An MP4 file is different to an AVI file in that it uses lossy compression rather than lossless. Having said that, the overall reduction in audio or video quality is negligible and that's mainly because the compression used, whilst lossy, is of the highest standard and is done independently. Any Video Converter is free. This AVI to MP4 converter supports both Mac and Windows computers. It converts any video with no limitations and quality loss. There’s also a paid version called Any Video Converter Ultimate. The price is $59.95. It provides you with more websites to download videos from and a faster speed of conversion. MacX Free AVI Video Converter-Free Convert Any Videos to AVI, WMV, MOV, MPEG, MP3 on Mac. MacX Free AVI Video Converter is a powerful yet free AVI video converter for Mac which can easily convert video to AVI from a variety of source formats including MKV to AVI, MP4 to AVI, FLV to AVI, MPEG to AVI, MOV to AVI, WMV to AVI and many more.
Want to convert MP4 to AVI on Mac? Follow this guide to convert MP4 to AVI on macOS without losing quality.
I have some mp4 files with approximately 700MB each, but my television will only recognize .avi, .dvix, .mpeg, .mpg or .mpe. Is there any way to quickly convert MP4 to AVI on Mac without changing the quality and keeping the original file size? -- from video help
Compared to MP4, AVI (Audio Video Interleave) is a lossless container format with large file size and commonly used by film and television post production. Though AVI format has quite a long history, it's not dead, instead, it's widely accepted due to its nice image quality and good compatibility. MP4 to AVI conversion is a process that requires a lot attention to output quality, efficiency and file size.
Sep 15, 2021 How to convert MP4 to AVI on Mac with a free converter. If you are looking for a free converter, then Wondershare Free Video Converter for Mac is a good choice. This software is free to use and allows converting videos and audio files to formats that are compatible with iOS and other devices. 1 Install MP4 to AVI Converter on your computer. Free download MP4 to AVI Converter, install it and launch. Windows users can download the Windows version. 2 Upload MP4 files. After launching the product, please click 'Add File' to upload the MP4 files you want to convert on it for latter conversion.
Part 1: Convert MP4 to AVI on Mac without Losing Quality in the Fastest Speed
The higher the quality, the bigger the file size will be, and the longer it will take to convert MP4 to AVI on Mac. But the first-in-class MP4 to AVI converter for macOS, MacX Video Converter Pro can cover all your needs. The most stunning features are listed below.
- Convert MP4 to AVI on Mac in blazing fast speed with minimum CPU usage thanks to HT tech, Multi-core CPU (up to 8), Intel QSV acceleration tech.
- Embedded High Quality Engine promises nearly no quality loss during MP4 to AVI conversion on Mac.
- Built-in 370+ video audio codecs, it supports to transcode MP4 with H265 or H264 or any other codec to AVI, and convert any video to 180+ video audio formats without quality loss, like AVI to MP4, MKV to MP4, MP4 to MP3, FLV to AVI, to name a few.
- Support to convert 8K, 2160P 4K, 1080P, HD SD MP4 videos to AVI with smaller file size and adjustable parameters, like resolution, bit rate, frame rate.
- Download MP4 video from YouTube, Facebook, Vimeo, Dailymotion etc. to AVI format.
- Support to convert MP4 to AVI on macOS Sierra. 100% clean and safe, no ads, no plugin.
How to Fast Convert MP4 to AVI on macOS without Quality Loss
Step 1: Load MP4 file on Mac
Click 'Add File' icon at the top-left corner and choose MP4 file to load or simply drag and drop the file to the main interface of the MP4 to AVI converter for Mac.
Step 2: Choose AVI as output
After the MP4 file is loaded, you are allowed to select AVI Video (Divx +MP3) as output on the Output Profile Window. If the source MP4 file size is too big, follow to compress MP4 without losing much quality.
Step 3: Start MP4 to AVI conversion on Mac
Click 'RUN' at the bottom right corner to process converting MP4 to AVI format on MacBook or iMac, and get AVI advantages over MP4.
