Kodi is one of the most versatile open-source media players. It offers you a great performance completely free of any charges. You can set it up easily on your device and use it to open media files. You can use Kodi to open any videos, images and music on your device. However, many users have complained about not being able to stream shows with it. The Server Message Block (SMB) shares access to files with the Kodi app. So, the “Kodi SMB operation not permitted” message indicates an access-related issue.
It has various possible causes, so you might have to try out various fixes. Try out the ones listed below to fix the SMB issues within a short time.
7 Methods to Fix the Kodi SMB Problem
The problem with the SMB might have something to do with its protocol settings. You can also change other settings in Kodi to fix the problem.
Apart from that, you must also look for the cause of the issue outside the software. Installation issues are yet another possible cause of the “Kodi SMB operation not permitted” issue.
- Reboot Your System
A restart is all it sometimes takes to fix the problems on your PC. So, you must try that before moving on to other viable solutions. Apart from refreshing your system, this will also refresh the app. You might find that the problem has been resolved after restarting.
Regardless of the device, you can either turn it off or restart it directly. Switch off your device for at least 30 seconds if you choose the former. Then, check whether Kodi can access the file you want to run on it.
- Enable Media Sharing
Are you unable to stream a media file on Kodi? The “Kodi SMB operation not permitted” message might indicate disabled media sharing. So, you must check whether you have turned off this option on your device. Even if you have not done so intentionally, it happens after you install Kodi.
Open the Start menu on your PC and go to the Network and Sharing Center using the search bar. Then, navigate to the advanced sharing settings and view the All Networks tab. You should find the media streaming options there. Open the “choose media streaming options” to check whether this feature is enabled.
Do you find the “media streaming is not turned on” option selected there? Then, change the selection to “turn on media streaming” and click on OK.
- Disable Your VPN
A VPN can be very useful to you for protecting your online privacy. However, it can also create issues with the specific functions of your device. Among other things, it can sometimes cause the Kodi SMB operation not to be a permitted issue.
So, you must consider disabling the VPN for a while if you are using one. Launch your VPN app and turn it off before trying to stream the file on Kodi.
Does the app run the stream without any issue this time? If yes, then you might have to disable VPN every time you use Kodi.
- Change the SMB Protocol Settings
SMB protocol settings play a key role in Kodi’s performance on your device. So, you must make sure that your device has the optimal SMB protocol settings. If it does not, then that explains the Kodi SMB operation not permitted message. The latest version of Kodi does not support SMBv1 and requires SMBv2 or newer protocols.
Launch the app, go to its Settings menu and open the Services section there. Click on the SMB Client option to check the maximum and minimum protocol versions. Set SMBv1 as the minimum and SMBv3 as the maximum one. Exit the Settings and check whether the app can stream the media file this time.
- Create an Account
As you might know, the latest Kodi version does not support network browsing. So, you need an account to add a file source to the app. Create one if you have not done that yet. Then, you must use your Kodi credentials to enter the network location in the app.
Open your Kodi library and go to the Files section there. This section will contain all the sources you have added to the app. Add a new source for the file after clicking on “Add network location”. You must enter your Kodi username and password to proceed with this task. Also, you should not face the Kodi SMB operation not permitted issue after this.
- Correct the Source Path
You might sometimes end up entering the wrong source in Kodi. As a result, you may see the Kodi SMB operation not permitted or other error messages on screen. All you need to do in such cases is to input the right source. So, go to the Library and open the Files section there to view your sources.
Click on hold on the source for the file that you are unable to play. Click on the Edit Source option and browse the right source for the file. Click on OK to save the new path and check on the problem after adding it.
- Reinstall Kodi
You must consider reinstalling the app if none of the previous methods worked. Thus, it should fix any installation errors that it might have. So, delete the app and erase all its data from your device. Then, download and install it from the Microsoft Store or the official Kodi website.
Proceed with the installation and run the app once you are done. Add the source for a file as mentioned previously and try to play it. Reinstalling Kodi should effectively fix the SMB issue that you have been facing.
Contact the Support Team
Do the SMB issues persist even after you reinstall Kodi? You must explain the problem to the support team right away. They should be able to provide you with a long-lasting solution to the issue. Also, they have many viable alternatives to Kodi SMB error.
