What happens when you convert XVID to MPEG
- The video is re-encoded to MPEG-2 video with MP2 audio.
- Re-encoding in a browser is slow: expect several times the video's length for HD footage on a laptop, and longer on a phone. Short and low-resolution clips finish much sooner.
How to convert XVID to MPEG online
- Press "Choose XVID 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 MPEG". The first audio or video conversion downloads the converter engine, about 32 MB, which your browser then keeps for next time.
- Save each MPEG with its download button. Close the tab and every trace of the files is gone from memory.
Why convert XVID to MPEG?
XVID files usually come from films and TV episodes shared in the 2000s, and DVD players that play Xvid discs. People convert them to MPEG because MPEG-2 is what DVD authoring tools and many broadcast systems accept.
In short, XVID is good at what it was made for, and MPEG is the more practical choice when the file has to play, upload or edit somewhere else. XVID does not play in browsers; plays in VLC and in DVD players with DivX or Xvid support, while MPEG does not play in most browsers; plays in VLC and desktop players.
How to convert XVID to MPEG on Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android
On Windows
Open this page in Chrome, Edge or Firefox, drag your XVID files in from File Explorer, and press Convert. Each MPEG is saved to your Downloads folder. If you prefer a desktop program, VLC can also convert XVID to MPEG: choose Media, then Convert / Save.
On a Mac
Safari, Chrome and Firefox all work. Drag the XVID files from Finder onto the drop zone and the MPEG files land in Downloads.
On iPhone and iPad
Open the page in Safari and tap Choose XVID files. You can pick from Photos or from the Files app. The converted MPEG 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 XVID files and pick them from Files or your gallery. The MPEG 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 XVID to MPEG
MPEG is written as MPEG-2 video with MP2 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 XVID you have.
XVID vs MPEG: the differences
| XVID | MPEG | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Xvid video | MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 video |
| Type | video | video |
| Created by | the Xvid project | the Moving Picture Experts Group |
| First released | 2001 | 1993 |
| Compression | Lossy | Lossy |
| Usually contains | MPEG-4 Part 2 video encoded with Xvid, usually with MP3 or AC3 audio in an AVI file | MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 video with MP2 audio |
| In a browser | does not play in browsers; plays in VLC and in DVD players with DivX or Xvid support | does not play in most browsers; plays in VLC and desktop players |
| Common uses | films and TV episodes shared in the 2000s, and DVD players that play Xvid discs | DVD-era video, Video CDs and older camcorders |
| MIME type | video/x-msvideo | video/mpeg |
About XVID and MPEG files
What is an XVID file?
Xvid is an open-source MPEG-4 Part 2 codec, the free rival of DivX, and its name is DivX spelled backwards. Most Xvid videos are AVI files; a file with the rare .xvid extension holds the same kind of video and converts the same way.
What is an MPEG file?
MPEG-2 is the video format of DVDs and broadcast TV. It needs roughly twice the bitrate of H.264 for the same picture, so converting to MP4 usually shrinks the file a lot.
XVID to MPEG 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 MPEG will not play on an old device. Try the other formats offered for XVID, or choose 720p, which older players handle more reliably.
Convert XVID to MPEG 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 MPEG with the same kind of settings:
ffmpeg -i input.xvid -c:v mpeg2video -q:v 3 -c:a mp2 -b:a 192k -f mpeg output.mpegReplace input.xvid with the name of your file. For a whole folder of XVID files, run the command in a loop, or drop them all on the converter above, which processes them one after another.
XVID to MPEG converter FAQ
Will I lose quality converting XVID to MPEG?
A little. Both formats are lossy, so re-encoding compounds the loss slightly. Keep the default quality or higher and the difference is rarely noticeable.
Why is the MPEG a different size from the XVID?
It depends on the settings. At the defaults, the MPEG usually comes out close in size to the XVID; lower the quality for a smaller file.
Are my XVID 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 XVID files to MPEG 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 MPEG file?
MPEG does not play in most browsers; plays in VLC and desktop players. MPEG is common for DVD-era video, Video CDs and older camcorders.
Is this XVID to MPEG 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 XVID to MPEG 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.