Part 2: How to Free Convert MP4 to AVI on macOS Online
Online MP4 to AVI converter for Mac is very simple to use and users don't need to download any other free MP4 converter for macOS. We sort out a reliable online app, files-conversion.com. Learn how to free convert MP4 to AVI on Mac online.
Step 1: Go to http://www.files-conversion.com/, Click 'Select a File' and load it.
Step 2: On the Quality section, choose the quality you want, low, moderate, high, or very high.
Step 3: Click the drop-down menu, choose convert to AVI format.
Step 4: Select output Size. The higher the resolution, the larger the file size will be.
Step 5: Click 'Convert' and start to free convert MP4 to AVI on Mac online.
Step 6: When the MP4 to AVI conversion is finished, click the file icon and download the converted file to your Mac.
Common problems with Online MP4 to AVI on Mac Conversion
- We received error message when converting a 131MB 1920*1080 MP4 video to AVI on Mac online.
- Most online MP4 to AVI converter for Mac programs are supported by ads, and some even have spyware, malware and misleading icons.
- It may take much longer time to free convert MP4 to AVI on macOS online. Some crash or stop working at half time.
- AVI and MP4 video audio codecs are limited. 4K UHD and resolution are not supported to convert.
- Some ask for email address to receive AVI file converted from MP4 online on Mac, which may lead to email address leak.
Top 5 Free Online MP4 to AVI Converter for macOS
- convert-video-online.com
- clipchamp.com
- zamzar.com
- convertfiles.com
- files-conversion.com
Part 3: Can HandBrake and VLC Convert MP4 to AVI on Mac Free?
There're many open source free video converter for Mac that can convert MP4 to AVI on Mac. Speaking of open source video transcoder, Handbrake may come to your mind. But MP4 to AVI conversion with Handbrake is a removed feature. Handbrake only support to convert AVI to MP4 on Mac or convert MP4 to MKV or to MP4 format with H.264, MPEG-4, MPEG-2, H.265 video codec. So, we cannot convert MP4 to VLC on Mac using Handbrake.
Video conversion is also a hidden feature coming with VLC media player. Can we use VLC to convert MP4 to AVI on macOS? The answer is no. There's no AVI output in VLC media player. VLC can only convert MP4 videos to Webm (VP8), TS, OGG audio etc. Neither Handbrake nor VLC support to convert MP4 to AVI on Mac. Check out Handbrake and VLC support output formats if you want to convert MP4 video to other formats with these open source applications.
Handbrake support output format:
MP4, MKV (video encoders: H.264, H.265, MPEG-4, MPEG-2, VP8, VP9, Theora. Audio encoders: AAC, HE-AAC, MP3, FLAC, AC3, Vorbis).
VLC support output format:
MP4(H.264/H.265) + MP3, TS (H.264) + MP3, Vorbis (Webm) +VP80, TS(H.264/MPEG-2/Dirac), ASF(WMV+WMA/DIV3+MP3), Theora +Vorbis (OGG), Vorbis(OGG)
AVI (audio and video interleave), introduced by Microsoft, is the standard video format for Windows machines. Not all codecs contained in AVI are accepted by Apple devices and software. So you may often not be capable of opening AVI files on Mac.
MP4, with maximum compatibility and smaller size than AVI, is the most universal video format.
Follow the steps in this article to convert AVI to MP4 on Mac, 4 methods provided.
Battle of the video format: AVI vs. MP4
| AVI | MP4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Developer | Microsoft | Moving Picture Experts Group |
| Initial release | 1992 | 2001 |
| Video quality | Excellent (slightly better than MP4) | Excellent |
| File size | Large | Relatively small |
| Compatibility | Microsoft devices, Windows-based players, etc. | Almost all devices and players |
Convert Large AVI to MP4 on Mac without Losing Quality
The best-recommended software to turn AVI into MP4 on Mac at super fast speed is Cisdem Video Converter. It also supports video conversion between all kinds of SD/HD/4K formats, such as MKV to MOV, H264 to HEVC, MP4 to MP3, YouTube to MP4, AVI to Android, etc. To facilitate multiple conversions of AVI files at once, batch processing is allowed.
