PotPlayer Subtitle Encoding Problems (Garbled Text): Fix Guide

Garbled subtitles in PotPlayer usually mean one thing: the subtitle file’s text encoding (and sometimes the chosen subtitle font) does not match what PotPlayer is using to decode and render the characters. The result is familiar: question marks, boxes, random symbols, or perfectly readable English lines mixed with broken accents or Asian characters. This guide walks through the most reliable fixes, explains why they work, and gives a quick checklist you can reuse every time it happens.

1. Understand Why Subtitles Turn Into “Garbled Text”.

Subtitle text is stored as bytes. An encoding is simply the rulebook that says how those bytes map to characters. If the subtitle file is saved as UTF-8 but the player assumes a legacy encoding (like Windows-1252, Shift-JIS, GBK, Big5, or EUC-KR), characters will decode incorrectly. The opposite is also common: a file saved in a local code page is opened as UTF-8, creating nonsense characters.

In PotPlayer, garbled subtitles most commonly happen for three reasons:

• The subtitle file is saved in a different encoding than PotPlayer’s current subtitle encoding setting.
• The file has no clear encoding markers (like a UTF-8 BOM), so auto-detection guesses wrong.
• The chosen subtitle font does not contain the glyphs needed for the language (so you see squares or empty boxes instead of letters).

Fixing it is usually straightforward once you know which of those three is the root cause.

1.1 The Quick Visual Clues That Point To Encoding vs Font.

Before changing settings, it helps to identify which problem you have:

• If you see random accented characters, strange symbols, or mixed nonsense that still “looks like letters,” that is typically an encoding mismatch.
• If you see boxes (tofu), empty squares, or missing characters, that often indicates a font glyph issue (though an encoding mismatch can also produce uncommon characters your font does not support).
• If only some lines are broken (for example, only lines with accented characters), the encoding may be correct for basic ASCII but wrong for extended characters, or the subtitle file might contain mixed encodings.

1.2 Common Subtitle Formats Affected.

Encoding problems show up most often with plain-text subtitle formats, especially:

• SRT (.srt)
• ASS/SSA (.ass, .ssa)
• SUB (MicroDVD-style .sub text variants)

Image-based subtitles (like PGS inside Blu-ray) do not have text encoding issues because they are bitmap images, but they can have OCR or styling issues if converted to text.

2. Fix It Inside PotPlayer First (Fastest Win).

When you just want the subtitles to display correctly right now, the quickest fix is to change how PotPlayer interprets the subtitle file.

2.1 Change Subtitle Encoding (Manual Selection).

PotPlayer includes subtitle encoding controls that let you override auto-detection. The exact menu labels can vary slightly by version and language pack, but the workflow is consistent: open the subtitle settings and change the encoding used to read external subtitle files.

Use this method when:

• You know the subtitle language (for example, Japanese, Korean, Traditional Chinese, Polish).
• The file likely came from a region-specific source or older fansub era.

Practical approach:

1. Open PotPlayer Preferences.
2. Go to the Subtitles section (External Subtitles / Language / Encoding area depending on build).
3. Try UTF-8 first if the subtitle was downloaded recently.
4. If UTF-8 fails, try the most likely legacy encoding for the language:

• Japanese: Shift-JIS (CP932) is common in older files.
• Korean: EUC-KR (CP949) is common in older files.
• Simplified Chinese: GBK/GB2312 variants.
• Traditional Chinese: Big5.
• Central European languages: Windows-1250 might be used in older subtitles.

If the text snaps into readable characters immediately after changing encoding, you have confirmed it was an encoding mismatch.

2.2 Toggle or Improve Auto-Detect Behavior.

If PotPlayer is set to auto-detect encoding, it may still guess wrong on short subtitle files or files dominated by ASCII with only occasional non-ASCII characters. If you see inconsistent results across files, consider switching from auto to manual for your most common language, or use UTF-8 as your default if most subtitles you use are modern.

Tip: If you frequently watch subtitles in multiple languages, note which encoding works for each language and switch quickly when you encounter garbled text. It is faster than editing files every time.

