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Stremio Setup Guide - Complete Tutorial & Documentation

Complete Glossary

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Note

For a shorter, beginner-focused list, see Glossary for Beginners.

A

Add-on

A plugin or extension that connects Stremio to external content sources (catalogs, streams, metadata, subtitles). Add-ons determine what content you can access. See Add-ons Explained.

Android TV

A version of Android designed for TVs and streaming devices. Stremio has a dedicated Android TV app optimized for TV interfaces and remote controls. See Install on Android TV.

API (Application Programming Interface)

A set of rules that allows software applications to communicate. Add-ons use APIs to fetch data from external services.

APK (Android Package Kit)

The file format for Android apps. Used to install Stremio on Android devices that don’t have Google Play. See Install on Android.

App

Short for “application”—the software program. In this guide, “app” usually refers to Stremio itself.

B

Backdrop

The large background image displayed on a movie or show’s detail page (behind the title and description).

BitTorrent

See Torrent.

Buffering

When video playback pauses to load more data. Excessive buffering indicates slow internet, server issues, or device performance problems. See Playback & Buffering.

Binge Watching

Watching multiple episodes or movies in one sitting. Stremio has optional notifications to remind you to take breaks (Settings → Privacy).

C

Cache

Temporary data stored on your device to speed up loading times. Stremio caches posters, metadata, and stream data. Clear it if you experience issues: Settings → Advanced → Clear Cache.

Catalog

A collection or list of movies, shows, or videos provided by an add-on. Examples: “Trending Movies,” “Top TV Shows,” “YouTube Popular.” Catalogs appear as rows on the Discover page.

Cast / Casting

Sending video from your device to a TV or streaming device (via Chromecast, AirPlay, etc.). Stremio supports casting on some platforms.

Channel

In the context of YouTube or Twitch, a creator’s collection of videos or streams. You can subscribe to channels via add-ons.

Cinemeta

Stremio’s default metadata add-on. Provides posters, descriptions, cast info, and ratings for movies and TV shows.

Codec

Software that encodes or decodes video/audio. Modern devices support most codecs, but some rare formats may not play without additional software.

Legal protection for creative works (movies, music, books, etc.). Streaming copyrighted content without authorization is illegal in most jurisdictions. See Safety & Legality.

Continue Watching

A tab in your Library showing movies/shows you’re currently watching, with progress saved so you can resume.

D

Debrid Service

A paid service (e.g., Real-Debrid, AllDebrid) that downloads files from file-hosts or torrents to its servers, then streams them to you at high speed. Often used (illegally) to access pirated content. Legal when used for content you own. See Glossary for Beginners.

DHT (Distributed Hash Table)

A torrent technology that helps find peers without needing a central tracker. Enabled by default in Stremio’s torrent settings.

Discover

The main page in Stremio where you browse catalogs of content from your installed add-ons. See Navigation Basics.

A U.S. law that penalizes online copyright infringement. ISPs send DMCA notices to users caught pirating. See Safety & Legality.

DMG

A disk image file format for macOS. Stremio’s Mac installer is a .dmg file. See Install on macOS.

E

Episode

A single installment of a TV show. Stremio tracks which episodes you’ve watched.

Error

A message indicating something went wrong. Common errors: “No streams available,” “Playback failed,” “Network error.” See Troubleshooting Overview.

F

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

A list of common questions and answers. See FAQ.

Firewall

Software that blocks unauthorized network connections. You may need to allow Stremio through your firewall to stream. See Install on Windows.

Flatpak

A Linux app distribution format. Stremio is available as a Flatpak. See Install on Linux.

FPS (Frames Per Second)

The number of video frames displayed per second. Higher FPS = smoother motion (e.g., 24 fps for movies, 60 fps for sports).

Fullscreen

Expanding the video player to fill your entire screen. Press F or click the fullscreen button in the player.

G

Genre

A category of content (Action, Comedy, Drama, Documentary, etc.). Stremio organizes catalogs by genre.

