State whether the item is new or already indexed
A new video and a changed description for an existing video are different library tasks. Begin by opening the affected source in Kodi’s file view and confirming the real file is present. Then inspect whether the item already has a library entry. Keep one title as the case.
For an original example, adding a new personal documentary to a folder requires discovery. Correcting the plot in an NFO for a documentary already in the library requires the existing metadata to be reconsidered. Treating both as a generic Update action can make a successful scan look as though it ignored your edit.
Use the documented scope for new content
Kodi’s updating guide describes scanning an individual title or a selected source for new content. The source-level route is Videos, Files, the source context menu and Scan for new content. Use the smallest scope that covers the actual addition and inspect the resulting item.
Keep the source, scraper and file naming unchanged during this discovery check. If the file exists but is not indexed, inspect the Event Log and the source content type. Do not repeatedly add a duplicate source folder as a way to make the same file visible.
Refresh an existing item after a sidecar correction
The same guide says changing an NFO for an existing title is not applied merely by an Update Library scan; its refresh methods are relevant. Preserve a copy of the original sidecar and use the current build’s item-refresh route. Read any prompt about local information before proceeding.
After the targeted refresh, compare the exact corrected field. Keep the video file unchanged so playback and metadata are not altered together. If the old value returns, inspect whether another metadata tool rewrote the sidecar or whether the wrong item level was edited. A series, season and episode can have different metadata inputs.
Verify persistence with the next ordinary update
Once the correct field appears, allow the next ordinary library update and inspect the same item again. Record whether the value persists and whether the NFO itself changed. This provides a repeatable result instead of a temporary screenshot after a manual edit.
Retain the sidecar backup until the workflow is understood. The expected outcome is a clear choice between discovery and metadata refresh. It does not repair missing source access, damaged video or a source subscription, and it does not require deleting a complete Kodi library to correct one description.
Questions answered
Why did Update Library not apply my changed NFO plot?
Kodi distinguishes discovering new items from refreshing metadata for an existing title. Use the documented targeted refresh route for the latter.
Should I scan the whole collection for one new title?
Use the smallest appropriate scope. Kodi documents individual-title and source-level discovery routes that can make a single case easier to inspect.
Sources & further reading
Official references for the subjects discussed. Service terms and device software can change.