AVI, short for Audio Video Interleave, is a multimedia container format introduced by Microsoft to store audio and video using a variety of codecs, like DivX and XviD. If you are using a Windows computer, you can double-click the AVI file and open it on Windows Media Player. If you are using macOS, things are not easy because the default QuickTime player doesn’t support AVI format.
So, still want to play AVI files on Mac? Well, you can convert the unsupported AVI file to MP4, MOV, M4V that are compatible with QuickTime Player. Well, you can also install a powerful AVI Player on your MacBook for smooth playback.
VLC Media Player is one of the popular open source multimedia player that can easily play AVI files available on your Mac without having to spend a penny from your pocket. Not only can you play the AVI files but tune into your DVD, audio CD’s, VCD’s and other popular streaming formats using this media player. Press Windows+R, this will guide you to the Run option. In the search bar below, type devmgmt.msc and click on OK. On the device manager page, click on Display adapters and choose the Graphics card on your PC. Right-click on Update Driver option. In most of the cases, you can fix the Windows – Cannot play the AVI file. Click and open the drop-down arrow next to Profile, go to a certain catalog and select your preferred resolution from the list. For playing the AVI file in QuickTime Player on Mac, choose MOV, MP4 or M4V as you like. Step 3 Edit AVI file Click the Edit menu to edit the AVI file with these editing features. In Mac OS X v10.6 and newer, since the QuickTime X (QT Player v10.x) AVFoundation playback structure no longer posses an open codec architecture for 3rd party plugins or components installation, you can't drop AVI files that aren't encoded as Mjpeg video with PCM onto QuickTime X player for direct playback. Free AVI Player for Mac Free AVI Player for Mac is another popular alternative to play AVI files on Mac. It shares many similar features to Elmedia Player like the ability to play HD quality videos, support for a long list of file formats, and high-quality audio output.
How to Play AVI Files on MacPart 1. How to Play AVI on Mac with QuickTime Plug-in
If AVI files failed to play on Mac, you can get a QuickTime plug-in installed on your Mac. Perian is a free and open source QuickTime component that support any media format like AVI, FLV, MKV. It is easy to install and works instantly once it’s set up. One disadvantage of Perian is that it doesn’t work with QuickTime 10 or more. Nor will be under development.
Part 2. How to Convert AVI to Mac Supported Format
As we know, QuickTime doesn’t support playing AVI files. If you want to play AVI files on your MacBook, you can use the ultimate method to convert AVI to QuickTime Player supported format. Apeaksoft Video Converter Ultimate comes in handy when you want to convert AVI files. It is a versatile video converter for Mac, which you can adjust video/audio codec, enhance video, compress AVI video files , or enhance video quality in an all-round way.
4,000,000+ Downloads
Convert AVI to MP4, MOV, M4V and more for playing on Mac.
Tweak the frame rate, bitrate, sample rate, audio codec, and more settings.
Provide 4 different methods to enhance video quality and reduce noise.
Edit videos, add watermark, apply video filters, and compress the AVI video.
Step 1Install AVI Converter for Mac
After downloading this AVI Converter for Mac, install and launch the program. Click Add File at the top side to import the AVI video to the program.
Step 2 Choose output format
Click and open the drop-down arrow next to Profile, go to a certain catalog and select your preferred resolution from the list. For playing the AVI file in QuickTime Player on Mac, choose MOV, MP4 or M4V as you like.
Step 3Edit AVI file
Click the Edit menu to edit the AVI file with these editing features. You can rotate the AVI file, add 3D effect, crop AVI file, add effects, enhance AVI file and add watermark to it.
Step 4Convert and play AVI on Mac
Make sure you have chosen an output folder in the Destination area at the bottom. Click Convert button at the bottom right to start converting AVI file. After a while, you can open the converted AVI file in QuickTime Player on your Mac.
If you’ve ever wanted to play AVI files on Mac, without installing other desktop software, Apeaksoft Free Online Video Converter is an online converter to convert and play AVI file on Mac and Windows computer.
Part 3. How to Play AVI Files with Best AVI Player for Mac
Another convenient way you can try is to play AVI files with an AVI player for Mac. Apeaksoft Blu-ray Player is the top choice for many users. Besides playing AVI files, it can also play common video and audio formats like MP4, M4V, TS, MTS, MXF, WMV, MKV, AVI, MP3. What’s more, this AVI player for Mac also plays Blu-ray/DVD disc, folder or ISO file on macOS Big Sur/Catalina.
FAQs of Playing AVI Files on Mac
1. What is An AVI File Format?
AVI is a multimedia container format, containing both audio and video data. AVI format has great video fidelity and compression capability. Due to the availability of a large number of codecs, it is easy to obtain the compression ratios required for the AVI format.
