# What is an AVI file?

AVI (Audio Video Interleave) is a legacy Microsoft container format for video and audio streams.

Canonical URL: https://www.subclip.app/faq/what-is-an-avi-file

Last modified: 2026-04-17T00:00:00+00:00

**Definition**
AVI (Audio Video Interleave) is a Microsoft RIFF-based container for synchronized audio and video streams.

**Who made it and why**
Microsoft introduced AVI in 1992 for Windows multimedia playback and early desktop video workflows.

**Why AVI still appears**
- Legacy software/camera exports
- Enterprise and training archives
- Recorder/surveillance outputs

**Use it in Subclip**
Import AVI in [Subclip Home Player](https://subclip.app/home), then convert for modern delivery with [AVI to MP4](/tools/convert-video-format/avi-to-mp4).

**History and adoption**
AVI was heavily used in 1990s/2000s PC media pipelines and remains common in older archives.

**TL;DR**
AVI is a legacy container still found in many historical media collections.

**Related converters**
[AVI to MP4](/tools/convert-video-format/avi-to-mp4), [MP4 to AVI](/tools/convert-video-format/mp4-to-avi).

**Related FAQs**
[How do I open an AVI file?](/faq/how-to-open-an-avi-file), [What is an MP4 file?](/faq/what-is-an-mp4-file), [How do I open an MP4 file?](/faq/how-to-open-an-mp4-file).

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