How to Play AVI Files on Windows 10/11 [4 Ways]

Jane Zhou updated on Apr 19, 2024 to Screen Recording Utility

Do you have difficulty playing AVI files on your Windows PC, including Windows 10 and 11? If so, you have come to the right place. This post will introduce some excellent Windows AVI players and walk you through the detailed steps to open AVI video files on your PC effortlessly!

Although AVI is an old video format, it is still popular in the movie industry. Sometimes, you find that it is a bit difficult to play AVI files on your Windows Windows 10 or Windows 11 computer, as the built-in Windows Media Player might fail to open this format because of some errors, like Invalid File formats error=8004022F, etc. Given that, this post comes in handy. Here, we will show you different ways to successfully open and play the AVI video files on your Windows computer. Just keep reading!

Method 1. Play AVI Files on Windows 10/11 via A Free Player

The easiest way to play AVI files on your Windows PC is to use a professional video player like EaseUS RecExperts. This software is completely free and compatible with Windows 7, 8, 10, and 10 PCs and laptops. 

With its help, you are able to open your AVI movies easily and quickly. Moreover, you can also play other video and audio files with one simple click, including MP4, MOV, MKV, etc., as it supports importing a wide range of media file formats. While playing the video files, you can even flexibly change the playback speed from 0.5X to 2X. Now, just hit the blow button to get this free HD AVI player for your Windows!

Here's how to open an AVI video file on Windows 10/11:

Step 1. Launch EaseUS RecExperts, and click "Recordings" on the lower left to open the media player.

Step 2. Click "Import" on the bottom right to load your media files. It allows you to import multiple files or a folder.

Step 3. Then, you can enjoy your audio or video file with different playback speeds, from 0.5X to 2.0X.

Don't forget to share this post with others in need!

 

Method 2. Open AVI Files with Windows Media Player By Default 

Another way is using the default Windows video player, Windows Media Player. However, it sometimes might fail to open the AVI files for some reason. If it occurs, you need to update the Windows Media Player to ensure that it supports and plays the latest video file formats:

Step 1. Open Windows Media Player on your PC. Click Organize > Options > Player > Check for Player updates.

Step 2. Next, if you see there is an update available, follow the prompts to download and install the latest version.

Step 3. Then restart this software and click File to import the AVI file that you want to play. That's it!

Method 3. Download AVI Codec for Windows 10/11

If your computer lack AVI codec, you cannot play this video file properly. So, downloading and installing a decent AVI codec for your Windows 10 or Windows 11 will always be helpful for playing AVI files successfully. K-Lite Codec Pack, Media Player Codec Pack, and X codec pack are popular AVI codec for Windows 11 and Windows 10, and you can download any of them for better AVI file playback. 

However, you need to know that installing codec packs might cause problems with your computer, like compatibility issues. If that occurs, you need to revert to a previous version of your media player or remove the codec pack altogether!

Method 4. Convert AVI Files to Windows-Friendly Format

The last workable solution is to convert your AVI file to a common video format on Windows, like MP4. MP4 is a common format that can be opened on almost all video players and devices. To complete the conversion task, you can try any of the following video converters:

  • EaseUS Video Converter
  • HandBrake
  • VLC Media Player
  • Cloudconvert (online service)

Any of the above-mentioned tools can help you convert an AVI file into another common video format. Just choose the right one for your needs!

The Bottom Line

This page offers various ways to help you play AVI files on your Windows 10/11 computers. Among them, we highly recommend EaseUS RecExperts because of easy access to it. Moreover, apart from opening AVI files, you can use it to play other media files with no hassle. Now, you can download it and try it!

How to Play AVI Files FAQs

1. Why won't Windows Media Player play an AVI file?

Generally speaking, it is due to a missing or incompatible AVI codec in Windows Media Player. Besides that, corrupted AVI files or outdated drivers can also cause playback errors. 

2. Does Windows 11 support AVI?

Yes, Windows 11 supports AVI. However, there are a variety of AVI codecs, and Windows 11 seems to support only some common ones.

3. Why is my AVI not playing on Windows 10?

The reason behind Windows 10 not playing your AVI video can be that your media player does not support the AVI format. In this way, it would not be able to play it. This is the most common reason. It can also be due to window codecs, which helps to read the respective File.