gives the default raw character encoding for the computer system on which the Wolfram System is being run.


$SystemCharacterEncoding
gives the default raw character encoding for the computer system on which the Wolfram System is being run.
Details

- $SystemCharacterEncoding is used to determine the default value of $CharacterEncoding.
- The notebook front end handles raw character encodings independent of the kernel.
- The possible settings for $SystemCharacterEncoding are the same as for $CharacterEncoding.
Examples
Basic Examples (1)
Tech Notes
Related Guides
History
Introduced in 1996 (3.0)
Text
Wolfram Research (1996), $SystemCharacterEncoding, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/$SystemCharacterEncoding.html.
CMS
Wolfram Language. 1996. "$SystemCharacterEncoding." Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Wolfram Research. https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/$SystemCharacterEncoding.html.
APA
Wolfram Language. (1996). $SystemCharacterEncoding. Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Retrieved from https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/$SystemCharacterEncoding.html
BibTeX
@misc{reference.wolfram_2025_$systemcharacterencoding, author="Wolfram Research", title="{$SystemCharacterEncoding}", year="1996", howpublished="\url{https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/$SystemCharacterEncoding.html}", note=[Accessed: 11-August-2025]}
BibLaTeX
@online{reference.wolfram_2025_$systemcharacterencoding, organization={Wolfram Research}, title={$SystemCharacterEncoding}, year={1996}, url={https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/$SystemCharacterEncoding.html}, note=[Accessed: 11-August-2025]}