M4V to AVI Converter
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Supports: MP4, M4V
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Need help?Convert M4V to AVI Online
M4V is Apple's MP4-style container — the format iTunes videos, TV episodes, and screen recordings use, holding H.264 video with AAC or Dolby Digital audio. This tool re-encodes that picture and sound into AVI, Microsoft's legacy container, for the narrow case where an old Windows editor, a DirectShow-era player, or a device with a hardcoded .avi requirement refuses anything else. Two honest caveats before you start: a DRM-protected iTunes purchase cannot be converted (see the FAQ), and if you just want a modern, widely playable file you almost certainly want M4V to MP4 instead — a near-lossless container hop, since M4V is essentially MP4.
How to Convert M4V to AVI
- Upload Your M4V File: Drag and drop your file onto the page, or click "+ Add Files" to browse. You can queue several M4V or MP4 videos and convert them with the same settings.
- Pick a Video Codec: Open Advanced Options and choose the AVI video codec. H.264 keeps files smallest at a given quality; pick MPEG-4 (Xvid/DivX) or Motion JPEG only if your target editor or player specifically needs one of those classic codecs.
- Set Quality and Resolution (Optional): Use the Quality Preset (the "Very High (Recommended)" preset is the default) to trade size against fidelity, set a Specific file size, and use "Video resolution" to keep the original frame or downscale. Trim lets you export only a Time Range you need.
- Convert and Download: Click "Convert" and download your AVI file. No sign-up, no watermark.
M4V vs AVI — What Actually Changes
This is a re-encode into an older container, so it is worth knowing what you gain and give up before committing.
| Property | M4V (source) | AVI (output) |
|---|---|---|
| Origin | Apple, 2006 (iTunes Store) | Microsoft, November 1992 (Video for Windows) |
| Base format | MPEG-4 / ISO Base Media (≈ MP4) | RIFF chunked container |
| Typical video codec | H.264 | H.264, MPEG-4 (Xvid/DivX), or Motion JPEG |
| Typical audio | AAC or Dolby Digital (AC-3) | MP3, AC-3, or uncompressed PCM |
| Modern codecs (H.265, B-frames) | H.264 only | Not supported by the original AVI design |
| Subtitles / attachments | Soft subtitle tracks possible | Cannot hold subtitles or attachments |
| Best for | Apple ecosystem, modern playback | Legacy Windows editors and players that demand .avi |
Want a modern, smaller, more compatible file? Use M4V to MP4. Already have an AVI a newer app rejects? Go the other way with AVI to MP4.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I convert a DRM-protected iTunes M4V to AVI?
No. Movies and TV shows purchased or rented from the iTunes Store are often wrapped in Apple's FairPlay copy protection, which restricts playback to devices authorized with the purchasing Apple account. A FairPlay-protected M4V cannot be decoded by a converter, so the conversion will fail. Only DRM-free M4V files — your own screen recordings, exports, camera footage, or downloads that were never encrypted — can be converted to AVI.
Should I convert M4V to AVI, or just rename it to MP4?
For most people, neither AVI conversion. Because a DRM-free M4V is essentially an MP4 with a different extension, you can often simply rename movie.m4v to movie.mp4 and it will play in nearly any modern player — no re-encode, no quality loss. That trick does not work on FairPlay-protected files, and it does not produce an .avi. Convert to AVI only when a specific older Windows program or device explicitly requires the .avi extension; otherwise M4V to MP4 is the cleaner path.
Does converting M4V to AVI lose quality?
Yes, to some degree — this is a re-encode, not a remux. The H.264 video inside your M4V is decoded and re-encoded into the AVI container, and AVI cannot carry H.264 as efficiently as MP4, so a little generational loss is unavoidable. Keeping the video codec on H.264 at the "Very High (Recommended)" preset and leaving the resolution at the original frame keeps that loss visually minor; aggressive presets, a small Specific file size, or downscaling are where the picture starts to visibly soften.
Why can't the AVI hold H.265 or other modern codecs?
AVI is a Microsoft container from November 1992, and its original specification "was not intended to contain video using any compression technique that requires access to future video frame data beyond the current frame" — the B-frames that modern codecs such as H.265/HEVC rely on. It also cannot hold subtitles or attachments and handles some variable-bitrate audio unreliably. This converter outputs older AVI-friendly codecs (H.264, MPEG-4/Xvid/DivX, Motion JPEG) precisely because they fit what AVI was designed to carry. For anything H.265 or subtitle-related, use MP4 instead.
Why is my AVI larger than the original M4V?
AVI compresses less efficiently than M4V/MP4, and the codec you choose matters a lot. Motion JPEG stores every frame as a separate image, so it can be several times larger than the source; MPEG-4 (Xvid/DivX) and H.264 are far more economical. For the smallest AVI, keep the video codec on H.264; if size still matters, lower the Quality Preset, set a Specific file size, or downscale "Video resolution." In our testing, a one-minute 1080p H.264 M4V re-encoded to H.264 AVI at the default preset landed close to its original size, while the Motion JPEG codec produced a file several times bigger.
Are my uploaded files kept private?
Your M4V is uploaded over an encrypted connection, processed on our servers, and deleted automatically a few hours after the conversion — no sign-up, no watermark, and your files are never shared or made public. The practical limit on a large video is upload size and time, not your device.