This tutorial will show you how to enable or disable Unicode UTF-8 for worldwide language support for all users in Windows 10 and Windows 11.
When you change the display language, the text in menus and dialog boxes for some programs might not be in the language that you want. This happens because the program might not support Unicode. You can enable Unicode UTF-8 for worldwide language support.
UTF-8 is a character encoding standard used for electronic communication. Defined by the Unicode Standard, the name is derived from Unicode Transformation Format – 8-bit.
You must be sign in as an administrator to enable or disable Unicode UTF-8 for worldwide language support.
Contents
- Option One: Enable or Disable Unicode UTF-8 for Worldwide Language Support in Settings
- Option Two: Enable or Disable Unicode UTF-8 for Worldwide Language Support in Control Panel
- Option Three: Enable or Disable Unicode UTF-8 for Worldwide Language Support using REG file
This option is currently only available to Windows 11 build 26200.5742 (Dev 25H2), build 26120.5742 (Beta 24H2), and build 2610.5061 (RP 24H2).
1 Open Settings (Win+I).
2 Click/tap on Time & language on the left side, and click/tap on Language & region on the right side. (see screenshot below)
3 Under Language, click/tap on Windows display language to expand it open. (see screenshot below step 4)
4 Turn on or off (default) Beta: Use Unicode UTF-8 for worldwide language support for what you want. (see screenshot below)
5 You can now close Settings if you like.
1 Open the Control Panel (icons view), and click/tap on the Region icon.
2 Click/tap on the Administrative tab, and click/tap on the Change system locale button under "Language for non-Unicode programs". (see screenshot below)
3 Check (on) or uncheck (off - default) Beta: Use Unicode UTF-8 for worldwide language support for what you want, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)
4 Click/tap on Restart now to apply. (see screenshot below)
This will immediately restart the computer. Be sure to save and close everything else first.
1 Do step 2 (enable) or step 3 (disable) below for what you would like to do.
2 Enable Unicode UTF-8 for Worldwide Language Support
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
Turn_ON_Unicode_UTF-8_for_worldwide_language_support.reg
Download
(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Nls\CodePage]
"ACP"="65001"
"MACCP"="65001"
"OEMCP"="65001"3 Disable Unicode UTF-8 for Worldwide Language Support
This is the default setting.
A) Click/tap on the Download button below to download the file below, and go to step 4 below.
Turn_OFF_Unicode_UTF-8_for_worldwide_language_support.reg
Download
(Contents of REG file for reference)
Code:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Nls\CodePage]
"ACP"="1252"
"MACCP"="10000"
"OEMCP"="437"4 Save the .reg file to your desktop.
5 If you have Smart App Control turned on, you will need to unblock the downloaded REG file.
6 Double click/tap on the downloaded .reg file to merge it.
7 When prompted, click/tap on Run, Yes (UAC), Yes, and OK to approve the merge.
8 Restart the computer to apply.
9 You could now delete the downloaded .reg file if you like.
That's it,
Shawn Brink
Last edited:
