Quick answer: To send a large AVI file, upload it to Share Large Video Files (up to 20 GB, no account) and share the download link: the file arrives unchanged. A 1-hour DV tape capture is about 13 GB, more than most email providers accept.
What is a AVI file?
AVI is an older Microsoft video container from the 1990s. Today you mostly meet it in digitised home movies, DV tapes captured from camcorders, older digital cameras, some dashcams and security systems, and legacy archives.
AVI files are often large because the codecs typically found in them are not very efficient by modern standards. DV video, for example, runs at a fixed 25 Mbps, and uncompressed or lightly compressed AVI captures from tape can be many times larger again.
Extensions: .avi.
How big are AVI files?
| File | Typical size |
|---|---|
| 1 hour of DV captured from a MiniDV tape | about 13 GB |
| 1 minute of standard-definition video from an old digital camera (Motion JPEG) | roughly 50 to 150 MB |
| 1 minute of uncompressed standard-definition capture | roughly 1 to 1.5 GB |
| 1 minute of 1080p dashcam footage (AVI) | roughly 80 to 150 MB |
Which apps can send one?
Can you send a 1-hour DV tape capture (about 13 GB) as an attachment?
| App | Limit | Fits? |
|---|---|---|
| Gmail | 25 MB per email | No, send a link |
| Outlook.com | 20 to 25 MB per email | No, send a link |
| WhatsApp (document) | 2 GB per file | No, send a link |
| Telegram | 2 GB per file | No, send a link |
| Facebook Messenger | 100 MB per file | No, send a link |
| Discord (free) | 20 MB per file | No, send a link |
| Slack | 1 GB per file | No, send a link |
| WeTransfer (free) | 3 GB per transfer | No, send a link |
| Share Large Video Files | 20 GB per transfer | Send the link anywhere |
Limits from our file size limits by app table, checked against each service's help pages.
How to send AVI files without changing them
- Open Share Large Video Files in any browser and choose Get a link (or Send by email).
- Drop AVI files on the upload box, or pick a whole folder. Up to 20 GB and 1000 files per transfer.
- Optional: add a password, a download limit or an expiry under More options.
- Copy the link (or show the QR code) and send it by chat or email. The recipient downloads the original file, byte for byte.
Tips for sending AVI files
- If you are digitising family tapes, send the original captures once and keep a copy; they are the master versions.
- Recommend VLC to the recipient, as the codec inside an AVI is not always supported by built-in players.
- For viewing only, a converted MP4 is much smaller. For archiving or editing, send the untouched AVI.
- Group a set of tape captures into one transfer so the sequence stays together.
How to open a AVI file
VLC plays nearly every AVI on Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android. Windows Media Player handles many AVI files but not every codec inside them. On a Mac, QuickTime Player often cannot play AVI, so VLC is the reliable choice.
On our download page: the recipient can watch an AVI before downloading it, because a playable MP4 copy is made for the page; the download is still your original AVI.
Frequently asked questions
Why won't my AVI file play on a Mac?
Usually because QuickTime does not support the codec inside it, such as DivX, Xvid or some DV variants. VLC plays these AVI files without extra setup.
Why is a digitised home movie in AVI so large?
Tape capture tools usually save DV or lightly compressed video to keep quality. DV alone is about 13 GB per hour, so a few tapes quickly reach tens of GB.
Should I convert AVI to MP4 before sending?
Convert only for easy viewing. MP4 with H.264 is far smaller and plays everywhere, but it is a lossy re-encode, so keep and send the original AVI if it is an archive copy.
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