Fix Python UnicodeDecodeError (2025 Guide)
Fix Python UnicodeDecodeError (2025 Guide) Fix Python UnicodeDecodeError (2025 Guide) Posted on: March 23, 2025 Encountered a "UnicodeDecodeError" in Python? This error occurs when decoding bytes into a string with an incorrect or incompatible encoding. Let’s fix it fast in this 2025 guide! What Causes "UnicodeDecodeError"? This error happens when Python tries to decode a byte sequence (e.g., from a file) into a string but encounters characters that don’t match the specified encoding. Common causes include: Wrong Encoding : Using an encoding like UTF-8 on non-UTF-8 data. Missing Encoding : Not specifying an encoding when opening a file. Mixed Data : Files with multiple or corrupted encodings. # This triggers "UnicodeDecodeError" with open("data.txt", "r...