ISUTF8(1) moreutils ISUTF8(1)

.SH "NAME" isutf8 - check whether files are valid UTF-8

.SH "SYNOPSIS"

.HP 168u

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

.SH "DESCRIPTION"

.PP **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.

.SH "OPTIONS"

.PP **-h**, **--help**

Print out a help summary.

.RE .PP **-q**, **--quiet**

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

.RE

.PP **-l**, **--list**

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

.RE

.PP **-i**, **--invert**

Invert the selection: list UTF-8 compatible files.

.RE

.PP **-v**, **--verbose**

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

.RE

.SH "EXIT STATUS"

.PP 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.

.SH "AUTHOR"

.PP Lars Wirzenius, Julien Palard

.SH "SEE ALSO"

.PP [**utf8**(7)](/man/enterprise-packages/moreutils/utf8.7)

08/30/2026 moreutils

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Document: isutf8(1) from moreutils 0.70-r1 (Chainguard OS)
Source: git://git.joeyh.name/moreutils