Android default character encoding

Question

What is the default character encoding of the Android system? Which Charset is used?

score 56 · Accepted Answer · edited Dec 13 '19 at 13:58

56

The default character encoding for Android is UTF-8, as specified by the JavaDoc of the Charset.defaultCharset() method. It can be validated by calling that same method.

edited Dec 13 '19 at 13:58

Joachim Sauer

answered Feb 05 '10 at 14:15

pgsandstrom

3

Fortunately, you don't need to run a program to verify it's UTF-8. The documentation for that method states it outright: http://developer.android.com/reference/java/nio/charset/Charset.html#defaultCharset() – Jay Lieske Jan 18 '14 at 18:12
2

@JayLieske If you want UTF-8 you're still better off by [indicating the encoding directly](https://developer.android.com/reference/java/nio/charset/StandardCharsets.html#UTF_8). That makes the code more portable, and it would protect you against changes of the Android system. – Maarten Bodewes Aug 06 '14 at 12:03
3

Actually the android developper website says that String objects are using UTF-16, so what do we mean by android default encoding ? the encoding used in strings for applications or something else ? – Virus721 Apr 30 '15 at 15:15
1

@pgsandstrom Where do you see default mentioned as UTF-8? The provided link doesn't say that! – rpattabi Aug 15 '16 at 23:29
@Virus721 actually strings are Unicode UTF-16 is a character encoding, just like UTF-8 or ASCII. There is an explicit process for converting bytes into the language's String type: the encoding. – escape-llc Oct 12 '16 at 12:10
2

provided link now tells that `defaultCharset` > Android note: The Android platform default is always UTF-8. – xAqweRx May 09 '17 at 12:37

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