Geo-restriction / Geo-blocking

Content availability limited by geographic location. Some add-ons or services are only accessible in certain countries.

H

Hardware Acceleration

Using your device’s GPU to decode video, reducing CPU load and improving performance. Enabled by default in Stremio (Settings → General).

HD (High Definition)

Video resolution of 1920×1080 pixels (1080p). Requires 25+ Mbps internet.

History

A record of everything you’ve watched in Stremio. Found in Library → History tab. Can be cleared from Settings.

HLS (HTTP Live Streaming)

A streaming protocol that delivers video in small chunks over HTTP. Common for legal streaming services.

HTTP / HTTPS

Protocols for transferring data over the internet. HTTPS is secure (encrypted), HTTP is not. Secure add-ons use HTTPS.

I

IMDb (Internet Movie Database)

A popular database of movie/TV info. Stremio’s metadata add-ons often pull data from IMDb or similar sources.

IP Address (Internet Protocol Address)

A unique number identifying your device on the internet. When streaming (especially torrents), others can see your IP. See Privacy Basics.

ISP (Internet Service Provider)

The company providing your internet connection (e.g., Comcast, Verizon, BT). Your ISP can monitor your activity and send copyright notices.

IPTV (Internet Protocol Television)

Streaming live TV channels over the internet. Some add-ons provide IPTV (legality varies).

K

Keyboard Shortcuts

Key combinations that perform actions quickly (e.g., Spacebar = play/pause, F = fullscreen). See Navigation Basics.

Kodi

Another media center app, more customizable but complex than Stremio. Often compared to Stremio.

L

Library

Your personal collection in Stremio—movies and shows you’ve added to your watchlist. Syncs across devices if you have an account. See Library, Watchlist & History.

Live TV

Real-time streaming of television broadcasts (news, sports, etc.). Some add-ons provide live TV channels.

Log In / Log Out

Signing into your Stremio account or signing out. See Settings → Account.

M

Malware

Malicious software designed to harm your device or steal data. Fake add-ons may contain malware. See Avoiding Suspicious Add-ons.

Metadata

Information about a movie or show (poster, title, description, cast, release date, ratings). Provided by metadata add-ons. See Metadata Explained.

Movie

A standalone film (as opposed to episodic TV). Stremio organizes movies and TV shows separately.

N

Network

Your internet connection (Wi-Fi, Ethernet, etc.). Stremio requires a stable network to stream. See Network Checklist.

Notification

Alerts from Stremio (e.g., new add-on content, updates, binge-watching reminders). Managed in Settings.

O

Offline Mode

Watching content without an internet connection. Stremio doesn’t support true offline mode (it’s a streaming app, not a downloader).

OpenSubtitles

A popular community-driven database of subtitles. Available as a Stremio add-on. See Subtitle Add-ons.

OS (Operating System)

The software that runs your device (Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, etc.).

P

P2P (Peer-to-Peer)

A network where users share data directly with each other (no central server). Torrents are P2P. Your IP is visible to peers.

Piracy

Unauthorized copying, distribution, or streaming of copyrighted content. Illegal in most jurisdictions. See Safety & Legality.

Player

The built-in video player in Stremio. Displays video and provides playback controls. See Player Settings, Subtitles & Audio.

Plugin

See Add-on.

Podcast

Audio or video content distributed in episodes. Stremio has a podcasts add-on for podcast discovery and playback.

Poster

The vertical image representing a movie or show (like a movie poster on a wall).

Privacy

Protection of your personal data and activity. Stremio respects privacy, but add-ons may not. See Privacy Basics.

Q

Quality

Video resolution and bitrate (e.g., 480p, 720p, 1080p, 4K). Higher quality requires faster internet and more bandwidth.

R

Rating

A score indicating how good a movie/show is (e.g., 7.5/10 from IMDb). Provided by metadata add-ons.

