Convert AVI to M4A Online Free
Extract the audio from your AVI video and save it as M4A — Apple's native AAC audio container. Perfect for bringing audio from AVI media collections into Apple Music, iPhone, or GarageBand.
ChangeThisFile extracts audio from your AVI video and encodes it as M4A using FFmpeg on our secure servers. M4A is Apple's native audio format for iTunes and Apple Music, fully compatible with iPhone and all Apple devices. Files are auto-deleted, free with no signup required.
Convert AVI to M4A
Drop your AVI file here to convert it instantly
Drag & drop your .avi file here, or click to browse
Convert to M4A instantly
AVI vs M4A: Format Comparison
Key differences between the two formats
| Feature | AVI | M4A |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Microsoft video container | Apple MPEG-4 audio container |
| Developer | Microsoft | Apple / MPEG-4 standard |
| Audio codec | MP3, PCM, or AC-3 | AAC (Advanced Audio Coding) |
| Apple compatibility | Not natively supported on iOS/macOS | Native on all Apple platforms |
| File size | Moderate to large (includes video) | Small — AAC audio only |
| Metadata | Limited AVI metadata | iTunes tags: artist, album, cover art, lyrics |
| Use case | Legacy Windows video | Apple Music, iPhone, GarageBand, podcasts |
When to Convert
Common scenarios where this conversion is useful
Import AVI video audio into Apple Music
AVI is not supported by Apple Music or iTunes. Convert the audio from AVI videos to M4A to import music, speeches, or recordings from your AVI collection directly into your Apple Music library.
Transfer old DivX movie audio to iPhone
Legacy AVI videos from the DivX era often contain music soundtracks or dubbed audio. Extract as M4A to transfer that audio to your iPhone for offline listening in the Music app.
Convert AVI home video audio for GarageBand
Old home video recordings in AVI format may contain irreplaceable audio. Extract as M4A to import into GarageBand for music or podcast production — M4A integrates natively with GarageBand's Media Browser.
Extract narration audio from AVI tutorials
Screen recording tutorials and software demos from the Windows XP/Vista era were often saved as AVI. Extract the narration audio as M4A to repurpose it in eLearning platforms, podcasts, or updated video productions.
Archive AVI audio for Apple ecosystem playback
As AVI becomes an increasingly legacy format, converting its audio to M4A ensures long-term compatibility with modern Apple hardware and software — particularly as AVI support may be reduced in future Apple OS updates.
How to Convert AVI to M4A
-
1
Upload your AVI file
Drag and drop your .avi file onto the converter or click to browse and select it. Files up to 500MB are supported.
-
2
Server-side M4A encoding
Your AVI is uploaded over HTTPS and FFmpeg extracts and decodes the audio (MP3, PCM, or AC-3), encoding it as AAC in an M4A container. Processing completes in seconds.
-
3
Download your M4A file
Click Download to save the .m4a file. The original AVI and M4A are automatically deleted from our servers after download.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. iTunes and Apple Music do not support AVI. Converting the audio to M4A is the simplest way to get AVI audio content into your Apple Music library without additional software.
Yes. AVI files typically contain MP3 audio. Converting from MP3 to AAC (M4A) involves re-encoding between two lossy codecs, introducing a small additional quality reduction. At high target bitrates (192+ kbps), this difference is minimal.
FFmpeg encodes AAC at a high variable bitrate by default, typically 192 kbps VBR. This provides excellent quality for music, dialogue, and general audio content.
Yes. M4A is supported natively on Android alongside iOS. Most Android music players including Google Play Music, VLC, and PowerAmp support M4A without additional codec installation.
Yes. GarageBand for Mac supports M4A natively. Drag the M4A file into GarageBand's timeline or open it via the Media Browser for immediate use in your project.
Yes significantly. AVI has very limited metadata support. M4A uses iTunes tags that support title, artist, album, year, genre, track number, cover art, and lyrics — much richer metadata than AVI's format allows.
Yes. ChangeThisFile is completely free. No signup, no limits, and no fees.
FFmpeg decodes PCM audio from the AVI and encodes it as AAC in M4A. PCM-to-AAC conversion introduces lossy compression. For lossless preservation of PCM audio, consider FLAC or AIFF instead.
Typically just seconds to under a minute. Only the audio stream is processed; the video is discarded, making this much faster than full video conversion.
Yes. All uploads use HTTPS encryption and files are deleted from our servers immediately after conversion. We never retain or access your files.
Related Conversions
Ready to convert your file?
Convert AVI to M4A instantly — free, no signup required.
Start Converting