Are you experiencing trouble with LookupError: unknown encoding in Python? Don’t worry about it! This article will outline the problem’s causes and suggest possible fixes. Let’s get going!

What is the root cause of the Python LookupError: unknown encoding issue? 

For example, the most common error is “LookupError: unknown encoding: cp65001.” The Unicode characters your Python script attempts to print cannot be displayed on the screen using the current encoding. (cp65001 was used to add code page support to Python, and it was also frequently used for the OEM code page)

To support multiple languages and characters in the Windows console, Windows employs a “code page” system. When the console interacts with external programs, it also encodes and decodes the input and output.

As a result, we will find the most effective solution to this bug.

How to fix LookupError: unknown encoding in Python?

Method 1: Utilize chcp command

This method will alter the current session’s encoding. As a result, when you restart the computer, your settings will be lost. Follow the instruction below to open a Command Prompt window with another code page.

Step 1: Proceed Run (Win+R)

Step 2: Enter cmd /K chcp 1252

Conversely, you can save the command chcp 1252 to your PowerShell Profile, which will execute it whenever you launch PowerShell.

Method 2: In Windows Registry, change the default character encoding.

Use Windows Registry if you don’t want to manually run chcp each time a new Command Line window opens. Examine your bug closely and take the actions listed below.

Step 1: Proceed Run (Win+R)

Step 2: Try typing regedit.exe

Step 3: Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Console\%SystemRoot%_system32_cmd.exe

Step 4: CodePage should now have a value of 1252.

Step 5: To make the modifications take effect, restart the computer.

Method 3: Setup the win-unicode-console package

A Python module called win-unicode-console enables Unicode input and display when Python is being used from a Windows console. This is ideal if you’re looking for a programming language that can instantly correct encoding error signals.

Since the fundamental problem has been fixed, Python 3.6 and later versions do not require the module.

As you can see, there are various ways to fix this mistake, but depending on your situation, you should carefully consider each method to choose the most effective one.

Conclusion

We trust that the information on this page will help you solve LookupError: unknown encoding in Python. We also hope that explains the mistake you ran into and, ideally, offers a few more ways to prevent it. Please comment if you run into any additional problems with this mistake, and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible! We appreciate your reading.

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