---
name: "getwc"
section: "3"
platform: "linux"
package: "man-pages"
version: "6.19-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux", "freebsd", "macos"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/fgetwc"
---

# getwc(3)

read a wide character from a FILE stream

Part of [fgetwc(3)](/fgetwc/3.md).

## NAME

fgetwc, getwc - read a wide character from a FILE stream

## LIBRARY

Standard C library (*libc*, *-lc*)

## SYNOPSIS

```
#include <stdio.h>
#include <wchar.h>
```

**wint\_t fgetwc(FILE \****stream***);** **wint\_t getwc(FILE \****stream***);**

## DESCRIPTION

The **fgetwc**() function is the wide-character equivalent of the [**fgetc**(3)](/fgetc/3.md) function. It reads a wide character from *stream* and returns it. If the end of stream is reached, or if *ferror(stream)* becomes true, it returns **WEOF**. If a wide-character conversion error occurs, it sets *errno* to **EILSEQ** and returns **WEOF**.

The **getwc**() function or macro functions identically to **fgetwc**(). It may be implemented as a macro, and may evaluate its argument more than once. There is no reason ever to use it.

For nonlocking counterparts, see [**unlocked\_stdio**(3)](/unlocked_stdio/3.md).

## RETURN VALUE

On success, **fgetwc**() returns the next wide-character from the stream. Otherwise, **WEOF** is returned, and *errno* is set to indicate the error.

## ERRORS

Apart from the usual ones, there is

- **EILSEQ**

  The data obtained from the input stream does not form a valid character.

## ATTRIBUTES

For an explanation of the terms used in this section, see [**attributes**(7)](/attributes/7.md).

| | | |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Interface** | **Attribute** | **Value** |
| **fgetwc**(), **getwc**() | Thread safety | MT-Safe |

## STANDARDS

C11, POSIX.1-2008.

## HISTORY

POSIX.1-2001, C99.

## NOTES

The behavior of **fgetwc**() depends on the **LC\_CTYPE** category of the current locale.

In the absence of additional information passed to the [**fopen**(3)](/fopen/3.md) call, it is reasonable to expect that **fgetwc**() will actually read a multibyte sequence from the stream and then convert it to a wide character.

## SEE ALSO

[**fgetws**(3)](/fgetws/3.md), [**fputwc**(3)](/fputwc/3.md), [**ungetwc**(3)](/ungetwc/3.md), [**unlocked\_stdio**(3)](/unlocked_stdio/3.md)