AVI vs MKV
A quick, plain-English comparison of the AVI and MKV file formats — and how to convert between them, free and in your browser.
| AVI | MKV | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | video | video |
| Extension | .avi | .mkv |
| MIME type | video/x-msvideo | video/x-matroska |
| Converts to | 31 formats | 31 formats |
| Direction here | read & write | read & write |
Convert between AVI and MKV
AVI vs MKV: frequently asked questions
What's the difference between AVI and MKV?
Microsoft Audio Video Interleave container. Matroska open multimedia container.
Should I use AVI or MKV?
Both are video formats — the right one depends on compatibility, quality and file size for your use. Whichever you have, you can convert it to the other below in seconds.
How do I convert AVI to MKV?
Open the AVI-to-MKV converter, drop your AVI file in, and download the MKV. We auto-detect the real format from the file's bytes, so a mislabeled file still works.