Video conversion
Convert AVI to M4A
Updated Jul 2026
AVI is an older Windows video container, and M4A is an audio-only format used by iTunes and voice memo apps. To convert AVI to M4A, extract the audio track from the video and save it as M4A. Doing this on your own computer means the video file never has to leave your machine or get uploaded anywhere.
- Extension
- .avi
- Type
- Video
- Typically
- Legacy Windows video
- Extension
- .m4a
- Type
- Audio
- Typically
- iTunes / voice memos
- Compression
- Lossy
Convert AVI to M4A on your own computer. Nothing uploads.
How to convert AVI to M4A
- Open Morphjet and drag in the AVI file, or a whole folder of them, that you want to convert.
- Choose M4A as the output format. Morphjet pulls the audio track out of the video automatically.
- Convert. The M4A files are written next to your originals, and nothing leaves your machine.
AVI vs M4A: what actually changes
| AVI | M4A | |
|---|---|---|
| Video | Yes, includes the picture | No, audio only, the video is discarded |
| File size | Large, holds picture and sound | Much smaller, audio track only |
| Quality | Lossless or near lossless, depending on the codec inside | Lossy, compressed to save space |
| Opens everywhere | Mostly Windows and older media players | Yes, iTunes, iPhone, and most music apps |
| Good for | Watching the video | Listening only, like a podcast or voice memo |
When to convert, and when not to
Convert AVI to M4A when you only care about the sound in a video, like a lecture, interview, or recording, and want a small audio file you can play on an iPhone or in iTunes.
Keep the AVI if you still need the picture, because converting to M4A throws the video away for good.
Why not just use an online converter?
AVI files are often old camcorder footage, screen recordings, or lecture videos, and they can be large enough that uploading one to a website just to pull out the audio takes a while and hands the whole video to someone else's server. Converting on your own computer keeps that footage exactly where it already is, and only the audio you asked for gets written back out.
Questions
Does converting AVI to M4A lose the video?
Yes, on purpose. M4A is audio only, so the picture is discarded and just the sound is kept. If you need the video too, keep the original AVI or convert it to a video format instead.
Will the M4A sound as good as the audio in the AVI?
Close, but not identical. M4A uses lossy compression, so there's a small quality trade-off in exchange for a much smaller file. For speech, like lectures or interviews, it's usually not noticeable.
Can I convert AVI to M4A without uploading the video?
Yes. Morphjet runs on your own computer, so the AVI is read and the M4A is written locally, without the file ever being sent to a server.
Why would I want just the audio from a video file?
Common cases are old home movies, lecture recordings, or interviews where you want to listen on your phone or in a podcast app without carrying around the picture.
Does the M4A keep any information from the AVI?
Not much. AVI files rarely carry rich metadata, so there's little to bring over. The M4A will typically just hold the audio, without titles or other tags unless you add them yourself.
Morphjet converts AVI, M4A, and 1,800+ other formats, all on your machine. Launching this July.