Convert AVI to WMA Online Free
Drag & drop your .avi file here, or click to browse
Converts to WMA on secure servers · first daily conversion free · no signup
Your first conversion each day is free. A $2.99 one-time Day Pass unlocks 24 hours and ends by itself.
Extract the audio from your AVI video and save it as WMA — the Windows Media Audio format. A natural upgrade path for legacy AVI content into the Windows Media ecosystem.
By ChangeThisFile Team · Last updated: March 2026
ChangeThisFile extracts audio from your AVI video and encodes it as WMA using FFmpeg on our secure servers. WMA is a Windows-native format that opens immediately in Windows Media Player and integrates with Xbox media libraries. Files are auto-deleted, free with no signup required.
AVI vs WMA: Format Comparison
Key differences between the two formats
| Feature | AVI | WMA |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Microsoft video container | Microsoft proprietary audio format |
| Developer | Microsoft | Microsoft |
| Audio codec | MP3, PCM, or AC-3 | Windows Media Audio codec |
| Windows Media Player | Supported (limited features) | Native — full metadata, library integration |
| File size | Moderate to large (video included) | Small — audio only |
| Metadata | Limited AVI metadata | WMA tags: artist, album, genre, cover art |
| Use case | Legacy video playback | Windows Media Player library, Xbox, Windows audio |
When to Convert
Common scenarios where this conversion is useful
Migrate AVI audio into a Windows Media Player music library
Windows Media Player manages WMA files as first-class music library entries with full metadata support. Convert audio from AVI videos to WMA to add them to your WMP library with proper artist, album, and genre tags.
Convert old home video AVI audio for Windows music apps
Home videos captured as AVI files with PCM audio can be converted to WMA for playback in Windows music apps and portable media players that support the Windows Media ecosystem.
Extract AVI movie audio for Xbox media playback
Xbox consoles support WMA natively for media playback from USB or network shares. Convert AVI movie audio to WMA to enjoy soundtracks through your Xbox and connected home audio system.
Produce compact Windows-native audio from AVI recordings
WMA files are small and natively understood by all Windows applications. Converting AVI recordings to WMA produces compact audio files that open anywhere in Windows without codec installation.
Share AVI audio with Windows-only collaborators
If your colleagues use Windows Media Player and you need to share audio from AVI recordings, converting to WMA provides a format that opens natively on their Windows machines without extra setup.
Who Uses This Conversion
Tailored guidance for different workflows
Podcasters
- Pull the audio from a recorded AVI interview or webinar and publish it as a WMA episode
- Convert a AVI livestream recording to WMA so listeners can catch up on the go
Musicians & Producers
- Extract a performance take from a AVI video into WMA to edit in your DAW
- Rip reference audio from a AVI clip to WMA for sampling or transcription
Content Creators
- Convert a AVI recording to WMA to reuse the soundtrack as background audio or a voiceover
- Turn a AVI talk into a WMA audiogram or clip for social platforms
How to Convert AVI to WMA
-
1
Upload your AVI file
Drag and drop your .avi file onto the converter or click to browse and select it. The free tier accepts files up to 25MB; eligible paid browser access accepts up to 100MB.
-
2
Server-side WMA encoding
Your AVI is uploaded over HTTPS and FFmpeg extracts and decodes the audio (MP3, PCM, or AC-3), encoding it as WMA. The video stream is discarded. Processing completes in seconds.
-
3
Download your WMA file
Click Download to save the .wma file. Both the original AVI and the converted WMA are automatically deleted from our servers after download.
Developers: convert via API →
Frequently Asked Questions
WMA and MP3 are broadly comparable in quality at equivalent bitrates. WMA offers slight advantages at bitrates below 128 kbps and integrates more deeply with Windows software. For new audio, AAC or Opus are more modern choices.
Yes. If the AVI contains MP3 audio (common), converting to WMA involves re-encoding between lossy codecs. At high WMA bitrates (192 kbps), the audible quality loss from re-encoding is minimal.
Yes. WMA is Windows Media Player's native format. WMA files open immediately, display full metadata, and integrate into Windows Media Player libraries without any codec installation.
WMA has limited non-Windows support. VLC and some Android devices handle WMA, but iOS and most Linux setups require additional codec installation. For cross-platform use, MP3 or AAC are better choices.
FFmpeg encodes WMA at a high quality bitrate by default, typically 192 kbps. This provides excellent audio quality for music, speech, and documentary content.
WMA supports Windows Media metadata including title, artist, album, genre, and cover art. AVI metadata is minimal, so most tags will be empty in the WMA — use Mp3tag or Windows Media Player to fill them in after conversion.
Yes. ChangeThisFile is completely free. No signup, no limits, and no fees.
Standard WMA encodes to stereo. If the AVI contains surround audio (AC-3 5.1, for example), FFmpeg will downmix to stereo for WMA output. WMA Pro supports multi-channel, but it is not commonly used.
Very fast — typically just seconds. Only the audio is processed; the video is discarded, making this much faster than full video transcoding.
Yes. All uploads use HTTPS encryption and files are deleted from our servers immediately after conversion. We never retain or access your content.
Related Conversions
Related Tools
Free tools to edit, optimize, and manage your files.
Need to convert programmatically?
Use the ChangeThisFile API to convert AVI to WMA in your app or script. Free tier included.
Ready to convert your file?
Convert AVI to WMA instantly — free, no signup required.
Start Converting