---
name: "isutf8"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "moreutils"
version: "0.70-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/isutf8"
---

# isutf8(1)

check whether files are valid UTF-8

## NAME

isutf8 - check whether files are valid UTF-8

## SYNOPSIS

**isutf8**  \[**-hqliv**\] \[**--help**\] \[**--quiet**\] \[**--list**\] \[**--invert**\] \[**--verbose**\] \[*file*...\]

## DESCRIPTION

**isutf8** checks whether files are syntactically valid UTF-8. Input is either files named on the command line, or the standard input. Notices about files with invalid UTF-8 are printed to standard output.

## OPTIONS

- FC**-h**F\[0\], FC**--help**F\[0\]

  Print out a help summary.

- FC**-q**F\[0\], FC**--quiet**F\[0\]

  Don't print messages telling which files are invalid UTF-8, merely indicate it with the exit status.

- FC**-l**F\[0\], FC**--list**F\[0\]

  Print only the names of files containing invalid UTF-8.

- FC**-i**F\[0\], FC**--invert**F\[0\]

  Invert the selection: list UTF-8 compatible files.

- FC**-v**F\[0\], FC**--verbose**F\[0\]

  Also print an hexdump-like view of the error and some context.

## EXIT STATUS

If the file is valid UTF-8, the exit status is zero. If the file is not valid UTF-8, or there is some error, the exit status is non-zero.

## AUTHOR

Lars Wirzenius, Julien Palard

## SEE ALSO

[**utf8**(7)](/utf8/7.md)