An AVI file operates as a wrapper for encoded media with the term Audio Video Interleave describing the structure rather than the compression, which is defined by the codecs inside, so different .avi files can behave unpredictably when players can’t decode the embedded codecs, causing missing audio or stuttering; although it’s found in older exports, archives, and CCTV footage, it’s generally less efficient and less broadly compatible than modern formats like MP4 or MKV.
An AVI file is one of the older common video formats and uses the .avi extension, standing for Audio Video Interleave, meaning it packages audio and video together but leaves compression to the encoding tool inside; this leads to varied playback results when devices support AVI but not the internal streams, and although AVI remains present in older downloads and camera or CCTV exports, more modern containers like MP4 or MKV usually offer steadier compatibility across devices.
An AVI file is best understood as a wrapper rather than a single compression type, because the “.avi” extension simply marks an Audio Video Interleave file that holds one or more video and audio streams, while playback behavior is determined by whatever codec is stored inside—Xvid, DivX, MJPEG for video or MP3, AC3, PCM for audio—which explains why some AVIs play fine and others refuse to open or lose sound on devices lacking the right codec, proving that the container is just the outer box.
AVI is frequently described as a common format thanks to its long life in PC video history, where it debuted as part of Video for Windows and became a standard for older cameras, recorders, editing software, and CCTV/DVR exports; its long legacy means most software can still open AVI today, though newer workflows generally favor MP4 or MKV for broader device support.
For more info about AVI file type have a look at our web-page. When people say “AVI isn’t the compression,” they mean AVI works only as a container and does not compress anything by itself—the compression is handled by the codecs packed inside, which can range from DivX, Xvid, MJPEG, H.264 to MP3, AC3, PCM; this variation causes two AVIs to behave differently even if their extensions match, because a player may support AVI containers but not the specific codec combination, resulting in missing audio, failure to open, or playback working only in apps like VLC.
