How to set NOTEPAD to save to UNICODE as default

[*rain*drops*]

I guess the title says it: In XP, how do I set NOTEPAD to save to UNICODE
as default. I posted a similar query and recieved just one response,
recommending me to get a different program. I want to just tweak NOTEPAD,
through registry edits or whatever.

How do I do that?

--

*rain*drops*

[RobertVA]

Have you tried saving a blank file in UNICODE format and double clicking
a shortcut leading to that file instead of starting Notepad with the
normal Notepad application shortcut?

There is a "IfCharset" key with the value of 0 in the
\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Notepad section of the registry. I
don't know what effect changing that key would have. That key is
duplicated in another part of the registry too (do a search). CAUTION:
experimenting with registry entries could have serious and unwanted
effects on your applications and operating system.

[tazosmr]

> *rain*drops*
>
Just install this Notepad-Unicoder file(
http://otaxi.ge/programebi/notepadunicodireba.zip ) and fron now, your text
files will be automatically created with default Unicode(UTF8) text.

[den...@gmail.com]

SET NOTEPAD TO SAVE IN UNICODE BY DEFAULT
=========================================

1. Right click -> New -> Text Document
2. Open "New Text Document.txt". Do NOT type anything!
3. Go to "File -> Save As... " and choose UniCode under "Encoding:", press "Save" and overwrite existing file. Close the file.
4. Rename "New Text Document.txt" to "UniCode.txt"
5. Copy "UniCode.txt" to "C:\WINDOWS\SHELLNEW"
6. Open Regedit and Navigate to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.txt\ShellNew
7. Right click in the right window -> New -> "String Value" and rename it to "FileName".
8. Double click on "FileName" and put "UniCode.txt" into "Value Data".
9. press OK It's finished.

Test it: Create new .txt document (Right click -> New -> Text Document). Open it and go to "File -> Save As... " and see that encoding is set by

default to UniCode . :-)

[shach...@gmail.com]

Thank you
it worked like magic

[basi...@gmail.com]

awesome fix, Thanks

[uksh...@gmail.com]

I have Windows 10.
This works only for Right click -> New -> Text Document.
If I open Notepad from the Start menu, it opens with the encoding ANSI as default.
Therefore, I think, it is easier to have the New Text Document.txt on the Desktop and open it to write any Unicode document, instead of changing the registry entries.

[fwg...@gmail.com]

On Saturday, January 25, 2014 at 9:50:31 PM UTC+2, den...@gmail.com wrote:

Thanks

[anton...@gmail.com]

SOLUTION: (ok maybe this is unrelated to the original problem but I found this thread while I was having MY problem so I'm posting my solution)

Especially for the people that have windows 10 and seeking to save in unicode. Is your problem actually that you are from a non English country and whenever you write something in a text file you need to go in this trouble to "save as" into "unicode"? That was MY problem and the solution is to change your locale, then you don't need to do anything else. You files will be saved in the proper encoding automatically.

Instructions: (short version)
Go to region and change locale to your preferred country.
Control Panel > Region > Administrative > language for non-unicode programs > Change system locale (restart your PC)

Step by Step Instructions for Windows 10:
search "Control Panel" (by just opening start menu and typing, or press the
"search windows" button, ie the magnifying glass, on the taskbar)
Open "Control Panel"
Open "Region"
Click the last tab "Administrative"
On the bottom is the "language for non-unicode programs" area
Click "Change system locale" and select your country.
Restart your PC

Now hopefully you don't need to do anything else.