FoldSuite● Files stay on this device

SPREADSHEET GUIDE

How to fix garbled characters in a CSV file

Garbled names and symbols usually mean the file was opened with a different character encoding than the one used to save it.

Reviewed by FoldSuite · July 31, 2026

Why CSV encoding breaks

CSV has no universal built-in encoding marker. One system may export UTF-8 while another expects a local legacy encoding.

Prefer UTF-8 exports

When the source system offers an encoding choice, select UTF-8. It supports multilingual text and is the most portable option.

Check before merging

Open a small preview first. If text is already corrupted, fix the encoding before using values as match or deduplication keys.

FIX IT IN YOUR BROWSER

Use the file on your device. Nothing gets uploaded.

Load a sample or choose your own files, confirm the result, and download a clean workbook.

Open the free tool