User Guide

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3.4 Media Files and the Library
Using OSMC, you can view files from USB devices (such as
memory sticks and hard drives) or over your local network.
In addition to browsing for files each time you want to play
something, you can add devices and network folders to your
OSMC library. The library is a list of all of the files that you have
available, and usually contains extra information such as preview
images and descriptions.
Note that even if you add a file to your library, it is still stored on
the original device and will not be available if that device is
unplugged or turned off.
Playing Media Files from USB Devices
If you keep your media files on USB storage devices, you are not
taking up space on the SD card used to run OSMC. And you can
remove USB devices at any time – making this a convenient way
of transferring files from your PC to be played on your media
box.
To play a file without adding it to your library:
1. Insert the USB device into a free USB slot on the Pi
or USB hub. You can do this when the Pi is on.
2. On the OSMC Home screen, point to Videos and
then click Files.
3. Click the USB device that contains the file you want
to play.
4. Browse to the file and then click it.
Adding Files to your Library
Your OSMC library is made up of a list of sources, and
information about the media files that you have on your system.
A source is OSMC’s term for a file path that it remembers
between sessions, and that it associates with a particular type of