Best AVI to MP4 Converter for Mac
- Convert large (even above 1GB) AVI to MP4 60fps, 30fps, 25fps, etc.
- Compress large AVI files via HEVC, while preserving high quality
- Fast and bulks convert multiple AVI videos
- Compatible with 300+ input & output formats
- Control the file bitrate (kbps), codec, frame rate (fps), aspect ratio, etc.
- Built-in media player to view AVI
- Join all short AVI clips and produce 1 final full-length video
- Download any video from streaming sites like YouTube, Vimeo, and more
- Rip DVDs with CSS protection (home or commercial used) to digital formats
- Work on OS X 10.10 or higher, including macOS 11.0 Big Sur
Steps to batch convert AVI to MP4 on Mac (with h264 codec or h265 codec):
STEP 1. Load AVI files
Cisdem AVI converter for Mac has three interfaces. Drag-n-drop your AVI videos from local folder to the first one for video conversion.
STEP 2. Choose the desired output format – MP4
Convert Quicktime To Mp4 Mac
Click the format profile icon, and a drop-down list appears to bring up the format profile options. Pick up 'General Video' > 'MP4 Video” or “MP4 HEVC Video' (amazing visual quality while saving 50% bit rate).
It also covers a wide range of available pre-set devices, choose the Apple iPhone/iPad series, Android smartphones, game consoles, etc. as you like.
STEP 3. Edit AVI files (optional)
The program has useful video editing capabilities: crop AVI; create special effect/watermark/subtitle; etc. Click the icon to enter the video-editing mode.
STEP 4. Convert AVI to MP4 on Mac
Via “Output” at the bottom, choose the destination path to save the converted files. Finally, click the icon to begin converting AVI files to MP4 in bulk.
How to Convert AVI to MP4 on Mac Using a Pre-installed App?
iMovie is a Apple-based video editor with the ability to edit video footage and export it as MP4 or MOV.
But not all types of AVI videos are supported by iMovie. AVI is a multimedia container format, not a specific type of file. It can be compressed by a quantity of codecs. Those AVI videos encoded with Indeo, native DivX, Cinepak, ALaw 2:1, etc. can’t be put onto iMovie.
So before turning AVI into MP4 on Mac, check if it’s an iMovie compatible video codec.
1. Launch iMovie. Drag and drop AVI clips into it.
Before macOS transitions to 64-bit technology, the AVI file imported into iMovie requires conversion. The converted format in iMovie library will be compatible with versions of macOS after Mojave. Note: macOS Catalina doesn't support such conversion. You can click 'Convert' or 'Skip'.
2. In the top menu, click “File” > 'Share' > 'File…'. Alternatively, click the 'Share' button in the upper right corner > 'File'.

3. In the file dialog box that pops up, adjust the resolution, quality and compression settings.
Don’t set the quality as “Best (ProRes), otherwise the output format is MOV.
4. Hit on 'Next', name the exported iMovie MP4 file and specify the location where to save it.
5. Click “Save”.
How to Turn AVI into MP4 on Mac with a Command Line Toolbox?
As a powerful command-line tool, FFmpeg allows you to convert/stream/record video and audio file. Its advanced codec library - libavcodec ensures high portability and codec quality.
To use this open source AVI to MP4 converter for Mac, you must know some basic coding techniques. Otherwise, you won't be able to start. The installation of FFmpeg is already very complicated for technical novices.
1. Follow the tutorial to install FFmpeg on Mac.
2. Find Terminal app and 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.
Individual AVI file conversion: -i input.flv xxx.mp4.
