Turn off sending URL path as UTF-8
- Policy ID
- UTF8
- Scope
- User Configuration
- Supported on
- At least Internet Explorer 7.0
- Source
- Administrative Templates (.admx) for Windows 11 2026 Update (26H2) (version 1.0)
- Category
- Windows Components › Internet Explorer › Internet Settings › URL Encoding
Description
This policy setting specifies whether to use 8-bit Unicode Transformation Format (UTF-8), a standard that defines characters so they are readable in any language. By using UTF-8, you can exchange Internet addresses (URLs) that contain characters from any language.
If you enable this policy setting, Internet Explorer does not allow sending the path portion of URLs as UTF-8. The user cannot change this policy setting.
If you disable this policy setting, Internet Explorer allows sending the path portion of URLs as UTF-8. The user cannot change this policy setting.
If you do not configure this policy setting, the user can allow or prevent the sending of the path portion of URLs as UTF-8.
Registry
UserHKEY_CURRENT_USER
- UrlEncodingREG_DWORD