You get an AVI with MPEG-4 video and MP3 audio, the combination that older Windows players and legacy editing software expect.
To convert WMV to AVI, add the WMV file, keep AVI as the output format and download the result. The video is re-encoded to MPEG-4 and the Windows Media audio becomes MP3, so the AVI does not carry over WMV's own codecs. In our test a 1.33 MB WMV became a 684 KB AVI with working sound. It suits older players and editors that ask for AVI; if you only need a file that plays on phones and Macs, MP4 is usually the better target.
Transfers use HTTPS, and files converted on the free tier are deleted after 24 hours, so the result is not a long-term archive. Quality depends on the source file, so open the AVI file once before you share it.
WMV (Windows Media Video)
A Microsoft video format built on the ASF (Advanced Systems Format) container. Files usually carry Windows Media Video codecs such as WMV3 (also called VC-1) with Windows Media Audio, and Windows Movie Maker in Windows XP offered it as an output. Some players, especially on Apple devices, need a converter to open it.
AVI (Audio Video Interleave)
A container Microsoft introduced in 1992 with Video for Windows. Older editors, media players and some set-top boxes still ask for it. What it plays depends on the codecs inside, and here those are MPEG-4 video with MP3 audio.
A 640 × 360 WMV test clip (WMV 8, 10 s) made by us, converted on indox.org
The converter does not copy the Windows Media streams into the AVI. It writes MPEG-4 video and MP3 audio, which AVI-based players and editors have supported for a long time. In our test the output was MPEG-4 (FMP4 tag) at 640×360 and 25 frames per second with MP3 stereo at 128 kb/s.
Copying Windows Media Audio straight into an AVI has produced noise in reports from other tools, for example on the Avidemux forum. Here the audio is re-encoded to MP3, and in our test it was audible and matched the length of the picture.
We decoded the finished AVI from start to end with ffmpeg and it reported 0 errors. We did not open it in VLC or Windows Media Player, so test the file in the player you plan to use.
The conversion runs in the browser page on indox servers, so you need no codec pack and no editing program on your computer.
Drop the WMV file on the box or choose it from your device. Keep the original, because it is the only copy that has been compressed once.
Check that AVI is the output format, start the conversion and wait for it to finish. In our test a 10-second clip took 4.8 seconds from the click to Completed.
Save the AVI and watch it from start to end in the older player or editor you converted it for. Listen for the sound as well as the picture.
You hand over a WMV file and take away an AVI with MPEG-4 video and MP3 audio for an older player or editor. The page says plainly that the video is re-encoded, that the picture loses some detail and and that DRM files fail.
The upload box shows the live size limit before you add a file. Signing in raises it; a paid plan does not change it.
WMV in, AVI out. Pick another output on the converter if you need a different format.
Files are encrypted in transit over HTTPS and processed on indox infrastructure.
Free-tier files are kept for 24 hours after the job finishes, then deleted automatically.
| What you see | Why | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| The conversion fails | The WMV may be protected with DRM, or the file is damaged | Check that the WMV plays in the software that holds its licence, or try another copy |
| The AVI has no sound | The original may have no usable audio, or the player lacks an MP3 decoder | Play the WMV to confirm it has sound, then open the AVI in another player |
| The picture looks softer | The video was compressed a second time with an older codec | Keep the WMV as your master and use the AVI only where AVI is required |
| Your device refuses the AVI | Some older devices accept only certain codecs or frame sizes | Check the device manual, or try WMV to MP4 if it plays MP4 |
| Compared on | WMV | AVI |
|---|---|---|
| Container | ASF, a Microsoft wrapper | AVI, a Microsoft container from 1992 |
| Typical codecs | WMV3 (VC-1) video with Windows Media Audio | MPEG-4, DivX, Xvid or Motion JPEG video with MP3 or PCM audio |
| Where it plays | Windows; many Mac, phone and web players need extra software | Older players, editors and set-top boxes, plus desktop players such as VLC |
| Made with | Windows Movie Maker in XP could save it | Video for Windows and many capture tools |
| Converting between them | Not copied across by this converter | Needs a re-encode from WMV |
Facts checked on November 5, 2026
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Yes in our test. The Windows Media audio is not copied. It is re-encoded as MP3, and our 10-second test clip came out audible with the same length as the picture. A WMV with WMA Pro audio or DRM was not tested.
Some, yes. Both formats compress with loss, so the AVI is a second generation. In our test the result scored PSNR 23.2 dB and SSIM 0.895 against the source, and fine noise and sharp edges were smoothed. Keep the WMV as your master copy.
It depends on the file. Our 1.33 MB test WMV became a 684 KB AVI, about half the size, and a 244 KB mono WMV became a 242 KB AVI. A clip that was already compressed hard can come out larger.
In our test a 10-second 640×360 clip took 4.8 seconds from the click to Completed, and a 5-second clip took 3.8 seconds. Longer or larger videos will take longer.
WMV is a Microsoft video format in the ASF container, usually with Windows Media codecs. AVI is an older Microsoft container from 1992 that holds codecs such as MPEG-4, DivX or Motion JPEG. The container name alone does not decide what plays.
Choose AVI only when an older player or editor asks for it. For phones, Macs, browsers and most modern software, [WMV to MP4](/convert/wmv-to-mp4) gives a file that plays more widely and uses a newer codec.
No. The name is a label only. Inside, the file is still a Windows Media stream in an ASF container, and a player expecting AVI will refuse it or show nothing.
No. A WMV locked with DRM cannot be read by the converter, so the conversion fails. Play it with the software that holds its licence.
A common cause is copying Windows Media audio into the AVI without re-encoding it. Here the audio is re-encoded to MP3, and our test files were audible. If you still hear nothing, check that the original WMV has sound and try another player.