What is the XVID file format?
.xvid files are video clips and movies encoded with the Xvid open-source video codec, a MPEG-4 Part 2 (MPEG-4 ASP) implementation. The format compresses video data using MPEG-4 technology, enabling smaller file sizes that made .xvid-encoded movies popular for Internet distribution throughout the 2000s.
The codec uses a range of Advanced Simple Profile features: quarter-pixel and global motion compensation, custom quantization matrices, lumi masking, and B-frames. These tools allowed Xvid to achieve near-DVD quality at file sizes fitting a single CD-R - the standard target of around 700 MB - making it the dominant codec for online film releases between roughly 2001 and 2008.
.xvid is not a standalone container format but an informal extension convention for AVI files (and sometimes MKV) whose video stream carries the XVID FourCC codec identifier. The AVI container interleaves compressed MPEG-4 ASP video frames with audio, typically MP3 or AC3.
The codec was last updated with version 1.3.7 in June 2019 and is no longer under active development. Modern encoding has moved on to H.264 (AVC) and H.265 (HEVC), which deliver substantially better compression at equivalent quality. .xvid files remain compatible with most computing platforms via players such as VLC, which include the necessary decoder libraries.
Security & safety
RISK: LOWXvid video files themselves are not a malware vector. Exercise caution with downloads from torrent sites - Xvid-labelled files may be misnamed or bundled with infected executable subtitle files (.srt/.ass with embedded scripting in some players). Subtitles in SRT format alongside Xvid files are generally safe.
Format details
in a nutshellPrograms that open XVID files
Windows5 apps
Windows Media Player
Built-in Requires Xvid codec pack installed separately. Not recommended over VLC. 
VLC media player
Open-source File > Open File - plays Xvid/AVI directly, no codec installation needed. 
MPC-HC (Media Player Classic Home Cinema)
Open-source Open the .xvid file. Includes built-in Xvid decoder. The original mpc-hc.org project ended 2017; community fork by clsid2 is actively maintained.
mpv
Open-source Drag file onto mpv window or run: mpv video.xvid. Plays all Xvid files via libavcodec. 
macOS2 apps
Linux2 apps
Android1 app
Technical details
deep spec| Video codec | Xvid - MPEG-4 Part 2 (ISO/IEC 14496-2) Advanced Simple Profile (ASP) |
| Container | Typically AVI (RIFF-based); also MKV; .xvid is an informal extension convention, not a distinct container format |
| Codec FourCC | `XVID` or `xvid` in the AVI stream header |
| ASP compression features | B-frames, quarter-pixel motion compensation, global motion compensation (GMC), lumi masking, custom quantization matrices |
| Color space | YUV 4:2:0 (8-bit YCbCr); no HDR or 10-bit support |
| Audio track | MP3 or AC3 (Dolby Digital) in AVI; audio format is determined by the container, not the codec |
| Typical release size | 700 MB - 1.5 GB per feature film; 700 MB (one CD-R) was the standard scene release target |
| Common resolutions | 624×352 or 720×400 px (standard scene releases); MPEG-4 ASP spec allows up to 2048×2048 |
| Last codec release | Xvid 1.3.7, June 2019; project is dormant with no active development |
| Codec library | `libxvid` / `xvid.dll`; must be installed separately; bundled in VLC and many other media players |
| Encoding era | Dominant Internet video codec approximately 2001-2008 |
| Superseded by | H.264/AVC (mainstream from ~2007) and H.265/HEVC (from ~2013) |
| Released | April 2001 (Xvid project founded; first stable release 2001-04-24) |
| Latest version | Xvid 1.3.7 (June 2019) |
| Open standard | Yes · royalty-free |
| Specification | github.com |
XVID conversions
Community Q&A
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