the site and through the Windows Store. For more on the decision to drop Vista, check out the official blog post.
Is there anything big to talk about yet?
Not on the Windows build, no. We're so early in the development cycle that many of the features and API changes have not yet been made public.
New features are being discussed, and the developers are highlighting them to the community through "dev journals," with the most recent highlights including voice search and recommendation integration for the Android TV build of Leia.
There's still much development to happen, and much new hotness to be revealed, and that will happen all in good time. If you have questions, drop them into the comments below. Hopefully, we can help with some answers.