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TXT encoding fixer

Fix garbled text and save it as UTF-8.

Runs in your browserNo sign-upNo watermark

Your files never leave your device.

Quick answer

To fix a garbled text file, drop it in, choose the encoding it was written in (try Windows-1252 or UTF-8) and download the UTF-8 copy.

Read the guide: How to open a CSV in Excel correctly

Drop files here

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How to use the txt encoding fixer tool

  1. Drop your text file onto the box.
  2. Choose the encoding the file was written in and check the preview.
  3. Press Convert.
  4. Download the UTF-8 copy.

Old files and some exports are saved in encodings that modern programs misread, which shows as strange characters.

Common questions

What does garbled text look like?

Things like é instead of é, or ? and boxes in place of letters. That usually means a UTF-8 file was read as Windows-1252, or the other way round.

Which encoding should I pick?

Try Windows-1252 first for western European files and Windows-1251 for Cyrillic. Shift_JIS, GBK and Big5 cover Japanese and Chinese. The preview shows the result before you convert.

What do I get?

A copy saved as UTF-8, the encoding that nearly every program reads correctly. Your original is untouched.

Is my file uploaded anywhere?

No. The conversion happens inside your browser tab, so your file never leaves your device. We cannot see it or keep a copy.

What if my input has an error?

The page shows a message saying what is wrong, so you can fix it. Nothing is changed until the input is valid.