What happens when you convert WAV to AVI
- AVI is a video format. The audio is encoded as MP3 audio, and by default the file has no picture.
- Tick "Add a black video track" if the AVI is going to YouTube or another site that rejects audio-only video.
How to convert WAV to AVI online
- Press "Choose WAV files" and select one or more files, or drag them onto the box. You can add files of any size your device can hold in memory.
- Adjust the settings if you need to: resolution and quality control the size of the result. The defaults suit most people.
- Press "Convert to AVI". The first audio or video conversion downloads the converter engine, about 32 MB, which your browser then keeps for next time.
- Save each AVI with its download button. Close the tab and every trace of the files is gone from memory.
Why convert WAV to AVI?
WAV files usually come from recording, editing, sound effects and CD audio. People convert them to AVI because AVI is still the format some older editors, set-top players and industrial software insist on.
In short, WAV is good at what it was made for, and AVI is the more practical choice when the file has to play, upload or edit somewhere else. WAV plays in every browser and audio editor, while AVI does not play in browsers; plays in VLC and Windows players.
How to convert WAV to AVI on Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android
On Windows
Open this page in Chrome, Edge or Firefox, drag your WAV files in from File Explorer, and press Convert. Each AVI is saved to your Downloads folder. If you prefer a desktop program, VLC can also convert WAV to AVI: choose Media, then Convert / Save.
On a Mac
Safari, Chrome and Firefox all work. Drag the WAV files from Finder onto the drop zone and the AVI files land in Downloads.
On iPhone and iPad
Open the page in Safari and tap Choose WAV files. You can pick from Photos or from the Files app. The converted AVI appears in Files, in the Downloads folder; to put it in your photo library, open it there, tap Share and choose Save Video.
On Android
Open the page in Chrome, tap Choose WAV files and pick them from Files or your gallery. The AVI is saved to the Download folder, where any file manager can find it. Keep the screen on while a long video converts, because Android may pause a tab in the background.
Best settings for WAV to AVI
AVI is written as MPEG-4 Part 2 video with MP3 audio. The Resolution setting is the one to reach for: 1080p keeps full HD detail, 720p is plenty for phones and laptops and roughly halves the size, and 480p suits email and old devices.
The quality levels map to the H.264 CRF scale where the target uses H.264, and to fixed high-quality settings for older codecs such as MPEG-2, MPEG-4 Part 2, WMV and Theora. Re-encoding always costs a little detail, so convert from the best copy of the WAV you have.
WAV vs AVI: the differences
| WAV | AVI | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Waveform Audio File Format | Audio Video Interleave |
| Type | audio | video |
| Created by | Microsoft and IBM | Microsoft |
| First released | 1991 | 1992 |
| Compression | Lossless | Lossy |
| Usually contains | uncompressed PCM, usually 16-bit at 44.1 or 48 kHz | MPEG-4 Part 2 (Xvid, DivX), MJPEG or uncompressed video with MP3 or PCM audio |
| In a browser | plays in every browser and audio editor | does not play in browsers; plays in VLC and Windows players |
| Common uses | recording, editing, sound effects and CD audio | older camcorders, digital cameras and legacy video libraries |
| MIME type | audio/wav | video/x-msvideo |
About WAV and AVI files
What is a WAV file?
WAV normally stores raw, uncompressed samples: about 10 MB per minute of CD-quality stereo. Editors prefer it because nothing is lost between saves, and it is why a song is ten times larger than as MP3.
What is an AVI file?
AVI dates from Windows 3.1 and predates the codecs most people use today. It is still readable by almost every desktop editor, which is why some older software asks for it.
WAV to AVI not working? Common problems
- The conversion is slow. Audio and container changes take seconds, but re-encoding video runs on your own processor. Lower the resolution to 720p, close other tabs, and keep the device plugged in.
- The tab stops or reloads on a very large file. Browsers limit how much memory one tab can use, around 2 GB and less on phones. Split long recordings or convert them on a computer.
- The AVI will not play on an old device. Try the other formats offered for WAV, or choose 720p, which older players handle more reliably.
Convert WAV to AVI with ffmpeg
This converter runs ffmpeg inside your browser. If you would rather use the ffmpeg command line on your own computer, this command produces an equivalent AVI with the same kind of settings:
ffmpeg -i input.wav -c:v mpeg4 -q:v 4 -vtag xvid -c:a libmp3lame -b:a 192k output.aviReplace input.wav with the name of your file. For a whole folder of WAV files, run the command in a loop, or drop them all on the converter above, which processes them one after another.
WAV to AVI converter FAQ
Will I lose quality converting WAV to AVI?
A little, because AVI is lossy. At the default setting the difference is hard to see or hear, and the file is much smaller.
Why is the AVI a different size from the WAV?
Without a picture, the AVI is about the size of the audio. Adding a black video track adds a little, because a still black frame compresses to almost nothing.
Are my WAV files uploaded anywhere?
No. The conversion runs inside this browser tab using ffmpeg compiled to WebAssembly, so your files stay on your device. You can disconnect from the internet after the page and converter engine have loaded and it still works.
Can I convert several WAV files to AVI at once?
Yes. Select or drop as many files as you like; they are converted one after another and each gets its own download button.
How do I open an AVI file?
AVI does not play in browsers; plays in VLC and Windows players. AVI is common for older camcorders, digital cameras and legacy video libraries.
Is this WAV to AVI converter free?
Yes. There is no sign-up, no watermark and no limit on how many files you convert. The site is paid for by advertising, and because conversions run on your device there is no server cost per file.
Can I convert WAV to AVI on my phone?
Yes. The converter works in Safari on iPhone and iPad and in Chrome on Android. Long HD videos convert more slowly on a phone than on a computer.