Video formatsince 1992

.avi — Audio Video Interleave

An older Windows video container that still appears in legacy cameras, screen recorders, and archives.

Extensions
.avi
MIME
video/x-msvideo
Standard
Microsoft RIFF AVI
Released
1992

About this format

AVI is a Microsoft container from the early Windows multimedia era. It can hold many codec combinations, which is why old AVI files often need VLC or conversion.

Use AVI for compatibility with legacy devices. Convert to MP4 or WebM for modern sharing.

Real-world samples & file sizes

Four real .avi files with extracted poster frames. The set avoids blank, solid-color, and gradient previews while covering direct legacy AVI samples and freshly sourced public media converted into AVI.

Aurora Shimmer AVI sample preview for 1920 x 1080
1080p1920 x 1080

Aurora Shimmer AVI

A public-domain aurora time-lapse transcoded into AVI with MPEG-4 video and MP3 audio.

3.47 MB avi.avi ↓
Wikimedia Commons · Public domain
Peony Time-Lapse AVI sample preview for 1280 x 720
botanical1280 x 720

Peony Time-Lapse AVI

A flower time-lapse converted to a compact AVI sample for legacy container testing.

1.29 MB avi.avi ↓
Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 3.0
Grass Tray AVI sample preview for 1280 x 720
time-lapse1280 x 720

Grass Tray AVI

A real time-lapse clip converted into AVI to show older desktop media workflows.

3.53 MB avi.avi ↓
Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0
Coast Drone AVI sample preview for 640 x 360
legacy sample640 x 360

Coast Drone AVI

A directly downloaded XviD AVI sample with a coastal aerial scene.

9.67 MB avi.avi ↓
Sample.Cat · Sample media for testing

Pros

  • +Recognized by many desktop tools
  • +Common in legacy archives
  • +Simple container model

Cons

  • −Poor fit for modern streaming
  • −Codec support is unpredictable
  • −Large files are common

AVI vs other formats

vsSizeQualityNote
MP4MP4 is usually smallerDepends on codecMP4 is better for modern playback and uploads.
MKVVariesDepends on codecMKV is more flexible for subtitles and modern metadata.

Where it works

Operating systems
  • Windows native for supported codecs
  • macOS via VLC/IINA
  • Linux via VLC/mpv
Browsers
  • Browsers generally do not use AVI for web playback
Apps
  • VLC
  • VirtualDub
  • FFmpeg
  • HandBrake

Related tools

Frequently asked questions

Why does AVI need a codec?
AVI can contain many older codecs. The player must support the codec inside, not just the .avi extension.
Is AVI still useful?
Mostly for legacy files. MP4 or WebM are better for new exports.

Sources

Other video formats