2. Why do AVI files not play on Mac?
If the AVI file doesn’t come with the right codecs, you might not play AVI files on Mac. Also you need to check out if the AVI files are corrupted. If you have corrupted AVI files, you still cannot play AVI on Mac.
3. How can I convert AVI to MP4 on Mac?
With Apeaksoft Video Converter Ultimate, you can convert AVI to MP4 on Mac with ease. Click Add File to load the AVI file to the program. Select MP4 from the drop-down button next to Profile, and click Convert button to convert AVI to MP4 on Mac.
Conclusion
After reading this article, playing AVI files on Mac tends to be easier. You can get the right AVI codec, an AVI player or an AVI converter for Mac. Apeaksoft Video Converter Ultimate provides the ultimate solution to convert AVI to QuickTime supported format. Don’t hesitate and let us hear what you want to say.
Program To Open Avi Files On Mac
Files with avi file extension are videos or movies that can be played in every media player (sometimes proper codec is needed). These files are also supported by most video editors and converters. Often used for DVD rips on torrents.
Software that open avi file
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AVI file extension- Audio Video Interleave movie
What is avi file? How to open avi files?
File type specification:
avi file icon:
The avi file extensionis traditionally used for a very common computer video file format, especially popular on internet for movies.
Audio Video Interleave (AVI) is a special case of Resource Interchange File Format (RIFF).
Audio content or video content that is compressed with a wide variety of codecs can be stored in an .avi file and played in Windows Media Player, if the appropriate codecs are installed on the computer.
Video codecs that are frequently used in .avi files include the following codecs: - DivX codec, XVID codec, Cinepak codec, Indeo codec, DV codec, MJPEG codec, Uncompressed RGB or YUY2 codec etc.
Audio codecs that are frequently used in .avi files include the following: MP3 codec, AC3 codec, Microsoft Adaptive Differential Pulse Code Modulation (MS ADPCM), Uncompressed Pulse Code Modulation (PCM) codec etc.
MIME types used for avi videos:
video/x-msvideo
video/avi
video/msvideo
image/avi
video/xmpg2
application/x-troff-msvideo
audio/aiff
audio/avi
Updated: December 4, 2020
The default software associated to open avi file:
Company or developer:
VideoLAN Project Team
Very popular multimedia player developed for Windows, Apple Mac, Linux, Unix and various other operating systems and platforms.
VLC can playback many of the video formats (AVI, MKV, OGV, WMV, ASF, MOV...) and audio formats (MP3, AAC, M4A, OGG, FLAC...) as well as support of subtitles for video. It can also be used as a streaming server and multimedia transcoder.
Company or developer:
Microsoft Corporation
Microsoft Windows Media Player is default multimedia player installed in Microsoft Windows. WMP can manage music, videos and pictures in computer, play or view them, sync them with portable devices, or burn them on CD/DVD media. It also supports home media sharing with other computers.
Company or developer:
XBMC
XBMC (Kodi) is free open source multimedia player and entertainment hub for digital media that is available for Microsoft Windows, Linux and Mac OS X (macOS). XBMC is able to almost all popular audio and video formats around.
Company or developer:
Plex Media Center Team
Plex Media Center for OS X is media player, media server and media manager for Mac OS X. Plex is able to organize all of media, from local drives, network shares, optical media and the Internet, in one easy to use application. Plex supports a wide range of video, audio and image formats without having to install any additional third party plug-ins or programs.
Related articles:
Help how to open:
The avi video format is widely supported video format. You can use any media player like VLC or Windows Media Player to play it.
How to convert:
The avi format is supported by almost every video converter or video editor.
Find conversions from avi file:
Find converter to avi file type:
File identification strings:
HEX code: 52 49 46 46
ASCII code: RIFF
List of software applications associated to the .avi file extension
Recommended software programs are sorted by OS platform (Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android etc.)
and possible program actions that can be done with the file: like open avi file, edit avi file, convert avi file, view avi file, play avi file etc. (if exist software for corresponding action in File-Extensions.org's database).
Hint:
Click on the tab below to simply browse between the application actions, to quickly get a list of recommended software, which is able to perform the specified software action, such as opening, editing or converting avi files.
Software that open avi file - Audio Video Interleave movie
Programs supporting the exension avi on the main platforms Windows, Mac, Linux or mobile. Click on the link to get more information about listed programs for open avi file action.
Microsoft Windows:
Adobe Premiere Pro
Cyberlink PowerDirector
ApowerEdit
Video Edit Magic
Movavi VideoSuite Personal
VirtualDub