Top 7 Best AVI Converters for a Mac [2024]

Here's how to convert AVI files on a Mac:

  1. Download and launch Movavi Video Converter.
  2. Add the AVI files, edit them and specify the output format.
  3. Start converting.
Edited by Ben Jacklin
19,065

Video creators of all abilities and experience using Mac devices for their AVI projects will find the need to choose the best free AVI converter for a Mac.

Program

Platform

OS

Download

Desktop

macOS X 10.13 or higher, Windows

Desktop

macOS X 10.9 or higher, Windows

Online

Any (web-based service)

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To ensure that you receive only verified information, we do the following:

  • Movavi Content Team has tested all the products covered in this article.

  • When testing products, we compare all key parameters, including merging video clips, changing video speed, recording voice-overs, creating slideshows, and other significant features.

List of the best free AVI converters for a Mac

  1. Movavi Video Converter

Movavi Video Converter for Mac – an intuitive and powerful encoding program that enables you to convert MKV, MTS, FLV, MPEG, WMV, and DVD VOB files to MPEG-4, QuickTime (MOV), as well as to many other popular formats.

Platform: Desktop

OS: macOS X 10.13 or higher, Windows

How to use Movavi Video Converter

  1. Download and install Movavi Video Converter on your Mac.
  2. Click Add Media and choose Add video.
  3. If you’d like to edit your AVI files before the conversion, just open the Edit drop-down list and choose an option.
  4. Choose one of the presets from the Video or Audio tabs.
  5. Click Save to to specify the directory for the converted files. Then click Convert.

Jump to the complete step-by-step guide

Pros:

  • It supports a large variety of media formats, offers presets for quick conversion, and is powered by the SuperSpeed technology.

Cons:

  • Can’t burn DVDs

2. Prism Video Converter

This is a high-performance AVI converter for a Mac. It’s user-friendly and feature-rich and supports a variety of file formats, including AVI.

Platform: Desktop

OS: macOS X 10.9 or higher, Windows

How to convert AVI files on a Mac with Prism Video Converter

  1. Download the Prism video file converter and open it.
    Download Prism Video Converter
  2. Select the file to convert.
  3. Select the format you want to convert your AVI file to.
  4. Click Convert.

Pros:

  • It supports a wide range of file formats, offers additional features such as video effects and has a user-friendly interface.

Cons:

  • It is not free – there is a trial version, otherwise, you need to choose from 2 pricing plans.

3. Zamzar

This is a free online AVI file converter that offers fast conversion of large files, online storage, and high-speed downloads.

Platform: Online

OS: Any, web-based service

How to use Zamzar

  1. Go to the Zamzar website.
    Visit Zamzar
  2. Add files by drag and drop or browse your computer’s files and upload.
  3. Select the file format you want to convert your files to.
  4. Click Convert Now.

Pros:

  • This online AVI file converter for a Mac is free up to a file size of 50 MB, it is fast and secure and offers excellent customer service.

Cons:

  • It is worth noting that there are no editing options available. You need a good internet connection to use it.

4. VLC

This AVI video converter for a Mac supports almost all media file formats and file sizes. It is easy to use and also completely free.

Platform: Desktop

OS: macOS X 10.7.5 or higher, Windows, Linux

How to convert AVI on a Mac with VLC

  1. Download VLC to your computer.
    Download VLC
  2. In the menu, choose File > Convert/Stream.
  3. In the pop-up window, click Open media to browse and upload your AVI file.
  4. In the next window, go to Choose Profile and select an edition. In the list of formats select the desired format and click Save as File.
  5. Click Browse to choose where you want to save your file. Then click Save and the conversion of your AVI on a Mac will begin.

Pros:

  • It is free, fast, reliable, and feature-rich.

Cons:

  • The interface is a bit outdated, and the conversion process is not straightforward.

5. HandBrake

This is a free AVI converter for a Mac, Windows, and Linux. Easily convert your AVI video into one of the wide selection of codecs supported by this tool.

Platform: Desktop

OS: Windows, macOS, Linux

How to convert AVI to Mac-supported formats with HandBrake

  1. Download HandBrake and open it.
    Download HandBrake
  2. Click on Source to choose your AVI video file.
  3. Choose the Destination for your converted file.
  4. Click Output Settings > Format and choose the desired file format you are converting to.
  5. Click Start to begin the conversion.

Pros:

  • Available as a free download, it offers advanced video conversion – a selection of other features such as presets, editing tools, filters, and subtitles.

Cons:

  • It is not very user-friendly in design and the learning curve is steep if you are a beginner.

6. MacX Video Converter Pro

This Mac AVI converter offers fast conversion speed and supports a variety of output formats.

Platform: Desktop

OS: macOS X 10.6 or higher, Windows

How to use MacX Video Converter Pro

  1. Download and install MacX Video Converter Pro.
    Download MacX Video Converter Pro
  2. Click Add Videos or drag and drop.
  3. Click File to select your desired output video/audio format.
  4. Choose the destination folder.
  5. Click Run.

