The feature that makes Kodi stand out amazingly are the third-party Kodi addons. These add-ons allow you to fetch the streaming of the favorite content through different servers and then play them online. But, add-ons do not work in isolation and rely on the external services called ‘dependencies’ to scrape the Internet and fetch the streams. But at the same time the most common challenge that you will face while Kodi add-ons are “Failed to Install a Dependency” error. This error prevents you from using Kodi addons.

This error can occur while installing addons like Exodus, Covenant, Neptune Rising, etc. So here in this article, I will guide you on how to fix “Failed to Install a Dependency” on Kodi error.

What Are Kodi Dependencies?

The add-ons designed for Kodi usually are not capable of working independently. There are exceptions to the add-ons that are very simple and host their own content. Whereas more complex add-ons count on 3rd party services so that they can scan the web and offer the best streams to the user.
These third-party services are the ones referred to as dependencies. They get automatically install with your addons and support the addons. Often these add-ons use more than one dependency in the background.

What Happens When Dependencies Fail?

When you go on for downloading an amazing addon and even after carefully following all the installation instructions when you hit install you come across an error. You receive a Failed to Install a Dependency error. If you have used Kodi for a while then it is likely you might have come across this error. In case the dependency fails, you are not allowed to install and use the addon.

How to Fix Failed to Install a Dependency In Kodi?

Depending on the cause of Failed to Install a Dependency error In Kodi, there are certain solutions on which you can rely on to fix the issue.

Method 1- Clear Kodi Cache

One of the best solutions to fix the Kodi dependency errors is by clearing the cache in Kodi. It is really easy to perform in the majority of streaming devices.

Clear Amazon Fire TV & Firestick Cache
Go to Settings. Click on Applications and then go to Manage Installed Applications. Click on Kodi. Finally, click on ‘Clear Cache’.

Android TV Box
Enter Android Box Settings. Then, Apps > Kodi. Lastly, click on Clear Cache.

NVidia Shield
Enter NVidia Shield Settings area. Then, Apps > Kodi. Finally, click Clear Cache.

Windows, Mac & Linux PC Fix
When using Windows/Mac/Linux on a PC it is recommended that one should install a Kodi Wizard to clear the cache. You can easily delete the cache in Kodi with the help of a maintenance tool that comes in most Wizards. Ares Maintenance Wizard is one such tool that is of great use.

Method 2- Rebuild Kodi’s Database

You can fix ‘Failed to Install a Dependency’ error by rebuilding your Kodi’s database file. Also, make sure you begin with the Kodi using admin privileges. For Windows, right-click on Kodi’s icon and select ‘Run as Administrator’. In case of Mac, simply ensure that you have the admin privileges as a user.

Step 1- Launch Kodi. Click on the Gear Icon in the top-left corner.
Step 2- Next, click on ‘File Manager’.


Step 3- On the left side of the screen, double-click to open ‘Profile Directory’.


Step 4- Now, open the ‘Database’ folder.
Step 5- Look for a file named ‘Addon27.db’. Then right-click on it. Choose to ‘Delete’.


Step 6- Confirm your action and delete the file.

Finally, shut down your Kodi. Wait for a few minutes and then again open Kodi. Now, again try to install some addon and check if you are encountering the Dependency error again.

Method 3- Install TVAddons Repository

The Kodi dependent missing files can be installed by using the TVAddons Repository. In case you are installing the Kodi third-party addon that has a dependency then it requires to be installed with TVAddons repo. This repository has more Kodi addon dependencies compared to any other Kodi repo. So follow the given below to install the addon from where you were getting the missing dependency error.

Step 1- From the Kodi home screen, click on the Gear Icon to open Settings.
Step 2- Click on File Manager.


Step 3- Then click on Add source. Click on None.


Step 4- Enter the http://fusion.tvaddons.co URL and click OK.
Step 5- Type fusion to identify this source within the given box. Click OK.
Step 6- Go back to Kodi home screen. Click the Add-ons menu.
Step 7- Go to the left side of the screen then click the Add-ons browser icon.


Step 8- Click Install from Zip File to install Kodi Addon. Click the fusion source named mentioned earlier.


Step 9- Then, click Kodi Repos > English > repository.xbmchug-3.0.0.zip.
Step 10- A message will appear saying enabled Repo addon.

After once the TVAddons repo has installed you should try installing the add-on that was giving trouble with a dependency error.

Method 4- Install Dependencies Manually

You can also install the required dependencies manually.

Step 1- Open Kodi. Click on the top-left Gear icon.
Step 2- Go to ‘File Manager’.


Step 3- Double-click on ‘Add Source’, on the left side of the screen.
Step 4- You will see a pop-up. Click on ‘<None>’.

Step 5- You will be asked for an address. Copy and paste the following URL: http://fusion.tvaddons.co/. Provide a name for the source (TV Addons). Finally, click ‘OK’.


Step 6- Go back to Kodi’s Home Screen.
Step 7- Open the Add-ons section using the main menu.
Step 8- In the top-left corner, you will see the Open Package icon. Click to open it.
Step 9- Now select ‘Install from ZIP file’.


Step 10- Open the recently added source. Click on the ‘TV Addons’ folder.
Step 11- Then open the ‘Kodi-scripts’ folder.
Step 12- Inside it, you will find several ZIP files. Install all of these important dependencies.
Step 13- After a few moments, the dependency will get install and notification will appear.

Similarly, repeat the steps for other dependencies found in the ‘Kodi-scripts’ folder. And now it will go without any issues since you have manually installed the required dependencies.

Wrapping Up!

So these were the best solutions for how to fix “Failed to Install a Dependency” on Kodi. You can try any of the methods easily and you will no longer face the same issue in Kodi again. And enjoy hassle-free streaming of media content with Kodi.

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