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M4V to AVI converter

Convert M4V to AVI in your browser. No upload and no account: the file never leaves your device, so the only size limit is your device’s memory.

I want AVI
Quality

Applies only when the video has to be re-encoded. A straight copy keeps the original quality.

Advanced 2
Always re-encode Rebuilds the picture as H.264 (VP9 for WebM) even when it could be copied. Fixes files that won’t play on older TVs and PCs.

Bytes of your files sent anywhere: 0 B

Related conversions

Other ways to convert M4V

Convert other formats to AVI

Read more about the M4V format and the AVI format, or see every video tool and all video conversions.

Should you convert M4V to AVI?

Usually a quick, safe conversion. AVI can carry H.264, which is what M4V files normally contain, so the video can often be copied across without re-encoding: fast, and with no loss at all.

Check that AVI is really needed: it plays in Windows Media Player and VLC; no browser or iPhone plays it, while M4V is mainly an Apple format.

M4V is an MP4 video with Apple’s extension; AVI is Windows’ original video container, common for older camcorder files and downloads. Choose AVI only when an old player, TV box or piece of software insists on it.

M4V and AVI compared
Property M4V AVI
Usually contains H.264 video with AAC audio MPEG-4 Part 2 (DivX or Xvid) video with MP3 audio
Support Mainly an Apple format A legacy format
Plays on Apple apps and VLC; some Windows apps and upload forms reject the extension Windows Media Player and VLC; no browser or iPhone plays it
Best for Apple TV and iTunes libraries Old Windows software and hardware players that expect it
Introduced 2003 1992

How to convert M4V to AVI

  1. 01

    Add your M4V

    Drop your M4V video onto the box, or click to choose it. It is read from your disk and stays there.

  2. 02

    Check the settings

    The output is already set to AVI. Change the quality if you want to; the defaults suit most files.

  3. 03

    Save the AVI

    Press convert and save the AVI. Several files come back together as a ZIP.

What changes when M4V becomes AVI

Often a straight copy

When the M4V holds H.264 video, the stream is moved into the AVI container untouched, so the conversion takes seconds even for long files. If the codec inside is something AVI can’t hold, the picture is re-encoded instead and you’ll see a progress bar that takes longer.

AVI is an older format

Choose AVI only when an old player, TV box or piece of software insists on it. For sharing, uploading or playing on phones, MP4 is the better choice.

Expect a larger file

AVI generally takes more room than M4V. If the file has to fit an upload limit, check the size once it’s converted. M4V: The same as the equivalent MP4. AVI: Often two to three times the size of a modern MP4.

This page is put together from our notes on each format, choosing only what is true of M4V and AVI, so every pairing states the same facts the same way. How these pages are made.

Why it doesn’t upload

Video files are big, and uploading one just to change its container can take longer than the conversion itself. Your browser can read and write these formats, so the file never has to leave your device.

How to check for yourself

Worth knowing

  • About the M4V. Films bought from the iTunes Store are copy-protected and can’t be converted by any tool; your own M4V exports convert in seconds.
  • About the AVI. AVI is only a wrapper. The same extension can hide DivX, Xvid, MJPEG or uncompressed video, which is why one AVI plays and the next doesn’t.
  • MP4, MOV, MKV and WebM are handled by your browser’s own video engine, often with hardware help. AVI, WMV, FLV, MPG and the other older formats use the FFmpeg engine, a one-time 31 MB download, and are slower.

Questions

Does converting M4V to AVI lose quality?

Not when the video can be copied, which is the case for most M4V files: the stream moves into AVI untouched. If it has to be re-encoded, the default quality keeps the difference invisible.

Will a AVI play on my phone?

AVI a legacy format: Windows Media Player and VLC; no browser or iPhone plays it. VLC plays almost every AVI; Windows Media Player plays most.

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