diff --git a/src/tagstudio/core/library/alchemy/library.py b/src/tagstudio/core/library/alchemy/library.py
index bc728a999..ac3d81832 100644
--- a/src/tagstudio/core/library/alchemy/library.py
+++ b/src/tagstudio/core/library/alchemy/library.py
@@ -357,7 +357,8 @@ def migrate_json_to_sqlite(self, json_lib: JsonLibrary):
 
         # extension include/exclude list
         (unwrap(self.library_dir) / TS_FOLDER_NAME / IGNORE_NAME).write_text(
-            migrate_ext_list([x.strip(".") for x in json_lib.ext_list], json_lib.is_exclude_list)
+            migrate_ext_list([x.strip(".") for x in json_lib.ext_list], json_lib.is_exclude_list),
+            encoding="utf-8",
         )
 
         end_time = time.time()
@@ -775,7 +776,7 @@ def __migrate_sql_to_ts_ignore(self, library_dir: Path):
                 session.scalar(text("SELECT value FROM preferences WHERE key = 'IS_EXCLUDE_LIST'"))
             )
 
-        with open(ts_ignore, "w") as f:
+        with open(ts_ignore, "w", encoding="utf-8") as f:
             f.write(migrate_ext_list(extensions, is_exclude_list))
 
     def __apply_db200_migrations(self, session: Session):
diff --git a/src/tagstudio/core/library/refresh.py b/src/tagstudio/core/library/refresh.py
index 824cae527..92c53066c 100644
--- a/src/tagstudio/core/library/refresh.py
+++ b/src/tagstudio/core/library/refresh.py
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ def __get_dir_list(self, library_dir: Path, ignore_patterns: list[str]) -> list[
             compiled_ignore_path = library_dir / ".TagStudio" / ".compiled_ignore"
 
             # Write compiled ignore patterns (built-in + user) to a temp file to pass to ripgrep
-            with open(compiled_ignore_path, "w") as pattern_file:
+            with open(compiled_ignore_path, "w", encoding="utf-8") as pattern_file:
                 pattern_file.write("\n".join(ignore_patterns))
 
             result = silent_run(
diff --git a/src/tagstudio/qt/global_settings.py b/src/tagstudio/qt/global_settings.py
index 94be1f076..520064ac8 100644
--- a/src/tagstudio/qt/global_settings.py
+++ b/src/tagstudio/qt/global_settings.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-only
 
 
+import locale
 import platform
 from datetime import datetime
 from enum import Enum, IntEnum, StrEnum
@@ -13,6 +14,7 @@
 from pydantic import BaseModel, Field
 
 from tagstudio.core.enums import ShowFilepathOption, TagClickActionOption
+from tagstudio.core.utils.encoding import detect_char_encoding
 
 logger = structlog.get_logger(__name__)
 
@@ -84,13 +86,16 @@ class GlobalSettings(BaseModel):
     @staticmethod
     def read_settings(path: Path = DEFAULT_GLOBAL_SETTINGS_PATH) -> "GlobalSettings":
         if path.exists():
-            with open(path) as file:
-                filecontents = file.read()
-                if len(filecontents.strip()) != 0:
-                    logger.info("[Settings] Reading Global Settings File", path=path)
-                    settings_data = toml.loads(filecontents)
-                    settings = GlobalSettings(**settings_data, loaded_from=path)
-                    return settings
+            try:
+                filecontents = path.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+            except UnicodeDecodeError:
+                encoding = detect_char_encoding(path) or locale.getencoding()
+                filecontents = path.read_text(encoding=encoding)
+            if len(filecontents.strip()) != 0:
+                logger.info("[Settings] Reading Global Settings File", path=path)
+                settings_data = toml.loads(filecontents)
+                settings = GlobalSettings(**settings_data, loaded_from=path)
+                return settings
 
         return GlobalSettings(loaded_from=path)
 
@@ -100,7 +105,7 @@ def save(self, path: Path | None = None) -> None:
         if not path.parent.exists():
             path.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
 
-        with open(path, "w") as f:
+        with open(path, "w", encoding="utf-8") as f:
             toml.dump(self.model_dump(), f, encoder=TomlEnumEncoder())
 
     @property
diff --git a/src/tagstudio/qt/resource_manager.py b/src/tagstudio/qt/resource_manager.py
index f1d387ab6..8444138d7 100644
--- a/src/tagstudio/qt/resource_manager.py
+++ b/src/tagstudio/qt/resource_manager.py
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ def get(self, id: str) -> TData | None:
             try:
                 match mode:
                     case "r":
-                        data = file_path.read_text()
+                        data = file_path.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
 
                     case "rb":
                         data = file_path.read_bytes()
diff --git a/tests/qt/test_global_settings.py b/tests/qt/test_global_settings.py
index 63eb51953..9eab01857 100644
--- a/tests/qt/test_global_settings.py
+++ b/tests/qt/test_global_settings.py
@@ -34,3 +34,18 @@ def test_read_settings(library_dir: Path):
     assert settings.date_format == "%x"
     assert settings.hour_format
     assert settings.zero_padding
+
+
+def test_read_settings_legacy_locale_encoding(library_dir: Path, monkeypatch):
+    settings_path = library_dir / "settings.toml"
+    settings_path.write_bytes(
+        b'language = "ja"\ndate_format = "' + "写真".encode("cp932") + b'"\n'
+    )
+    monkeypatch.setattr("tagstudio.qt.global_settings.detect_char_encoding", lambda _: None)
+    monkeypatch.setattr("tagstudio.qt.global_settings.locale.getencoding", lambda: "cp932")
+
+    settings = GlobalSettings.read_settings(settings_path)
+    settings.save()
+
+    assert settings.date_format == "写真"
+    assert settings_path.read_bytes().decode("utf-8")