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Text Encoding Converter

Fix garbled TXT, CSV and subtitle files by converting GBK, Big5 and other encodings to UTF-8.

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or drop files here

Accepts TXT, CSV, SRT, ASS, LRC, MD, LOG, INI, XML, JSON, HTML

Runs in your browser. Your files never leave your device.

About Text Encoding Converter

A text encoding converter fixes files that open as gibberish: a CSV exported from an older Chinese system that shows random symbols in Excel, subtitles that display as boxes on your TV, a TXT novel in Big5, or a log file from a Japanese machine. Choose the files and the tool guesses each one's encoding, shows what it found and previews the text.

If the preview still looks wrong, pick another source encoding from the list, such as GB18030, which also covers GBK and GB2312, Big5, Shift_JIS or EUC-KR, and the preview updates. Save as UTF-8, UTF-8 with BOM, which Excel on Windows needs to open a UTF-8 CSV correctly, or UTF-16 LE, with Windows line endings if you want. Files keep their names, and several come as one ZIP.

How to use Text Encoding Converter

  1. 1
    Choose your files

    Click Choose text files or drop TXT, CSV, SRT, ASS, LRC, Markdown, XML or HTML files. They stay on your device.

  2. 2
    Check the detection

    Each file shows the encoding the text encoding converter detected, plus a preview.

  3. 3
    Correct if needed

    If the preview is still garbled, choose another source encoding from the list.

  4. 4
    Save as UTF-8

    Pick UTF-8, UTF-8 with BOM or UTF-16 LE, optionally with Windows line endings, and download.

Why use Cubfile for this

  • Automatic detection

    UTF-8, GB18030 and GBK, Big5, Shift_JIS, EUC-KR and Windows-1252 are recognized automatically.

  • Twelve source encodings

    Including EUC-JP, UTF-16, ISO-8859-1, KOI8-R and Windows-1251 for manual picks.

  • Excel-friendly output

    UTF-8 with BOM makes Excel on Windows open a UTF-8 CSV correctly.

  • Batch download

    Convert several files and save them together in utf8_files.zip.

FAQ

Text Encoding Converter: questions and answers

Why does my CSV look garbled in Excel?
It's probably saved in GBK or another older encoding, or it's UTF-8 without a BOM. Convert it here and choose UTF-8 with BOM, and Excel on Windows opens it correctly.
What if the text encoding converter guesses wrong?
Some encodings look alike to a computer, especially GBK and Big5. Pick the right one from the list, watch the preview change, and save once the text reads correctly. Text made of codes like %E4%B8%AD isn't garbled but URL-encoded, and URL Encode and Decode turns it back into readable text.
Which encodings can the text encoding converter read?
UTF-8, GB18030 (which includes GBK and GB2312), Big5, Shift_JIS, EUC-KR, EUC-JP, Windows-1252, ISO-8859-1, UTF-16 LE and BE, KOI8-R and Windows-1251.
Are my files uploaded?
No. Your browser reads and converts them, so they never leave your device, and it doesn't use your daily tasks.
Will the file name or format change?
No. A file called notes.txt comes back as notes.txt, only re-encoded. Subtitles, CSVs and other text files keep their extension. Spacing, blank lines and broken line breaks can be tidied afterwards with Text Cleaner.
Share Text Encoding Converter with a friendIt runs in any browser, and they can try it without signing up.

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