WMV to AVI Video Converter
Free and secure WMV to AVI converter. Process your videos directly in your browser with no upload to our servers. 2GB maximum.
How to Convert WMV to AVI?
- Click the "Choose Files" button to select your WMV files.
- Click the "Convert to AVI" button to start the conversion.
- When the status changes to "Done" click the "Download AVI" button
Free & Secure
Our WMV to AVI Converter is free. Your videos are processed directly in your browser without any upload to our servers, 100% confidential.
Quality Options
Choose between three conversion modes: "High Quality" for best output, "Balanced" for good quality/speed ratio, or "Fast" for quick conversion.
Easy to Use
Simply drag & drop or upload your WMV files and click the convert button.
Format WMV
The WMV (Windows Media Video) format was developed by Microsoft in 1999 as an integral part of its Windows Media suite. This proprietary format was created to compete with other emerging video streaming technologies at the time, such as RealNetworks' RealMedia.
Technically, WMV uses advanced compression algorithms based on the Windows Media Video codec, allowing for relatively small file sizes while maintaining acceptable visual quality. This feature made it particularly popular in the early 2000s when high-speed Internet connections were not yet widely available. The format supports different levels of compression and can include DRM (Digital Rights Management) protections to secure content.
WMV primarily established itself in the Windows ecosystem, as it was natively supported by Windows Media Player. It was widely used for distributing online video content, corporate presentations, and web streaming. However, its proprietary nature and limited compatibility with non-Windows systems gradually led to its decline in favor of more universal formats like MP4 and WebM.
Although less popular today, the WMV format remains relevant in certain professional contexts, particularly in Windows environments. Its main strength lies in its efficient compression and native compatibility with Windows, while its limitations include restricted support on other platforms and increased complexity for editing due to its proprietary nature.
Format AVI
The Audio Video Interleave format was developed by Microsoft in 1992 as part of their Video for Windows initiative.
This media container allows for the simultaneous storage of audio and video data in a single file, interleaving them for synchronized playback. Its structure, based on the RIFF format, offers great flexibility in the choice of codecs used for compression.
AVI quickly became a video standard in the 1990s and early 2000s, particularly appreciated for its broad compatibility with Windows systems and its ability to maintain high video quality. It supports various resolutions and can contain videos encoded with different codecs like DivX, XviD, or MPEG-2, thus offering significant flexibility to content creators.
Despite its historical advantages, AVI has certain technical limitations. It does not natively support embedded subtitles, chapters, or advanced metadata, and it can struggle with videos over 2 GB due to its indexing structure.
These constraints, combined with the emergence of more modern formats like MP4 and MKV, have gradually reduced its use. Nevertheless, AVI remains widely supported by most media players and continues to be used in certain contexts, particularly for archiving uncompressed videos or compatibility with older systems.