1. Home
  2. Kodi
  3. Alternatives looking glass repo
We are reader supported and may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Read Disclosure

Looking Glass Is Down: Alternatives to the Looking Glass Repository

Yet another Kodi add-on repository has been taken offline: this time it’s the Looking Glass repository. This Alice in Wonderland themed repo was most known for its Kodi management tool Looking Glass Wizard, and it also hosted a variety of useful add-ons especially for streaming video.

Unfortunately, many add-on repositories for Kodi get taken down due to legal threats from copyright holders. Last year, there was a massive purge in which a large number of repositories were shut down. And now, at the start of February 2018, more repositories have been taken down including Looking Glass and Noobs and Nerds.

But if you’re a Kodi user looking for a new place to get your add-ons, don’t worry: there are still plenty of useful repositories still out there. In this article we’ll explain what you need to do if you have previously been using the Looking Glass repository, then we’ll share our recommendations for the best alternatives to the Looking Glass repository for installing Kodi add-ons.

Get the #1 Rated VPN
68% OFF + 3 Month FREE

Why Kodi Add-Ons Users Should Get A VPN

Repositories like Looking Glass hold add-ons which Kodi users can install onto their systems to give their Kodi software new functionalities. For example, you can download an official approved add-on to watch YouTube or to listen to online radio stations. But many of these add-ons can also allow you to access copyrighted content for free, which is illegal. This is why so many repositories are shut down, because they facilitate the streaming of copyrighted content for free. Even though the repositories themselves do not actually host any copyrighted files like movies or music, the fact that they host add-ons which allow you to access that content is enough to land them in legal trouble.

The crackdown on Kodi repositories shows how serious copyright holders are about protecting their interests. If you are going to use Kodi add-ons to stream movies, TV shows, music or other content illegally, then you need to be careful. If your ISP finds out that you have been accessing content illegally then you could be kicked off their network or face a fine or even prosecution. To prevent legal issues and to keep yourself safe when using Kodi, we strongly recommend that Kodi users get a VPN. This keeps you safe by encrypting all of the data that your Kodi device sends over the internet, so that no one can see your data. This means that your ISP or any other outside observers cannot see what sites you have been visiting or what content you have been streaming or downloading. All they can see is the total amount of data that you have used. This is the best way to keep yourself safe when using Kodi.

We Recommend IPVanish For Kodi Users

Our VPN of choice for Kodi users is IPVanish due to its lightning fast connections that are ideal for streaming high definition video on your Kodi system. The security is excellent, with strong 256-bit encryption and a no logging policy to keep your privacy assured. The server network of 950 servers in 60 different countries is large and the software is available for Windows, Mac OS, Android, Linux, iOS, and Windows Phone.

IPVanish offers a 7-day money back guarantee which means you have a week to test it risk-free. Please note that Addictive Tips readers can save a massive 60% here on the IPVanish annual plan, taking the monthly price down to only $4.87/mo.

How To Remove the Looking Glass Repository From Kodi

If you have been using the Looking Glass repository, then you should disable it or remove it from your Kodi system before continuing. This is because there is a possibility that another company, such as a security company contracted by copyright holders or a malware company, could buy up the old Looking Glass URL of https://lookingglass.rocks/. Malicious content like tracking software could then be uploaded to this URL and disguised as a legitimate update for your Kodi add-ons, and when your Kodi automatically updates your add-ons you would be infected with the malware.

Obviously you want to avoid this – but that’s easy to do. You just need to either remove or disable the repository so that updates for your add-ons can’t be pulled from that old URL that is no longer active. When you remove the repository, the URL is totally deleted from your Kodi system, whereas when you disable the repository, the information about the repo is saved but the repository itself is no longer accessible. Either of these options will work effectively to keep you safe.

In general, it’s a good idea to keep up to date with news about which Kodi repositories have been taken down so that you can remove them from your system once that happens. Here are the instructions to remove the Looking Glass repository or another repository from Kodi:

  1. Start on your Kodi home screen
  2. Go to Add-ons
  3. Go to My add-ons
  4. Select Add-on repository
  5. This brings up a list of your repositories. Find the repository you want to remove, then click on its name
  6. This shows you a screen with information about the repository. Choose Uninstall from the menu at the bottom
  7. A popup confirmation will open. Select Yes and the repository and its associated files will be removed from your system

For more detailed instructions on how to remove a repository, you can refer to our full article on the topic.

Best Alternatives to the Looking Glass Repository

Now that the Looking Glass repository is no longer useable, you might be looking around for a new repository that you can use to download your add-ons. Unfortunately, Kodi repositories go up and down quite often and are frequently taken offline. This means that your favourite repository – like Looking Glass – might stop working one day with no warning.

Fortunately, there are plenty of other repositories out there for Kodi add-ons. We’ve tested tons of repositories and identified the ones which are most reliable, safest, and have the best selection of add-ons for you to download. These are our pick for the best alternatives to the Looking Glass repository:

1. Official Kodi repository

Users often overlook or forget about the official Kodi repository – that is, the repository which is run by the Kodi development team and is full of official add-ons. The repository comes pre-installed with Kodi so it’s very easy to access. Also, because the add-ons in this repository are official, you can be sure that they are safe to use, well coded, and fully legal. All of the add-ons in this repo let you stream content through legal means and for free. There are actually quite a few content providers who choose to share their content for free: everyone from Comedy Central to TED Talks has free streams which can be accessed through add-ons. Of course, there are also add-ons to let you access content on video hosting sites like YouTube, Vimeo, and Twitch.

If you’re looking for a reliable and legal add-on for watching content, then then official Kodi repository should be the first place that you look.