2.3 Fix “Boxes” or Missing Characters by Changing Subtitle Font.

If the subtitle characters are correct but render as boxes, change the subtitle font to one that supports the language’s character set. Many Western-focused fonts do not include CJK glyphs, for example.

Recommended approach:

• Pick a font known for broad Unicode coverage.
• On Windows, common choices include Microsoft YaHei (Simplified Chinese), Microsoft JhengHei (Traditional Chinese), Meiryo (Japanese), Malgun Gothic (Korean), or Arial Unicode-style fonts if installed.

Then re-check the same subtitle lines. If the encoding was already correct, the missing glyphs should appear properly once a suitable font is selected.

3. Permanently Fix the Subtitle File (Best Long-Term Solution).

If you want a fix that works not only in PotPlayer but across other players and devices, convert the subtitle file to UTF-8. UTF-8 is the most widely supported Unicode encoding and is a strong default for modern playback workflows.

3.1 Convert SRT/ASS to UTF-8 Using a Text Editor.

The most reliable method is to open the subtitle in a capable editor, set the correct “current encoding,” then save as UTF-8. This prevents double-encoding mistakes where you save garbled text into a new file.

General safe workflow (applies to most editors):

1. Open the subtitle file using an “Open with encoding” feature if available.
2. Select the encoding that makes the text look correct.
3. Save (or Save As) using UTF-8 encoding.

In many cases, saving as “UTF-8 with BOM” can improve compatibility with software that relies on the BOM to detect UTF-8. However, some tools prefer UTF-8 without BOM. If one does not work in your ecosystem, try the other. For PotPlayer, UTF-8 generally works well either way, but BOM can help detection in other software.

3.2 Convert Using Windows PowerShell (Repeatable Batch Fix).

If you have many subtitle files from the same source, you may prefer a repeatable conversion method. PowerShell can convert encodings, but you must know the original encoding first. If you convert using the wrong source encoding, you will permanently bake in incorrect characters.

A careful batch strategy:

• Test on one file first.
• Confirm the result displays correctly in PotPlayer and at least one other player.
• Only then convert the rest of the batch.

Because the exact command depends on source encoding and your Windows version, treat scripted conversion as an “advanced” step. A GUI editor is safer when you are unsure.

3.3 Watch Out for Mixed Encodings and Bad Source Files.

Some subtitles are simply broken: parts were copied from different files or processed by tools that damaged the encoding. In that case, you might see lines that look correct and lines that never become correct no matter what encoding you choose. That is a sign the file may contain mixed encodings or corrupted text.

Practical options:

• Try to find a different subtitle release from a reputable source.
• Use a subtitle editor to retype or replace only the corrupted lines.
• If the subtitle is in ASS format, check whether the file declares a script encoding or style assumptions, and ensure the editor preserves it when saving.

4. PotPlayer-Specific Checks That Frequently Solve It.

PotPlayer is feature-rich and that means a few settings can override your expectations. If encoding changes did not stick, or the issue seems inconsistent, check these PotPlayer-specific areas.

4.1 Confirm You Are Editing Settings for External Subtitles.

PotPlayer can display:

• Embedded subtitles (inside MKV/MP4 containers)
• External subtitles (separate .srt/.ass files)

Encoding problems are most common with external text subtitles. Make sure you are changing the encoding setting that applies to external subtitles and not only embedded streams. If the subtitle is embedded, PotPlayer is reading it from the container and the encoding behavior can differ.

4.2 Verify the Subtitle File Name and Auto-Load Behavior.

If you have multiple subtitle files in the folder, PotPlayer may auto-load one you did not intend. You might “fix” the encoding for the wrong subtitle and think nothing changed. Confirm you are viewing the exact subtitle track you expect and that its file name matches the video file name if you rely on auto-load.

To reduce confusion:

• Keep only one candidate subtitle next to the video while troubleshooting.
• Use clear language tags in file names (for example, “Movie.en.srt”, “Movie.ja.srt”).

4.3 Reset Subtitle Overrides If You Previously Tweaked Them.

If you have made many subtitle changes over time (font substitutions, renderer changes, forced styles), you may have a non-default configuration that interacts badly with some ASS/SSA subtitles. If you suspect that, temporarily reset subtitle-related settings to defaults, then re-apply only the minimal changes: correct encoding and a known-good font.

