How to encode / convert a .strings file into UTF-16LE in Xcode

When you create a new .strings file in Xcode it will be encoded as Unicode UTF-8. That’s sufficient to hold all the special characters you can dream of.

Some translation services such as ICanLocalize require .strings files to be submitted in UTF-16LE though. Puzzled about what this even means I found out that UTF-16LE can hold languages such as Chinese and Hindu in smaller sizes than UTF-8 could. It’s a bit theoretical, but the good news is that Xcode 5 can change this very easily:

• select your file in Xcode
• open the right hand pane and select the File Inspector (little piece of paper icon)
• under Text Settings, find a drop down menu that lets you select a new encoding method for your file

Xcode will offer to either re-interpret the current file, or to convert it. Choose the latter and save your file (CMD+S), and all is well again with the world.

You can now choose to upload your file for a free quote:

• http://www.icanlocalize.com/site/services/software-localization/

Further reading:

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UTF-8
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UTF-16