After opening the file, check the current encoding first, and view it through the status bar at the bottom or the "Encoding" menu; 2. If the text is garbled, try to select the correct encoding in the "Encoding" menu to reinterpret the text correctly; 3. After the text is normal, use "Encoding" → "Convert to" the target encoding (such as UTF-8), and then save the file to complete the actual encoding conversion; 4. It is recommended to use UTF-8 encoding first. If necessary, you can select UTF-8-BOM to avoid using ANSI to process multilingual content; 5. Be sure to back up the file before converting. If it is still garbled, try other common encodings. Bulk conversion can be used to enable plug-ins or open multiple files at the same time. This method solves cross-system character display issues without additional tools.

Converting encoding in Notepad is a common task when dealing with files that display strange characters (like or garbled text), especially when transferring files between different systems or languages. Here's how to do it properly.

1. Check the Current Encoding

Before converting, it's important to know what encoding your file is currently using:

• Open the file in Notepad .
• Look at the bottom-right corner of the window – it usually shows the current encoding (eg, UTF-8, ANSI, UTF-8-BOM).
• Alternatively, go to the Encoding menu at the top to see which encoding is currently selected (there will be a checkmark next to it).

Note: Just selecting an encoding doesn't change the file — it only tells Notepad how to interpret the bytes. If text looks garbled, you may need to re-interpret it using a different encoding.

2. Re-Interpret (Change Encoding Without Re-Saving)

If the text looks wrong (eg, accented characters are messed up), the file might be saved in one encoding but opened as another. You can manually tell Notepad to re-interpret it:

• Go to Encoding in the menu bar.
• Choose the correct encoding (eg, UTF-8 , UTF-8-BOM , ANSI , UTF-16 , or Encode in... > Chinese, Japanese, etc. for legacy encodings).
• The text should now display correctly.

Example: A file created in Windows (using ANSI/Windows-1252) with special quotes or é, ? might look broken when opened on another system. Switching encoding to Western European (Windows-1252) or UTF-8 may fix it.

?? This step doesn't alter the file yet — it just changes how Notepad reads it.

3. Convert and Save in a New Encoding

Once the text displays correctly, you can convert and save it in a different encoding:

• With the file open and displaying correctly, go to Encoding > Convert to [desired encoding]
  (eg, Convert to UTF-8 ).
• Then, save the file (Ctrl S or File > Save).

After conversion, the bottom-right corner will show the new encoding without "ANSI" or "UTF-8" in parentses — it will just say UTF-8 , etc.

This actually re-encodes the file's bytes into the new format.

4. When to Use UTF-8 vs UTF-8-BOM vs ANSI

• UTF-8 : Best for web, programming, and international text. No BOM. Recommended default.
• UTF-8-BOM : Sometimes needed for Windows apps (like older Excel versions) to detect UTF-8 correctly. Adds a small header (BOM).
• ANSI : Actually Windows-1252 on Western systems. Limited to certain languages. Avoid for multilingual content.

To add BOM: Use Encoding > Convert to UTF-8-BOM and save.

Common Issues & Tips

• If converting doesn't fix garbled text, the original encoding might be misidentified. Try common ones like UTF-8 , UTF-16 , or Windows-125x encodings.
• Always backup the file before converting, especially if unsure.
• For batch conversion (multiple files), use Notepad 's "Convert" option in the "Encoding" menu while multiple files are open , or use plugins like TextFX (older versions) or external tools.

Basically, just:

1. Open file
2. Try different encodings under Encoding to make text readable
3. Then Convert to your desired encoding (eg, UTF-8)
4. Save

That's it — no extra tools needed.

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