Pros:

  • It is user-friendly, has a free trial version available, supports numerous file formats, provides fast, reliable conversions, and includes editing tools and features.

Cons:

  • The pro version is paid, and the editing features are somewhat limited.

7. CloudConvert

This is a free online AVI video file converter. It is user-friendly with an easy-to-navigate interface and supports a wide range of file formats.

Platform: Online

OS: Any (web-based service)

How to use CloudConvert

  1. Go to the CloudConvert website.
    Visit CloudConvert
  2. Click Add files to browse and select files from your computer or cloud storage.
  3. Select the desired output format.
  4. Click Convert.
  5. Click Download to save to your computer.

Pros:

  • It is suitable for all experience levels and offers tools to modify the resolution, quality, and file size.

Cons:

  • A negative point is that the free version only allows up to 25 conversions per day. You need a good internet connection to use it.

How to convert AVI files on a Mac with Movavi Video Converter

Converting AVI files is easy and quick with Movavi Video Converter. Follow the guide below to convert your files in no time.

Step 1. Install Movavi’s AVI file converter

When you’ve downloaded the file, run it and follow the usual macOS instructions to install the software.

Step 2. Add the AVI files

To add one or more files for conversion, click the Add Media button in the upper left-hand corner of the window and choose Add video.

Step 3. Edit your files

You can edit your AVI files before the conversion. Open the Edit drop-down list and choose an option. You can trim and crop your clip, apply effects, and more.

Step 4. Specify the output format

At the bottom of the program interface, you will find the most popular conversion presets. If you don’t see the format you need, you can click the Video or the Devices tab.

If you intend to watch the converted video on an iPad, iPhone, Android tablet, or another multimedia device, click Devices. Then select the appropriate preset from the list of brands and models.

If you just want to convert AVI to MP4, 3GP, FLV, or another format for viewing on your computer, select Video and choose the appropriate format from the list. To access the advanced output format settings, where you can change parameters like video height and width, choose a sample rate, and make other adjustments, click the Cogwheel button.

Step 5. Start converting

Before you start converting, you may want to set a new destination folder. By default, converted files are saved to your Movavi Library, but you can also click the Save to button and specify a new directory for the converted files. Then click Convert in the bottom right corner to start the conversion process. Your file will be converted in just a few minutes.

Bonus: How to convert an AVI file on a Mac with a command line

The next way to convert your AVI files is to use FFmpeg – a command-line conversion tool. This option is better suited to those with at least some basic coding understanding.

How to use FFmpeg:

  1. Download and install the program on your Mac.
    Download FFmpeg

  2. Find the Terminal app and then initiate it.

  3. Drag and drop FFmpeg to the Terminal.

  4. Type the command –i. Add the original AVI video into Terminal.

    Then enter xxx(the output file name).mp4.

    For individual AVI file conversion, you need to type this line:

    -i input.flv xxx.mp4.

    If you’re batch processing multiple files, type the following:

    for i in .avi; do name=`echo "$i" | cut -d'.' -f1` echo "$name" ffmpeg -i "$i" "${name}.mp4" done or for i in .avi; do ffmpeg -i "$i" "${i%.*}.mp4"; done.

  5. Press Enter to convert your AVI videos to MP4.

Summary: How to choose a Mac AVI converter

When you start looking for an AVI file converter for a Mac, the options might seem overwhelming. To help you make your selection, check out the points to consider below:

  • Technical requirements: begin by looking at your technical requirements. Make sure that a converter is available for your Macintosh.

  • OS: do you need an online service or software download? If you want to convert larger files, then definitely go for a desktop program.

  • Experience: take into consideration your level of experience and skills and target a solution that is either beginner-adapted or of a more professional level.

By testing out some of the above-mentioned options, you will soon find an AVI converter for a Mac (free or paid) that suits your needs.

Prism Video Converter
4.5/5
Editor's choice
MacX Video Converter Pro
4.7/5

What is an AVI file?

File extension

.avi

File format

Video

Description

Audio video interleave (AVI) is a popular and commonly used video file format for encoding videos such as movies, music videos, tutorials, TV shows, personal videos, professional videos etc. The AVI format takes up less storage space as it uses less compression than formats such as MPEG or MOV.

Video-encoding formats

H.263, VC-1, MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, MP4

Audio-encoding formats

AAC, WMA, MP3, FLAC, AMR, etc

OS compatibility

Windows, Mac OSX (with a third-party app), Linux, Xbox, PSP

Developer

Microsoft

Movavi Video Converter

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Frequently asked questions

How do I play AVI files on a Mac?

What is the best AVI converter for Mac?

How do I convert AVI to MP4 on a Mac?

Does Mac support AVI?

How do I import AVI video files to iMovie on a Mac?

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