I remember that I used be able to convert .AVI files to mp4 or Mov by double clicking and it would automatically convert the file. I haven't been able to do that since I think Yosemite. I know I can use third party apps to convert files but it was more convenient the other way. Is something wrong with my Qucktime or is it just that the newer versions of OS X don't offer that option anymore?
MacBook Air (11-inch Mid 2012), OS X El Capitan (10.11.4), null
There was no function like that native to OSX. As a matter of fact Quicktime can't read .avi files. You must have been using some third party application.
Perhaps you are thinking of Flip4Mac which would/will allow .avi files to be played in the QuickTime Player. It's still available but it's now a commercial application.
I know Quicktime can't open .AVI, I would double click the .AVI file and it would convert it to MOV
This is what I'm talking about:
QuickTime Player converts certain files before playing them - Apple Support
FWIW, As I said before, Quicktime cannot convert AVI files.
*OSX 10.9.5
If you had Flip4Mac installed however… I explained that above.
You can try Smart converter available on the app store. Simple interface and works.
FWIW, Adapter is also a very nice conversion program…
Also, VLC plays .avi files without conversion.
As stated by dialabrain VLC plays the files without needing to convert. Do you simply want to view the files then use VLC.
AVI is a container; just like MOV or MP4, it can contain many different things inside.
Quicktime Player CAN play AVI files, but of course not all of them.
(Examples: AVI files with H264 video, or PhotoJPEG video DO open and play in QT Player)
The problem is that there are many CODECs - some of them are very old, or not widespread - and Quicktime Player supports only a small number of them.
VLC, on the other hand is the Swiss Army Knife of video playing, it can play just about anything; but it is not very good for converting stuff.
MPEG Streamclip, even though it is now a few years old, is a very useful tool if you need to convert. In addition to supporting many legacy codecs (it is based in the old Quicktime frameworks, so it can play anything that old Quicktime 7 can), it can convert to many formats AND different containers - you can convert to, say, h264 in MOV, MP4 or AVI containers, for example (though by now I can't think of a reason anyone would want to create AVI files anymore).
Luis Sequeira1 wrote:
AVI is a container; just like MOV or MP4, it can contain many different things inside.
True but, I have 69 .avi files I've collected over the years and every one of them uses the MS MPEG-4 Video v3 (DIV3) codec which Quicktime will not play. As far as i remember Quicktime will not play any Windows based codec without something like Flip4Mac installed.
Hi again. 😎
Thank you never heard of this one - but it worked!
Converting .AVI Files to MP4/Mov