The URL For this repository is: https://kodi.tv/addons

Some popular add-ons available in this repository include:

2. Kodil

Kodil is the Kodi Israel repository and it has an absolutely massive range of add-ons available. As well as being very reliable in our testing, this repository hosts a ton of popular add-ons from other repositories which have been recently taken down, like the Bennu, BoB Unleashed, and Covenant movie and TV streaming add-ons. There are also IPTV add-ons like the popular Cerebro IPTV+ and cCloud TV add-ons. Many of these add-ons are not fully legal but they are well made and very popular with the community.

If you are looking for a one-stop repository that has many of the add-ons from other repositories which recently closed, then Kodil is a brilliant resource.

The URL For this repository is: https://kdil.co/repo/

Some popular add-ons available in this repository include:

  • Cerebro IPTV+
  • The Ares add-ons such as Ares Comedy, Ares Anime, Ares Music, etc
  • Bennu
  • BoB Unleashed
  • cCloud TV
  • Covenant
  • Elysium

3. TV Addons

Previously known as Fusion, the relaunched TV Addons repository has gone legit. Gone are the unofficial add-ons that you could use to stream content illegally, but in their place are a ton of add-ons that you can use fully legally. If you’re worried about security when using add-ons for Kodi, then you can be sure that you’ll stay safe if you use the add-ons in the TV Addons repository. Each of the add-ons in this repo pulls video content from an official and free source so you can stream with no worries. Check out how to install TV Addons via the Git Browser here.

The URL For this repository is: https://fusion.tvaddons.co/

Some popular add-ons available in this repository include:

4. XvBMC

XvBMC is a repository that has been around for a very long time – for so long, in fact, that it’s named after XMBC which is what Kodi used to be called back in the day. This repository does not have a massive selection, however it does have a few key add-ons which are hard to find elsewhere. Some very popular add-ons like the streaming Exodus fork Covenant or the IPTV add-on Retrospect are available in this repository. There are also add-ons for those brave few who like to use torrents to download and stream content simultaneously, like the Torrenter or Quasar add-ons. And perhaps most importantly, this is one of the few repositories where you can still download SportsDevil, which is many Kodi user’s favourite sports add-on and which used to be hosted in the now-defunct Colossus repo.

For users who want these few specific and much missed add-ons that are hard to find elsewhere, XvBMC is a great addition to your repository list.

The URL For this repository is: https://archive.org/download/repository.xvbmc

Some popular add-ons available in this repository include:

5. Blamo

Blamo is another smaller repository, which is most well known for hosting the recently released Neptune Rising add-on. Neptune Rising is another newer Exodus fork, and has become a top choice for streaming TV and movies in the last few months. As well as this essential add-on, you can also find less well known but still useful streaming add-ons like Death Streams and Placenta.

The inclusion of Neptune Rising makes Blamo a must-have repository for streamers.

The URL For this repository is: https://repo.mrblamo.xyz/

Some popular add-ons available in this repository include:

  • Neptune Rising
  • Death Streams
  • Placenta
  • Adult Swim

6. Maverick Repo

Finally, we couldn’t miss out on mentioning the Maverick repo. Famous for the Maverick TV streaming add-on which was one of the most beloved add-ons of the last few years, the Maverick Repo also holds a few more gems which are handy for streamers. Add-ons like Mafia Streams and LiveStreamsPro are handy for watching live content. Although this repository is not the most reliable and does go down sometimes, it made our list thanks to the presence of Maverick TV which is still such a popular add-on.

The URL For this repository is: https://mavericktv.net/mavrepo/

Some popular add-ons available in this repository include:

  • Maverick TV
  • Mafia Streams
  • Project Mayhem
  • LiveStreamsPro

How To Install A Kodi Repository

Now you’ve seen our recommendations for different repositories that you can use in place of the Looking Glass repository, now you just need to add the repositories to your Kodi system and you can start using them to download new add-ons. To do this you first add the URL of the repository to Kodi in File Manager, then you install the repository using the install from zip function in the add-ons section.

Here are step by step instructions on how to install a Kodi repository:

  1. Begin on your Kodi home screen
  2. Click on the settings icon, then go to File Manager
  3. Click on Add source
  4. Click on the box where it says <None>
  5. Enter the URL of the repository being sure to include the https://
  6. Give the source a name
  7. Click OK
  8. Go back to your home screen
  9. Click on Add-ons
  10. Click on the icon that looks like an open box
  11. Click on Install from zip file
  12. Click on the name of your repository, then navigate through the folders to find the zip file that you want
  13. Click the name of the zip file
  14. Wait for a moment and you’ll see a notification once the source has been installed
  15. Now the repository has been added to your Kodi system and you can start installing your add-ons

How To Use A Kodi Repository

And with your new repositories installed, here’s how you can use them to download new add-ons:

  1. Begin on your Kodi home screen
  2. Click on Add-ons
  3. Click on the icon that looks like an open box
  4. Click on Install from repository
  5. Click on the name of your repository
  6. Click on the category of the add-on you’re looking for, such as Video add-ons, Music add-ons, or Program add-ons
  7. Click on the name of the add-on you want to install
  8. A screen will open describing the add-on. Select Install from the menu at the bottom
  9. Wait for a moment and you’ll see a notification once the add-on has been installed

Conclusion

It’s sad that the Looking Glass repository has been taken down, especially as users now won’t be able to use the popular Looking Glass Wizard add-on. However, there are still lots of repositories out there which host a large number of great add-ons. We’ve suggested six repositories that you can use in place of Looking Glass to find and download new add-ons when you need them.

Which is your favourite add-on repository right now? Is it one of the repositories that we mentioned, or is there one that we missed? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

Don't miss this great deal

Searching for something else?

Chances are, we can find what you're looking for: