MOV to AVI Converter
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Supports: MOV
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Need help?Convert MOV to AVI Online
Turn an Apple QuickTime .mov file into a .avi for older Windows software, legacy editors like Sony Vegas or VirtualDub, or hardware media players that never learned to read MOV. Pick the codec that fits where the file is going — MPEG-4, Xvid, or DivX for a compact AVI, or H.264 if your player supports it inside an AVI wrapper. Files are uploaded over an encrypted connection, processed on our servers, and deleted automatically after a few hours — no sign-up, no watermark.
How to Convert MOV to AVI
- Upload Your MOV File: Drag and drop your
.movonto the page or click "+ Add Files". You can queue several MOV clips and convert them in one batch with the same settings. - Choose a Video Codec: Open Advanced Options. AVI output defaults to MPEG-4; switch to Xvid or DivX for the smallest broadly-compatible files, or H.264 if the destination player reads H.264 inside AVI. The matching Audio Codec (MP3 by default) is set just below.
- Set Quality or Trim (Optional): Under File Compression, leave the Quality Preset on "Very High (Recommended)", or use Specific file size to hit a target. Use Trim with a Start time and Duration to export only part of the clip.
- Convert and Download: Click "Convert" and download your
.avi. No sign-up, no watermark.
MOV vs AVI: What Changes in the Conversion
| Property | MOV (source) | AVI (output) |
|---|---|---|
| Developer / year | Apple, 1991 (QuickTime) | Microsoft, 1992 (Video for Windows) |
| Container family | ISO base media (basis of MP4) | RIFF chunked container |
| Typical video codec | H.264, HEVC, ProRes | MPEG-4 ASP via Xvid / DivX |
| Subtitles & chapters | Supported natively | Not supported — must be a sidecar file or burned in |
| Native playback | macOS, iOS, most modern players | Windows Media Player, VLC, KMPlayer, older editors |
| Best for | Apple workflows, modern editing | Legacy Windows tools and standalone hardware players |
Frequently Asked Questions
Why convert MOV to AVI instead of MP4?
AVI is the safest container for older Windows-only software and standalone hardware players that predate broad MP4/MOV support — tools like VirtualDub, early Sony Vegas, or DVD-era media boxes. If your target is a modern device or the web, MP4 is the better choice; AVI is specifically for legacy compatibility.
Which codec should I pick for the AVI?
For a compact file that plays in almost any AVI-capable player, choose Xvid or DivX (both are MPEG-4 ASP). Use H.264 only if you know the destination player decodes H.264 inside an AVI wrapper, since many older AVI players do not. Uncompressed or lightly-compressed codecs produce very large files because AVI has no modern long-GOP efficiency.
Will the AVI be larger than the original MOV?
Often, yes. A MOV from a phone or camera is usually H.264 or HEVC, which are more space-efficient than the MPEG-4 ASP (Xvid/DivX) typically used in AVI. The final size depends on the codec and quality you choose — Xvid or DivX keep it manageable, while uncompressed options balloon it. To shrink the result afterward, run it through the video compressor.
Does the audio track come across, and as what?
Yes. The audio is re-encoded into the AVI container alongside the video. Our converter defaults the AVI's audio to MP3, which every AVI-capable player handles; AAC and AC3 are available in the Audio Codec list if your target supports them.
Will subtitles or chapter markers survive?
No. Unlike MOV, the AVI container cannot store subtitle tracks, chapters, or attachments, so any soft subtitles in the source are dropped. In our testing, the conversion keeps the video and audio streams and discards everything else; if you need captions, keep them as a separate .srt sidecar or burn them into the picture before converting. Need to go the other way? Use AVI to MOV.