{"version":"2.1.299","anchor":"editwrite-refuse-non-utf-8-files-with-explicit-message","canonical_anchor":"editwrite-refuse-non-utf-8-files-with-explicit-message","heading":"Edit and Write refuse files that are not UTF-8","tier":"notice","area":"File Editing","scope":"individual","heads_up":true,"url":"https:\/\/changelogs.core-directive.com\/v\/2.1.299\/e\/editwrite-refuse-non-utf-8-files-with-explicit-message","release_url":"https:\/\/changelogs.core-directive.com\/v\/2.1.299","markdown":"### Edit and Write refuse files that are not UTF-8\n\nEdit and Write now refuse files that are not valid UTF-8, contain NUL bytes or are UTF-16 big-endian, and write nothing\n\n**Unclear.** Whether the refusal itself is enforced in this release, or only the messages are present, is not confirmed.\n\n**What**\n\nEdit and Write are the tools Claude uses to change and create files. They now refuse a file and write nothing when it:\n\n- is not valid UTF-8, the most common text encoding\n\n- contains NUL bytes\n\n- is UTF-16 big-endian, a different text encoding\n\nClaude is told why, and is told to use a shell command that keeps the file's encoding or to ask you.\n\n**Why**\n\nThis keeps files in older or unusual encodings from being quietly damaged when Claude edits them.\n\n- Area: File Editing\n- Tier: You'll notice\n- Useful: 3\/5\n- Signal: 2\/5\n- Scope: individual\n- Heads-up: yes"}