5. Best Encoding Choices by Language (Practical Cheat Sheet).

If you do not know the original encoding, you can still make an educated guess based on language and subtitle source age. Modern subtitles are often UTF-8, especially from platforms and newer communities. Older region-specific subtitles often use Windows code pages.

5.1 A Reasonable “Try Order” That Works Often.

Try these in order until the text becomes readable:

1. UTF-8
2. UTF-8 with BOM (if your tools distinguish it)
3. Windows-1252 (Western Europe, older English/Spanish/French files with accents)
4. Windows-1250 (Central Europe)
5. CP1251 (Cyrillic)
6. Shift-JIS / CP932 (Japanese)
7. EUC-KR / CP949 (Korean)
8. GBK/GB2312 (Simplified Chinese)
9. Big5 (Traditional Chinese)

This is not a guarantee, but it is a time-saving triage sequence that matches what many subtitle archives historically used.

5.2 When UTF-8 Is Not Enough.

Sometimes you select UTF-8 and the subtitle becomes “less wrong” but still not right. That can indicate:

• The file is not UTF-8.
• The file is UTF-8 but already got mis-decoded and re-saved incorrectly by someone else.
• The file contains special punctuation or characters outside your chosen font.

In these cases, the best next step is to open the file in a text editor that can detect encoding heuristically and let you re-save correctly.

6. FAQ: PotPlayer Subtitle Encoding Problems.

6.1 How Do I Know What Encoding My Subtitle File Uses?

There is no universal guarantee because many plain-text files do not include metadata that declares encoding. Some UTF-8 files include a BOM that helps detection, but many do not. The most practical way is to open the file in a capable editor and test encodings until the text displays correctly, then save as UTF-8.

6.2 Why Does the Same Subtitle Look Fine in One Player and Broken in PotPlayer?

Different players use different default assumptions and detection logic. One player might default to UTF-8; another might default to the system code page; another might use a detection library with different heuristics. That is why converting the file to UTF-8 is the most portable long-term fix.

6.3 Why Are Only Accents or Special Characters Broken?

Basic English letters and numbers are shared across many encodings (ASCII range), so they look fine even when the encoding is wrong. Accents, CJK characters, and symbols live outside that shared range, so they reveal the mismatch immediately.

6.4 Is This a PotPlayer Bug?

Usually no. Garbled text is most often a file encoding issue or an incorrect default assumption. PotPlayer provides manual encoding selection precisely because many subtitles in the wild are not consistently encoded or labeled.

6.5 Will Converting to UTF-8 Break Timing or Formatting?

Encoding conversion should not change timestamps. It changes only how characters are stored. However, always keep a backup copy before saving, because using the wrong “source encoding” during conversion can permanently scramble text.

7. A Simple Step-By-Step Checklist (Use This Every Time).

If you want a reliable routine you can apply in under a few minutes, follow this checklist:

1. Confirm PotPlayer is displaying the subtitle file you think it is.
2. Switch subtitle encoding to UTF-8 and re-check the garbled lines.
3. If still broken, try the likely legacy encoding for the subtitle language (Shift-JIS, EUC-KR, GBK, Big5, CP1251, etc.).
4. If characters become readable but show as boxes, change the subtitle font to one with full glyph support.
5. For a permanent fix, open the subtitle in a text editor, load it using the correct encoding, then save as UTF-8.
6. If nothing works consistently, assume the subtitle is corrupted or mixed-encoded and find a better source.

Once you get used to separating “encoding” problems from “font glyph” problems, PotPlayer subtitle issues become quick to solve rather than a frustrating mystery.

Citations

• Unicode FAQ: What is Unicode? (UTF-8 context and concepts). (Unicode.org)
• UTF-8, UTF-16, UTF-32 overview and BOM notes. (Unicode.org)
• Character encoding fundamentals and Windows code pages background. (Microsoft Learn)
• PotPlayer (Daum) product/site reference for player features and subtitle support context. (Daum PotPlayer)