Export Kodi video metadata to separate sidecar files

The useful distinctions

• Separate Files export writes NFOs beside the associated media.
• Exporting artwork uses cached images rather than original full-quality assets.
• Overwrite No leaves existing sidecars unchanged.
• Separate-file exports are re-imported through normal library scanning.

Decide what the export preserves

A metadata export captures the catalogue’s view of the collection. That may include careful manual edits that do not exist anywhere else, but it can also preserve mistakes you intended to correct. Review a small sample before making the export your recovery source. Write down whether the desired authority is the current Kodi database or the sidecar files already stored beside the media.

Treat overwrite as a content decision

Choosing not to overwrite protects existing files, but it also means recent catalogue edits will not replace those files. Choosing to overwrite has the opposite consequence. Keep an inventory of the original sidecars so you can distinguish newly created files from modified ones afterward. Where artwork originals already exist, avoid mixing them with exported cached copies that may have different quality or naming.

Rebuild in a test scope

Use a small test collection to verify that the exported metadata can be read back as intended. Compare title, plot and any watched-state expectations appropriate to the installed Kodi version. An export directory full of files is evidence that writing happened, not proof that recovery will reproduce your preferred catalogue. Keep a full configuration backup as well when the goal includes skins, add-ons and application settings.

A focused way to proceed

1. Back up existing NFO and original artwork files.
2. Open the video-library Export library setting and choose Separate Files.
3. Decline artwork export when preserving local originals.
4. Choose overwrite behavior after reviewing which existing sidecars must be retained.
5. Inspect several exported NFOs before using them for a rebuild.

Worked example · synthetic

Pilot item: Workshop Walkthrough (2026).mkv
Expected new sidecar: Workshop Walkthrough (2026).nfo
Original artwork: retain untouched
Overwrite policy: review existing .nfo first

Read the comparison

Sidecar export preserves media metadata; it does not replace a full Kodi configuration or media backup.

When to stop or ask for help

If exported text differs from expectations, inspect the database item and overwrite policy before attempting a whole-library import.