How to Change the Encoding of a Single Text File to UTF-8 Using PowerShell in One Command

Learn how to efficiently change the encoding of text files to UTF-8 with a simple inline PowerShell command, without the need for external text editors.
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Change the Encoding of a Text File to UTF-8 Using PowerShell

Working with text files in different encoding formats can be a challenge, especially if you require a specific encoding like UTF-8. Many users face the common issue of PowerShell defaulting to CRLF encoding when creating text files. If you find yourself needing to change the encoding of a text file but want to avoid the cumbersome task of manually editing it in a text editor, you're in the right place.

In this post, we will walk you through a simple, efficient way to change the encoding format of a single text file to UTF-8 using PowerShell.

The Problem

You may have encountered a situation where you run a command in PowerShell to generate a text file, and it defaults to CRLF (Carriage Return, Line Feed) encoding. Here’s an example of such a command:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

The Requirement

Your goal is to:

Create the text file with UTF-8 encoding.

Accomplish this in a single inline command without needing to open a text editor.

The Solution

To achieve the required UTF-8 encoding when creating your text file, you can utilize the Out-File cmdlet in PowerShell. The Out-File cmdlet allows for specifying the encoding format directly.

How to Use the Out-File Cmdlet

Here’s how to adjust your initial command to include UTF-8 encoding:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Breakdown of the Command:

Get-ChildItem: This retrieves all files in the current directory that match the .tif extension.

Format-Table: This formats the output to show only the Name of the files.

-Encoding utf8: This flag specifies that the output file should be saved with UTF-8 encoding.

Testing the Command

Conclusion

Changing the encoding of a text file in PowerShell can be straightforward if you know the right command. By utilizing Out-File with the -Encoding utf8 parameter, you can ensure that your text files are created in the desired format effortlessly. No need for manual adjustments or external applications!

Now, whenever you need to create text files with UTF-8 encoding, you have all the necessary information at your fingertips!

Feel free to reach out if you have further questions or need assistance with PowerShell commands.