Just when you’ve set out to enjoy some sporting action, a great movie, or an episode of your favorite TV show on Kodi, the last thing you would want is to be thrown the damper message, “Kodi no stream available.”
While Kodi lets you enjoy almost any video you’d like free and in HD, it’s actually the add-ons that fetch the streams you use, rather than Kodi itself. This means that since there are over a thousand Kodi add-ons available today, there are many reasons why you can get this error. In this guide, we’ll look at these possible causes then show you how to solve the “Kodi no stream available” error.
6 ways to fix the Kodi “No Stream Available” error
There may be multiple solutions for this error, depending on the situation. Here are the 6 most common:
1. Check if you are using an outdated add-on
One of the common causes for this error is using an abandoned add-on. If a developer drops an add-on, it means that the add-on will no longer be updated and therefore it won’t work correctly. Most add-ons that have been abandoned can no longer fetch Kodi streams, and so you will always face this error when you use them.
However, when most of the popular add-ons are taken down, they are usually replaced with forks of the same. For example, Genesis was replaced by the popular Exodus add-on. It then resurfaced as Genesis Reborn, and others like Covenant have been replaced with a multitude of forks.
They do this due to the pressure they get from copyright trolls, and so always update yourself with the latest Kodi add-ons.
2. ISP throttling and blocking: use a VPN
If you are in Europe, Australia, or North America, it’s very likely that your ISP has been instructed to block certain streaming websites that host illegal streams. This has become a norm as copyright organizations, governments, and content providers join hands to fight illegal streaming on Kodi.
When your ISP blocks certain streams, you won’t be able to access them, and therefore Kodi will show the “No stream available’ error. This will also happen if your ISP decides to throttle your internet connection for either streaming illegal content or consuming a lot of bandwidth.
The only thing you can do in such a case is to use a VPN. A VPN (short for Virtual Private Network) works by encrypting your traffic and then tunneling it to a remote server of your choice. Since your traffic is encrypted, your ISP can no longer see the resources you access, and therefore you’ll overcome ISP throttling. And since you will be using a new server, ISP blocking will no longer bother you.
A VPN will do more than that, protecting you from DMCA notices when you stream pirated content. Almost all third-party add-ons provide illegal streams, and so you should never use them without a VPN. Still, the key criteria is picking a VPN provider that works well with Kodi. And we have a great recommendation that even comes with an add-on for this media player.
NordVPN stops any ISP throttling in its tracks with top-notch security features. And with the fastest tunneling protocol in the industry, NordLynx, you’ll enjoy the best streaming experience possible. Zero lag, no buffering, and 4K UHD quality.
3. Unavailable sources
One other reason why you may get the “Kodi no stream available” error is that the stream is actually not available. In such a case, you can try another source within the add-on and if that doesn’t work, then move to another add-on. If the error persists, then you should know that you are perhaps looking for something that isn’t there.
This happens mostly with old movies, as they may get removed from various websites where Kodi add-ons retrieve them. It can also happen with new content, especially if a movie is still in theaters. In that period, most of the links available are usually not reliable, and even the ones that are, are usually low-quality cam copies.
These ones have just been recorded by a person in the theater and then uploaded, and unless you really can’t wait, those copies usually aren’t worth it. Most of the videos with unavailable sources are usually daily shows or soap operas as it’s hard to keep updating them.
4. Clear Kodi providers and caches
Clearing cache and providers in their maintenance tools menu refreshes an add-on and boosts your streaming experience. It removes the unnecessary clutter that was slowing down the device or addon. This happens even with the best add-ons, and for this guide, we’ll use Exodus Kodi addon, which is one of the most popular. Though the add-on keeps getting shut down, it always resurfaces.
Here are the steps to clear providers and cache on Exodus addon:
- In the Exodus main menu, scroll down and click Tools
- Select EXODUS: Clear providers
- When asked to confirm, click Yes
- A “process complete” notification will pop up on the screen
- Scroll down and select EXODUS: Clear cache
- Click Yes to confirm
Check if your error is solved.
5. Ensure your network connection is fast
This one may sound like a cliché, but you should always ensure that your connection is strong enough to fetch a selected stream. This is because your router can even slow down for no big reason. In such a case, the problem can be fixed by unplugging the power and then restarting.
Otherwise, if your speeds are just slow, you can consider extending the amount of time an addon takes to return a stream. You can follow these steps on Exodus:
- On the Exodus main menu, click Tools
- Select Settings: General
- Click Providers Timeout and drag the slider to position you would like (in Exodus, 60 seconds is the maximum)
- After that, click OK and you are done
6. Refresh Kodi
If you’ve been using Kodi for a long time, chances are that you have installed many repositories, add-ons, programs, etc. When these installations accumulate, they can start conflicting with one another and lead to errors and even lagging.
The best solution in such a case is to reset your Kodi to default settings. The most efficient way to do this is by using a maintenance tool like Ares Wizard or Indigo. This will restore the health of your application to 100%, and you’ll be good to go.
Bottom line
Kodi is a very popular open-source media player, but it has its fair share of issues, especially when diving into the various add-ons. The ‘No stream available’ error has plagued the screens of many streaming enthusiasts.
But the error is nothing a little troubleshooting on your end can’t fix. A fresh software reboot and renewal or deletion of outdated add-ons can really do wonders. And if you think that your ISP is the one pushing metaphorical sticks into your bike wheels, then a VPN will put a stop to it ASAP.
You may also like to read:
Best VPN for Kodi
Best Kodi add-ons
Best Kodi builds
Best Kodi repositories
How to fix ‘Failed to install dependency’ on Kodi
How to install Exodus on Kodi
3 tvs 2 work fine! The third , no stream available ! Wtf?
Let’s be honest, kodi is still as hit and miss as it was way back
Even more so now
No luck for me.. I tried all the above. I have the latest NordVPN. Tried fresh installs of Kodi 18, 19.3, and now I’m back to 18.9. Tried Exodus Redux and Covenant. Cleared cache and providers. Tried various movies and TV shows. No dice. Even tried fiddling with DNS servers.. Nothing works. this is a brand new computer Lenovo Legion i7 and pretty fast connection.. only thing that works in Kodi is the BBC Addon!… what gives?
Hello, Gio. It appears that a lot of add-ons, including NordVPN, are incompatible with the new version of Kodi. We’re currently working on figuring out how to get everything up and running again.
This did not help my situation at all. I trashed my original install and reinstalled everything. It used to work before trying to fix other problems with streaming other sites:”Error code:hls:networkError_manifestLoadError”.
I’m wondering if its my Little snitch setting, Webroot virus protection or TorGuard VPN. it worked great before.What’s going on? Is my ISP doing this?
It sucks enough to have a tiring day at work, and then you get comfy on your couch to watch your favorite movie/TV show, just to breathe a little you know? But, then you get the Kodi “No Stream Available” error! Thanks for this wonderful guide
An outdated add-on is likely one of the most common challenges faced by those who complaint of no stream available, and some users are not quick at updating their add-ons at the right time, thereby facing a bigger challenge with video streaming.
This is definitely one of the best blog post I am reading in recent times. My reasons are very simple, I feel so pissed off to be disturbed for whatever reason while streaming a video. Oh yeah!! This damper message is no exception