How to convert MKV to AVI
- Click Choose files or drop your MKV video into the box above.
- Keep the default quality, or choose a target size, resolution or frame rate.
- Click Convert and download the AVI when it is ready.
MKV vs AVI
| MKV | AVI | |
|---|---|---|
| Usual codecs | Almost anything: H.264, HEVC, AV1, VP9 video; AAC, AC-3, DTS, Opus, FLAC audio; multiple subtitle and audio tracks | Usually DivX/Xvid (MPEG-4 Part 2) or MJPEG video with MP3 audio |
| Plays on | VLC, Plex, Kodi and most PCs; not supported by iPhone, iPad, QuickTime, many video editors and most websites | Windows and VLC; poorly supported on phones, Macs and websites |
| Best for | Movies and TV episodes with several audio and subtitle tracks | Old camcorders, DVD players and legacy Windows software |
| Introduced | 2002 by the Matroska open-source project | 1992 by Microsoft |
About MKV and AVI
What is MKV?
MKV is a flexible open container that can hold almost any video and audio codec, several audio languages, subtitles and chapters in one file. That makes it popular for movies, but iPhones, QuickTime, iMovie, many editors and most websites do not accept MKV — converting to MP4 makes it play everywhere.
- Holds any codec
- Multiple audio and subtitle tracks, chapters
- Open and royalty-free
- Not supported on Apple devices, many TVs and editors
- Rejected by most upload sites
What is AVI?
AVI is one of the oldest video formats still around. Files from older cameras, DVD rips and legacy software are often AVI with DivX/Xvid video. It lacks modern features and produces large files, and phones and websites rarely accept it — but some DVD players, car screens and old editing tools still want AVI.
- Plays on older Windows PCs and DVD players
- Simple, widely recognized
- Large files
- Poor support on phones, Macs and the web
Why GlideConvert?
- Private by design. Your files are converted on your own device by your browser — they are never uploaded to a server. That keeps them private, avoids upload waits and means there is no queue.
- Fast. Images convert in a fraction of a second; video uses your device’s hardware encoder and is often simply repackaged without re-encoding.
- Free. No sign-up, no watermark. 10 images, 5 audio files or one video at a time — Pro lifts the limits and removes ads.
Frequently asked questions
Will converting MKV to AVI lose quality?
Often not at all. If the MKV file already contains video and audio that AVI supports (H.264 video and AAC audio are the most common), they are copied as-is: no quality loss, and even a large file converts in seconds. Otherwise the video is re-encoded at high quality — choose a quality level or a target file size in the options.
How long does converting MKV to AVI take?
Usually much less than the length of the video: modern browsers encode video with your device’s hardware. Older formats such as WMV, FLV and AVI use a slower universal decoder.
Are subtitles and extra audio tracks kept?
The main video and audio track are converted. Subtitles and additional audio languages inside the MKV are not carried over to AVI.
Which codec does the AVI file use?
MPEG-4 Part 2 video (compatible with DivX/Xvid players) with MP3 audio — the combination most DVD players, car screens and older software expect.
Is there a file size limit?
On the free plan each video or audio file can be up to 500 MB and each image up to 100 MB. With Pro the limit is 4 GB per file. Because everything happens on your device, the practical limit for very large files is your device’s memory.
Are my files uploaded to a server?
No. GlideConvert runs entirely in your browser: images are processed with the browser’s built-in codecs and WebAssembly, video and audio with hardware-accelerated WebCodecs (or a WebAssembly build of FFmpeg for older formats). Nothing is sent anywhere — you can even disconnect from the internet once the page has loaded.
Does it work on iPhone, Android, Mac and Windows?
Yes. It works in any up-to-date browser — Chrome, Edge, Safari, Firefox or Samsung Internet — on phones, tablets and computers, with nothing to install. Long or 4K videos convert faster on a computer than on a phone.