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

# wcpncpy(3)

copy a fixed-size string of wide characters, returning a pointer to its end

## NAME

wcpncpy - copy a fixed-size string of wide characters, returning a pointer to its end

## LIBRARY

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

## SYNOPSIS

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

**wchar\_t \*wcpncpy(**size\_t n;                  **wchar\_t** *dest***\[restrict** *n***\],**                  **const wchar\_t \*restrict** *src***,**                  **size\_t** *n***);**

Feature Test Macro Requirements for glibc (see [**feature\_test\_macros**(7)](/feature_test_macros/7.md)):

**wcpncpy**():

```
    Since glibc 2.10:
        _POSIX_C_SOURCE >= 200809L
    Before glibc 2.10:
        _GNU_SOURCE
```

## DESCRIPTION

The **wcpncpy**() function is the wide-character equivalent of the [**stpncpy**(3)](/stpncpy/3.md) function. It copies at most *n* wide characters from the wide-character string pointed to by *src*, including the terminating null wide (L'\\0'), to the array pointed to by *dest*. Exactly *n* wide characters are written at *dest*. If the length *wcslen(src)* is smaller than *n*, the remaining wide characters in the array pointed to by *dest* are filled with L'\\0' characters. If the length *wcslen(src)* is greater than or equal to *n*, the string pointed to by *dest* will not be L'\\0' terminated.

The strings may not overlap.

The programmer must ensure that there is room for at least *n* wide characters at *dest*.

## RETURN VALUE

**wcpncpy**() returns a pointer to one past the last non-null wide character written, that is, *dest + wcsnlen(src, n)*.

## ATTRIBUTES

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

| | | |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Interface** | **Attribute** | **Value** |
| **wcpncpy**() | Thread safety | MT-Safe |

## STANDARDS

POSIX.1-2008.

## SEE ALSO

[**stpncpy**(3)](/stpncpy/3.md), [**wcsncpy**(3)](/wcsncpy/3.md)