FormatDrop
Video Format

AVI

Audio Video Interleave

AVI was the dominant video format of the 1990s and early 2000s — every movie, every downloaded video, every camcorder clip was AVI. Today it's largely obsolete, replaced by MP4. But AVI files still exist everywhere, from old hard drives to legacy software output. Here's what AVI is and the best way to convert it.

What is AVI?

AVI (Audio Video Interleave) was introduced by Microsoft in November 1992 as part of the Video for Windows technology, designed to play synchronized audio and video on Windows 3.1 PCs. The format uses the Resource Interchange File Format (RIFF) container, interleaving chunks of audio and video data throughout the file. AVI doesn't define a specific codec — it's a container that can hold many different video codecs (DivX, XviD, MPEG-2, H.264, Indeo) and audio codecs (MP3, PCM, AC3). This codec flexibility was both a strength and a weakness: AVI could store any video format, but playback required the correct codec to be installed on the system, leading to the infamous 'codec pack' era where users installed large collections of codecs to play various AVI files. DivX-encoded AVI files were the dominant format for pirated movies distributed via Napster and early BitTorrent in the early 2000s, which is why AVI became synonymous with movie downloads for an entire generation. The format's limitations: no native support for variable frame rates, poor streaming support, no standardized chapter markers, limited to 4 GB (expandable to 2 TB with OpenDML extensions), and its overall complexity around codec management. MP4 with H.264 replaced AVI because it provides better compression, standardized codecs, universal hardware support, streaming capability, and proper subtitle support — all things AVI lacks. Today, AVI files are generated mainly by legacy cameras (security cameras, older camcorders), older editing software, and screen recorders that haven't updated their defaults.

AVI pros and cons

Advantages

  • Wide compatibility with legacy software from the 1990s and 2000s
  • Flexible codec support inside the container
  • Still supported by VLC and most modern players
  • Some older editing workflows expect AVI input

Limitations

  • Obsolete — MP4, MKV, and MOV are better in every measurable way
  • No native streaming support
  • Codec-dependent — requires correct codec installed for playback without VLC
  • Limited metadata, no standardized chapter or subtitle support
  • Large file sizes compared to modern H.264/H.265 MP4 at same quality
  • 4 GB limit (OpenDML workaround exists but is messy)

When should you convert AVI files?

Convert AVI to MP4 when you need to upload to YouTube, Instagram, or any modern platform (most don't accept AVI); play on a smart TV, phone, or game console; share the video without requiring the recipient to install codecs; or edit in modern software that handles MP4 better. Convert MP4 or MKV to AVI only for legacy software compatibility or if a specific workflow requires it.

Convert AVI files

AVI→MP4
MP4→AVI

All FormatDrop conversions run entirely in your browser — no file upload, no server processing. Your files stay on your device.

AVI FAQ

Why can't I play my AVI file?
AVI files don't use a standardized codec — the video inside an AVI could be encoded with DivX, XviD, MPEG-2, H.264, Indeo, or many other codecs. If your media player doesn't have the right codec, it can't play the file. VLC media player includes its own codec library and plays virtually every AVI variant without needing additional codecs. Alternatively, convert the AVI to MP4 (H.264), which every player supports natively.
Is AVI better quality than MP4?
No — quality is determined by the codec and bitrate, not the container. An AVI with H.264 video and an MP4 with H.264 video at the same bitrate are identical in quality. In practice, many AVI files use older codecs (DivX, XviD) that are less efficient than modern H.264 or H.265, resulting in larger files for the same quality.
What replaced AVI?
MP4 replaced AVI as the dominant video format, driven by the iPhone (which uses .mp4 for all video), YouTube (which outputs and accepts MP4), and the universal adoption of H.264 hardware decoding. MKV is popular for storing high-quality rips with multiple audio/subtitle tracks. WebM is used in browsers. AVI has no meaningful advantages over any of these for new content.

More formats

HEICWebPAVIFEPUBWebMOpusMP3WAVM4AFLACAACMP4MKVMOVJPGPNGGIFSVGTIFFICOBMPEPSARWOGGWMVPPTXPagesPDFDOCXRAWHEVCH.264AIFFM4VWMA3GPDNGRTFPSDOGVTSFLVAIXLSXCSVZIPAPNGMIDIJPEG XLMPG/MPEGVOBM2TSAC3ALACDTSJP2HEIFAPECBZ3G2SRTDOCPPTXLSODTODSM3URAR7ZM4BAMRTXTMOBITARGZJSONXMLYAMLKEYMTSCR2NEFMXFTGACAFASSVTTDSFRMF4VWVASFRMVBORFRW2EAC-3TTAISODMGXZDjVuFB2AUM4RAZW3MKAEXRVCFICSAAXPRCMP2SPXXSPFM3U8