Change default code page of Windows console to UTF-8

Question

Currently I'm running Windows 7 x64 and usually I want all console tools to work with UTF-8 rather than with default code page 850.

Running chcp 65001 in the command prompt prior to use of any tools helps but is there any way to set is as default code page?

Update:

Changing HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Nls\CodePage\OEMCP value to 65001 appear to make the system unable to boot in my case.

Proposed change of HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Command Processor\Autorun to @chcp 65001>nul served just well for my purpose. (thanks to Ole_Brun)

Answer 1

To change the codepage for the console only, do the following:

1. Start -> Run -> regedit
2. Go to [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Command Processor\Autorun]
3. Change the value to chcp 65001

Answer 2

Personally, I don't like changing the registry. This can cause a lot of problems. I created a batch file:

@ECHO OFF
REM change CHCP to UTF-8
CHCP 65001
CLS

I saved at C:\Windows\System32 as switch.bat.

I created a link for cmd.exe on the Desktop.

In the properties of the cmd shortcut, changed the destination to: C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe /k switch

Voilá, when I need to type in UTF-8, I use this link.

Answer 3

Reg file:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Console\%SystemRoot%_system32_cmd.exe]
"CodePage"=dword:fde9

1. Value must be in hex
2. Top line must be included exactly as is
3. HKEY_CURRENT_USER cannot be abbreviated
4. dword cannot be omitted

---

Command Prompt:

REG ADD HKCU\Console\%SystemRoot^%_system32_cmd.exe /v CodePage /t REG_DWORD /d 65001

1. Value can be in dec or hex
2. %SystemRoot% must be escaped
3. REG_DWORD cannot be omitted

---

PowerShell:

New-Item -ErrorAction Ignore HKCU:\Console\%SystemRoot%_system32_cmd.exe
Set-ItemProperty HKCU:\Console\%SystemRoot%_system32_cmd.exe CodePage 65001

1. Value can be in dec or hex
2. -Type DWord is assumed with PowerShell 3+
3. Can use ni -> New-Item
4. Can use sp -> Set-ItemProperty
5. Can use -ea 0 -> -ErrorAction Ignore

---

Cygwin:

regtool add '\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Console\%SystemRoot%_system32_cmd.exe'
regtool set '\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Console\%SystemRoot%_system32_cmd.exe\CodePage' 65001

1. Value can be in dec or hex
2. Can use / -> \
3. Can use HKCU -> HKEY_CURRENT_USER
4. Can use user -> HKEY_CURRENT_USER

Answer 4

In the 1809 build of Windows 10 I've managed to permanently solve this by going to the system's Language settings, selecting Administrative language settings, clicking Change system locale... and checking the Beta: Use Unicode UTF-8 for worldwide language support box and then restarting my pc.

This way it applies to all applications, even those ones that I don't start from a command prompt!
(Which was neccessary for me, since I was trying to edit Agda code from Atom.)

Answer 5

This can be done by creating a PowerShell profile and adding the command "chcp 65001 >$null" to it:

PS> Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned
PS> New-Item -Path $Profile -ItemType file -Force
PS> notepad $Profile

This doesn't require editing the registry and, unlike editing a shortcut, will work if PowerShell is started in a specific folder using the Windows Explorer context menu.

Answer 6

The command to change the codepage is chcp <codepage>. Example: chcp 1252. You should type it in a Powershell window. To avoid the hassle of typing it everytime (if you always have to change the codepage), you may append it to the program's command line. To do so, follow these steps:

1. Right-click the Powershell icon on Start menu and choose "More" > "Open file Location".
2. Right-click the Powershell shortcut and select "Properties".
3. Add the following to the end of the "Target" command line: -NoExit -Command "chcp 1252"

Be happy. Don't fuss with Windows Registry unless you have no other option.