How to Open and Play AVI Files

AVI is a container format, not a single type of video. One AVI file might hold Xvid or DivX video with MP3 audio. Another might hold Motion JPEG from an older digital camera, DV from a camcorder, or uncompressed video. Whether a program can open the file depends on whether it can decode the codecs inside, not only on the .avi extension. For most people, a free cross-platform player such as VLC media player is the most dependable choice, and built-in players work when they support the codec.

Before you start

Opening and playing an AVI file in a desktop or mobile player happens locally on your device. No upload or online service is needed. Online converters and web-based players are different: they usually send your file to a remote server. If the video is private, such as a family recording or work footage, check the service's own statements about storage and deletion before uploading anything.

• Make sure the file finished copying or downloading completely. An interrupted transfer often produces an AVI that will not open or stops partway through.
• Note where the file came from: a camera, a screen recorder, a download or an old archive. The source often hints at which codec it uses.
• Decide which device you want to watch on: a Windows PC, a Mac, a Linux computer, a phone or a tablet.
• If you install a player, get it from the developer's official website or your device's official app store. Avoid bundled installers from third-party download sites.

Step-by-step instructions

Start with the player already on your device. If it fails, install a player with broad codec support instead of hunting for individual codecs.

Try the built-in player first

• On Windows, double-click the AVI file. It opens in the default app, usually Media Player in Windows 11 or Movies & TV and Windows Media Player in earlier versions. Built-in players handle many common AVI files, but not every codec.
• On a Mac, QuickTime Player is the default. It supports only a limited set of the codecs found in AVI files, so many older or downloaded AVI files will not open in it.
• On Linux, the default video player depends on your distribution and on which multimedia codecs are installed.
• If the file plays with both picture and sound, you are done. If you get an error, a black screen or no audio, go to the next step.

Install a player with wide codec support

• Install VLC media player. It is free, it is available for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS, and it includes its own decoders, so you do not need separate codec packs.
• Mac users can also use IINA, a free macOS player. On Linux, mpv is another widely used option.
• Open the AVI file from inside the player, or drag the file onto the player window.
• To open AVI files with this player every time, right-click the file and use the Open with option to choose the player. On Windows you can also change the default app for the .avi type in system settings. On a Mac, use Get Info on the file and change the Open with application. You can change this setting back later.

On a phone or tablet

Copy the AVI file to the device or open it from a cloud storage app. Then open it in a mobile player such as VLC. If the gallery or default video app shows the file as unsupported, open it from the player app instead. Keep in mind that syncing a file through a cloud storage service uploads it to that provider.

Convert only if you must

If a particular device, editor or website accepts only MP4, convert a copy of the AVI file rather than the original. HandBrake is a free desktop converter, and VLC also has a convert function. Converting to a lossy format such as H.264 MP4 re-encodes the video, which can slightly reduce quality. Keep the original AVI until you have confirmed that the converted copy is complete and correct.

Check the output

• Watch the start, the middle and the end of the file, and check that the picture, the sound and the length all look right.
• Drag the playback position to a few points in the file. If seeking fails or jumps unpredictably, the file's index may be damaged.
• Check that the audio stays in sync with the video for the whole clip, not just the first minute.
• To see which codecs the file uses, open the media information or codec information window in VLC, or use a tool such as MediaInfo. This tells you whether a failure comes from the video codec or the audio codec.
• After a conversion, compare the converted copy with the original for length, resolution and audio before you delete anything.

Some limits come from the source and cannot be fixed by changing players. Old camera AVI files are often low resolution, use large file sizes and may have mono audio. If an older file looks soft or blocky, that is usually how it was recorded.

Common problems and next steps

The file will not open at all

An error such as unsupported format, or a missing codec message, usually means the player cannot decode the codec inside the file. Open the file in VLC or another player with wide codec support. If no player opens it, the file may be incomplete or not a real AVI. Copy or download it again from the original source.

Video plays but there is no sound, or sound plays with a black screen

The player supports one of the codecs but not the other. Check the codec details in the media information window, then play the file in a player that supports both codecs. Also check that the audio is not muted in the player and that the correct output device is selected in your system's sound settings.

Damaged or partially recorded files

An AVI file from a camera that lost power, or a recording that was cut off, may have a broken or missing index. When VLC detects a broken AVI index, it can offer to build the index before playback. That lets you watch and seek through the recovered part of the file. Make a copy of the file before trying any repair tool. A file with no data left in it cannot be recovered by a player.

Codec packs and unknown downloads

Installing a codec pack can fix playback in some built-in players, but codec packs can conflict with each other and are sometimes bundled with unwanted software. Installing a player that includes its own decoders is usually simpler and easier to undo. If a website asks you to install a special player or codec just to watch a downloaded AVI file, do not install it.

Smart TVs, consoles and editors

TVs, game consoles and video editors often support only some AVI codecs, or none at all. Check the device's or software's documentation for its supported formats. If the codec you need is not listed, convert a copy to a format the device does support, such as MP4 with H.264 video and AAC audio.