CSV / Text Encoding Repair
Compare several decodings of the same CSV, TSV or TXT bytes, then download the version you confirm as UTF-8.
CSV / Text Encoding Repair
Text Statistics
Traditional-Simplified Chinese Converter
Simplified-Traditional Chinese Converter
PDF to Text
Image OCR
Compare several decodings of the same CSV, TSV or TXT bytes, then download the version you confirm as UTF-8.
About CSV / Text Encoding Repair
Compare the same bytes before choosing
The tool decodes one byte sample as UTF-8, Big5, GB18030, Shift_JIS and Windows-1252 when the browser supports them. Names, punctuation and column boundaries are usually more useful than an automatic guess.
Evidence is not a guarantee
A matching BOM is strong evidence. Replacement characters, controls and suspicious sequences reveal some bad decodings, but several encodings can still produce readable-looking text. You make the final choice.
The source stays unchanged
Only the selected encoding is applied to the complete file. CSV and TSV downloads include a UTF-8 BOM for spreadsheet compatibility; TXT downloads use plain UTF-8. No text is uploaded.
FAQ
Common questions and answers about this topic.
How do I fix garbled text in a CSV file?
Add the original CSV, compare the candidate previews, check familiar names and columns, then choose the readable encoding and download the UTF-8 copy. Keep the source until you verify the result.
How should I choose between UTF-8, Big5 and GB18030?
Use a matching BOM when present, then inspect actual content. The best candidate should preserve expected names, punctuation and separators with few or no replacement characters. The order alone is not proof.
Does this tool open XLSX Excel workbooks?
No. XLSX is a structured binary workbook, not a plain text file. Export the sheet as CSV first, or use spreadsheet software that can choose the source encoding during import.
Why does the downloaded CSV include a UTF-8 BOM?
The BOM helps spreadsheet applications recognize UTF-8 when a CSV or TSV is opened directly. TXT output stays plain UTF-8 because text editors generally detect it without that marker.
Is the uploaded text sent to a server?
No. Reading, previewing and UTF-8 conversion run in this browser. The source is not uploaded or overwritten. Closing or reloading the page clears the working state.
Can encoding repair recover text that was already lost upstream?
No. The tool can reinterpret existing bytes and save the chosen text as UTF-8. It cannot reconstruct characters that were replaced, deleted or exported incorrectly before this file was created.