Remote Control

A device for navigating a TV interface (e.g., Fire TV remote, Android TV remote). Stremio’s Android TV app supports remote controls.

Resolution

The number of pixels in a video (e.g., 1920×1080 for 1080p). Higher resolution = sharper image.

Rollback

Undoing a change or reverting to a previous state. Each guide in this documentation has a “How to Undo/Rollback” section.

S

SD (Standard Definition)

Video resolution of 720×480 pixels (480p) or lower. Requires less bandwidth than HD.

Finding specific content by title, actor, director, etc. Use the search bar in Stremio. See Search & Discover.

Season

A group of episodes in a TV series. Stremio organizes episodes by season.

Server

A computer that hosts data or services. Add-ons run on servers and send data to your Stremio app.

Settings

The configuration page in Stremio where you adjust behavior (Settings → gear icon). See Navigation Basics.

Sideloading

Installing an app from outside the official app store (e.g., installing an APK on Android). Carries security risks. See Install on Android TV.

Smart TV

A TV with internet connectivity and built-in apps. Stremio works on Android TVs only (not Samsung, LG, Roku, etc.).

Stream

A playable video source. When you click “Play,” Stremio asks add-ons for streams, and you select one. See Add-ons Explained.

Streaming

Watching video over the internet without downloading the full file permanently. Stremio is a streaming app.

Subtitle

Text displayed on-screen that transcribes or translates audio. Essential for accessibility. See Player Settings, Subtitles & Audio.

Sync / Syncing

Automatically keeping data (library, settings, add-ons) the same across all your devices. Requires a Stremio account. See Sync & Multiple Devices.

T

Tab

A section within a page (e.g., Library has tabs for Library, Continue Watching, and History).

TMDB (The Movie Database)

A popular movie/TV database. Some metadata add-ons use TMDB data.

Torrent

A peer-to-peer file-sharing protocol. Torrenting copyrighted content is illegal in most places. Your IP is visible to peers in the torrent swarm. See Glossary for Beginners.

Tracking

Recording your viewing activity. Stremio tracks what you watch (for Library/History) but doesn’t share it. Add-ons may track and share your activity.

Troubleshooting

Identifying and fixing problems. See Troubleshooting Overview.

TV Show / Series

Episodic content organized into seasons and episodes. Stremio tracks your progress.

U

UI (User Interface)

The visual layout and controls you interact with (buttons, menus, pages). Stremio has a modern, clean UI.

Uninstall

Removing software from your device. To uninstall an add-on: Add-ons → Installed → Uninstall. To uninstall Stremio: see device-specific guides.

Update

Installing a newer version of software. Stremio checks for updates automatically.

URL (Uniform Resource Locator)

A web address (e.g., https://www.stremio.com). Some add-ons are installed via URL.

V

Video Quality

See Quality.

VOD (Video on Demand)

Content you can watch whenever you want (as opposed to live TV). Most Stremio content is VOD.

VPN (Virtual Private Network)

A service that encrypts your internet connection and hides your IP address. Some users use VPNs for privacy, but a VPN doesn’t make illegal activity legal. See Privacy Basics.

W

Watchlist

See Library.

Web Version

Stremio’s browser-based version at app.strem.io. Has limited functionality compared to native apps. See Web Browser guide.

Wi-Fi

Wireless internet connection. Ethernet (wired) is more stable for streaming.

Y

YouTube

A video-sharing platform. Stremio has a YouTube add-on for browsing and watching YouTube content within Stremio.

Numbers & Symbols

1080p

Video resolution of 1920×1080 pixels (Full HD). Requires 25+ Mbps internet.

4K / UHD (Ultra High Definition)

Video resolution of 3840×2160 pixels. Requires 50+ Mbps internet and a 4K-capable device/screen.

480p

Video resolution of 720×480 pixels (SD). Requires ~5 Mbps internet.

720p

Video resolution of 1280×720 pixels (HD). Requires ~10 Mbps internet.

Still Need Help?

If a term isn’t listed here:

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