Step 1: Provide your AVI files using the button above or by toss and let go.
Step 2: Click the 'Convert' button to start the conversion.
Step 3: Fetch your converted WMV files.
AVI to WMV Conversion FAQ
How do I convert AVI to WMV without re-encoding the video stream?
+
When the AVI and WMV containers can both carry the same codec (H.264, H.265, VP9, AV1), the converter falls back to a remux: the elementary streams are copied byte-for-byte into the WMV container and only the wrapper changes. A remux of a 1 GB AVI into WMV typically finishes in 5-15 seconds with zero quality loss. AVI files predate modern codecs: expect MPEG-4 Part 2 (DivX/Xvid), Motion JPEG or raw uncompressed frames rather than H.264. WMV carries Microsoft’s own VC-1 or WMV3 video with WMA audio — codecs almost nothing outside Windows decodes natively.
My AVI recordings are split into numbered parts — does WMV have the same limit?
+
No, and that is one of the better reasons to move. The AVI container has a practical single-file ceiling that long or high-bitrate recordings run straight into, which is exactly why old captures arrive as part1, part2, part3. WMV has no equivalent limit, so the pieces can be rejoined into one continuous file. AVI has no native support for modern codecs, variable frame rate, soft subtitles or files over 4 GB without hacks, and its per-chunk overhead bloats the file.
My AVI has several audio tracks — do they all survive into the WMV?
+
Not dependably. AVI stores multiple audio streams as first-class tracks, but WMV playback support past the first track is inconsistent, so most players will only ever expose one. Choose the track you actually want before converting; the others are better extracted to their own files than left in a container that hides them. AVI is trivially simple, which is exactly why ancient camcorders, capture cards, DVD ripping tools and Windows-era software all still emit it. WMV is effectively a dead end: macOS, iOS, Android and every browser need third-party decoders, and some WMV files carry DRM that cannot be converted at all.
Is there any point converting between two legacy formats like AVI and WMV?
+
Only if a specific piece of equipment demands the target. Both formats come from the same pre-H.264 era, so neither conversion buys efficiency, quality or future-proofing — it buys compatibility with one particular device. If the goal is to keep the footage usable long-term, convert to a current container instead of sideways.
Will multi-track audio survive AVI to WMV conversion?
+
Yes — every audio track in the AVI (director commentary, alternate languages, descriptive audio) is preserved in the WMV when the target container supports multi-stream audio. MKV and MOV handle unlimited audio tracks; MP4 supports many but some hardware players only see track 1; WebM is capped at one Opus / Vorbis track. WMV is Windows Media Video, Microsoft’s ASF-based format from the Windows XP era.
Are subtitle tracks preserved when converting AVI to WMV?
+
Soft subtitles (selectable tracks) survive when WMV can carry them: MKV holds SRT, ASS, SSA, PGS, VobSub natively; MP4 only holds mov_text (a stripped-down format). Converting an MKV with ASS styled subs to MP4 will typically downgrade them to mov_text or burn them in. Hardsubs (burned into the video) carry over regardless.
Does AVI to WMV keep chapter markers / DVD-style navigation?
+
Chapter metadata transfers between AVI and WMV whenever both containers support a chapter atom (MKV, MP4, MOV). WebM stores chapters in a Matroska-compatible block, so MKV <-> WebM chapters round-trip cleanly. AVI has no chapter spec at all, so an AVI source arrives with no chapters to carry across and an AVI target cannot store the ones it was handed; add markers manually afterwards if you need them.
What about MKV attachments (fonts, cover art) when going AVI to WMV?
+
MKV is the only mainstream container that stores arbitrary attached files (TTF fonts for ASS subs, JPG cover art, fan-translated PDF inserts). Going from AVI to WMV drops these attachments when WMV is not MKV — the elementary streams convert, but the attached payload stays in the source. Keep AVI as a backup if you depend on attached fonts.
Which codec does the WMV output use by default?
+
The default codec is chosen to match the WMV container conservatively: MKV defaults to H.265 (HEVC) for better compression; MP4 defaults to H.264 for the widest device support; WebM defaults to VP9; AVI uses MPEG-4 ASP (DivX/Xvid lineage). Override via the advanced codec dropdown — AV1 is available for MKV / WebM where you want maximum compression and can wait through the encode. WMV compresses well for its age and remains the format PowerPoint, older Windows screen recorders and corporate media libraries expect.
How does HDR (HDR10, Dolby Vision) survive AVI to WMV?
+
HDR static metadata (HDR10 mastering display values, max content light level) carries through to WMV when both containers and the chosen codec support it (HEVC, AV1 in MKV / MP4). Dolby Vision is more fragile — DV profile 5 / 7 / 8.1 in AVI commonly survives only into MKV with HEVC; converting to a WMV container that does not carry the DV layer flattens to HDR10.
Will the AVI to WMV converter keep variable framerate (VFR)?
+
MKV and WebM record real per-frame timestamps and handle VFR natively, so AVI VFR survives into a WMV of those formats with no resampling. MP4 nominally stores timestamps too but some players assume CFR; the converter exposes a "force CFR" toggle that resamples VFR AVI to 24 / 30 / 60 fps WMV for problematic targets.
Why is my WMV file smaller / larger than the AVI after conversion?
+
Same-codec remux produces a near-identical size (container overhead differs by 0.1-2%). A codec change can swing the size by 50% or more: H.264 to H.265 typically halves the file at the same visual quality; H.264 to AV1 halves it again on a slow preset. Going from a high-bitrate AVI (Blu-ray rip) to a low-bitrate WMV (web upload) is the most common reason for a dramatic drop.
