Convert AVI to WMV
Free, fast and secure — convert AVI to WMV right in your browser.
Convert AVI to WMV for wider compatibility
Converting AVI to WMV gives you a more widely supported file that opens cleanly across more devices, apps and platforms — handy when AVI will not play nicely everywhere.
How to convert AVI to WMV
- 1 Drop your AVI file into the converter above.
- 2 It is converted to WMV automatically — no settings to fiddle with.
- 3 Download your new WMV file instantly.
AVI vs WMV
| Feature | AVI | WMV |
|---|---|---|
| Compression | Lossy | Lossy |
| Transparency | No | No |
| Animation | Yes | Yes |
| MIME type | video/x-msvideo | video/x-ms-wmv |
| Best for | Legacy desktop video — usually converted to MP4 for sharing and streaming. | Legacy Windows video — converted to MP4 for modern sharing. |
About the formats
AVI video
AVI is a long-standing Microsoft container. It is widely readable on desktops and can store high-quality video, but its files are large and it lacks modern streaming features.
Strengths
- Broad desktop compatibility
- Simple, well-understood format
- Can hold high-quality video
Limitations
- Large file sizes
- No modern streaming features
- Weak mobile/browser support
Best for: Legacy desktop video — usually converted to MP4 for sharing and streaming.
Windows Media Video
WMV is Microsoft’s video format, once common on Windows for streaming and playback. It compresses well but is dated and poorly supported outside Windows.
Strengths
- Good compression for its era
- Plays natively on Windows
- Small files
Limitations
- Weak support on Mac, mobile and web
- Dated codec
- Often needs converting
Best for: Legacy Windows video — converted to MP4 for modern sharing.