Batch processing multiple AVI files: 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 the “Enter” key to transcode AVI videos to MP4.
Free Online AVI to MP4 Converters for Mac
Online video converter is also a popular way for AVI conversion. Video.online-convert.com is free online file converter. It has 7 parts: Audio converter, Video converter, Image converter, Document converter, E-book converter, Archive converter and Hash generator.
- Open https://video.online-convert.com/convert-to-mp4 in your web browser.
- Click 'Choose Files' to upload AVI resources from your Mac. You can also drop the file directly onto the green box area or import it from the cloud storage.
- (Optional) Scroll down. Customize the file settings.
- Hit 'Start conversion' to turn AVI into MP4 online.
- Download the MP4 file on Mac.
You can try this free online tool to convert AVI to MP4 Mac, but don’t ignore its limits and drawbacks:
- The total file size of per conversion can’t exceed 100 MB. That means you can't convert more than 100MB AVI file, let alone 1GB.
- Convert up to 20 videos within 24 hours
- Convert up to 5 AVI files at the same time
- You have to upload your video online for conversion. The video may be copied or leaked by others. Thus don't convert confidential or important videos online.
People Also Ask
1) Can I turn AVI into MP4 on Mac with VLC?
Yes, but not straightly.
Best Free Avi To Mp4 Converter Mac
Although VLC gives you an output option: Video- H.264 + MP3 (MP4), it's actually M4V. The M4V and MP4 formats are very similar. The main difference is that M4V might optionally be encrypted by DRM copy protection.
You can change the file extension to .mp4, but the video and audio are often corrupted or coming with some serious lagging. If this happens, try to customize the profile:
- Video codec H.264, keep original video track
- Audio codec MPEG 4 Audio (AAC), keep original audio track
In addition, when converting large AVI files (more than 500 MB), VLC stops short of the full conversion.
Obviously, VLC is not a good AVI to MP4 converter for Mac to get the task done.
2) Can HandBrake transcode AVI video to MP4?
HandBrake is a free video transcoder to convert videos from nearly any format including AVI, unprotected DVD, and BluRay sources. It lets you add multiple AVI files to queue, and transcode them to MP4 in batches.
But it's not a perfect AVI to MP4 transcoder for Mac.
- Can only convert AVI to two formats, MP4 and MKV (no more output options).
- The conversion speed is a bit slow.
- Even with H265 compression, the file size increased after conversion. I tested a 26.6MB AVI file. Through Handbrake x265 transcoding, the output file size is 64.2MB (more than twice the size of the original), whereas the size is 20.4MB (no quality loss) via Cisdem Video Converter.

3) Can QuickTime convert AVI to MP4 on Mac?
Yes, you can do it, but two conditions need to be met:
- Use QuickTime 7 Pro (paid and not available on macOS Mojave or later)
- The AVI can be imported to QuickTime 7 Pro. AVI has dozens of codecs in hundreds of combinations, some of which are not supported by Apple software. (Refer to the iMovie mentioned above)
If both of these met, then you can:
- Open AVI in QT 7 pro.
- Navigate to the “File” menu.
- Click “Export” to reveal the format list.
- Choose “Movie to MPEG-4”. Necessarily, fine-tune the video parameters.
- Save the video.
QuickTime X doesn't offer video conversion option. However, when you open a playable AVI file, it will automatically convert AVI to MOV.
4) How to open AVI on Mac?
For those who are using Mac OS X 10.4.7+ and QuickTime 7 or previous, you are able to install Perian - the third-party component packages of QuickTime Player.
The best way is to look for alternative to QuickTime. Both VLC and Cisdem Video Player are free to play AVI files on Mac.
Conclusion
The post shares the fastest and best AVI to MP4 converter for Mac. To be honest, freeware not ideal choices due to the slow speed, low quality, complex operation, or limits. And online converters will let out your personal information. I believe a professional video converter app is needed, which is safe, more stable and gives you higher quality than other tools.