AVI Video (MIME: video/x-msvideo) is a legacy video container format developed by Microsoft in 1992. While largely superseded by MP4 and MKV for modern use, AVI remains relevant for legacy compatibility and certain specialized applications.
History and Development
AVI (Audio Video Interleave) was introduced by Microsoft in November 1992 as part of the Video for Windows technology. It was the dominant video format on Windows PCs through the 1990s and early 2000s. While now considered a legacy format, AVI continues to be used in surveillance systems, legacy software, and situations requiring uncompressed video.
Technical Specifications
- Container: RIFF-based (Resource Interchange File Format)
- Video codecs: Various (DivX, Xvid, H.264, uncompressed)
- Audio codecs: MP3, PCM, AC-3
- Max file size: 2 GB (original), 4 GB (OpenDML/AVI 2.0)
- Subtitles: Not natively supported
Common Use Cases
AVI is found in legacy video archives, surveillance camera systems, older video editing workflows, and situations requiring uncompressed video streams. Some screen capture tools still output AVI.
AVI vs Similar Formats
- AVI vs MP4: MP4 is smaller, more feature-rich, and universally supported. AVI is larger but simpler.
- AVI vs MKV: MKV supports modern codecs, multiple tracks, and larger files. AVI is limited to 2-4 GB.
How to Open and Edit
AVI plays on Windows natively. macOS and Linux users should use VLC. For editing, most modern video editors (Premiere, DaVinci Resolve, Kdenlive) support AVI import.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I still use AVI?
For new projects, no. Use MP4 or MKV instead. AVI is useful only for legacy compatibility or when specific software requires it.
Why are AVI files so large?
AVI often contains minimally compressed or uncompressed video. Even with DivX/Xvid compression, AVI lacks the efficient container features of MP4.