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How to Fix 'Invalid UTF-8 Encoding' Error in Shopify CSV Import

When Shopify shows the error "Invalid UTF-8 encoding", it means the CSV file you uploaded is not plain UTF‑8. This guide explains why it happens and how to resolve it.

What the error looks like

During product import, Shopify displays a red banner: Invalid UTF-8 encoding – please upload a UTF‑8 encoded file.

Why it happens

Excel on Windows often saves CSVs in Latin‑1 or adds a Byte Order Mark (BOM). Shopify expects pure UTF‑8 without a BOM, so it rejects the file.

Manual fix (Notepad++ / VS Code)

  1. Open the CSV in VS Code.
  2. Click the encoding indicator at the bottom right and select Save with encoding → UTF‑8 (ensure without BOM).
  3. Save and re‑upload.

Automated fix with CSVFixer

Upload your CSV on the Shopify fix page and download a clean UTF‑8 version instantly.

How to prevent it in the future

  • When exporting from Excel, choose CSV UTF‑8 (Comma delimited) (*.csv).
  • Avoid using the default Windows CSV export which adds a BOM.

Ready to clean your file? Fix it now