I am using Windows 10 as my operating system. Whenever I duplicate a file or folder to the same location, Windows automatically adds the word “copy” to the end of the file name, which is a useful feature. However, I have noticed that there is a strange occurrence where two invisible characters are added to the beginning of the file name.
To investigate this further, I copied these characters to a binary editor and discovered that their codes were U+200F. The name of the character is “RIGHT-TO-LEFT MARK” and its binary representation is e2 80 8f.
I am now wondering what steps I can take to remove this odd behavior. For context, my operating system is Microsoft Windows, version 10.0.17134.885.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Nls\CodePage:
AllowDeprecatedCP REG_DWORD 0x42414421
ACP REG_SZ 1255
OEMCP REG_SZ 862
MACCP REG_SZ 10005
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion:
ReleaseId REG_SZ 1803
2 Answers
Introduction
When copying files or folders in Windows 10, it is common to see the addition of the word “copy” at the end of the file name to differentiate it from the original. However, some users have reported a strange phenomenon where two invisible characters are added to the beginning of the file name. These characters are identified as the RIGHT-TO-LEFT MARK, with a binary representation of e2 80 8f. In this blog post, we will explore the possible causes of this issue and how to resolve it.
Possible Causes
There are several reasons why Windows 10 may add the RIGHT-TO-LEFT MARK to the beginning of a file or folder name during copying. One possible cause is the language settings of the operating system. If the language is set to a right-to-left language such as Arabic or Hebrew, Windows may automatically add the RIGHT-TO-LEFT MARK to the file name. Another possible cause is the code page settings in the registry. If the code page is set to a language that uses the RIGHT-TO-LEFT MARK, Windows may add it to the file name during copying.
Checking Language Settings
To check if the language settings are causing the RIGHT-TO-LEFT MARK to be added to file names, follow these steps:
1. Click on the Start menu and select the Settings gear icon.
2. Click on Time & Language.
3. Click on Region & Language.
4. Check the language settings and see if they are set to a right-to-left language such as Arabic or Hebrew.
5. If the language settings are set to a right-to-left language, try changing them to a left-to-right language such as English.
Checking Code Page Settings
To check if the code page settings are causing the RIGHT-TO-LEFT MARK to be added to file names, follow these steps:
1. Click on the Start menu and type “regedit” in the search bar.
2. Click on the Registry Editor app.
3. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlNlsCodePage in the registry.
4. Check the ACP and OEMCP values and see if they are set to a language that uses the RIGHT-TO-LEFT MARK.
5. If the code page settings are set to a language that uses the RIGHT-TO-LEFT MARK, try changing them to a language that does not use it.
Disabling RIGHT-TO-LEFT MARK
If changing the language or code page settings does not resolve the issue, you can try disabling the RIGHT-TO-LEFT MARK in Windows 10. To do this, follow these steps:
1. Click on the Start menu and type “regedit” in the search bar.
2. Click on the Registry Editor app.
3. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USERControl PanelInput Method in the registry.
4. Create a new DWORD value named “EnableHexNumpad” and set its value to 1.
5. Press the Windows key and the period key at the same time to open the emoji panel.
6. Type “200f” (without the quotes) using the numeric keypad on your keyboard while holding down the Alt key.
7. Press Enter to insert the RIGHT-TO-LEFT MARK character.
8. Restart your computer.
Conclusion
The addition of the RIGHT-TO-LEFT MARK to file and folder names during copying can be a frustrating issue for Windows 10 users. However, by checking the language and code page settings, and disabling the RIGHT-TO-LEFT MARK if necessary, this issue can be resolved. If you continue to experience this issue, it may be worth seeking further assistance from Microsoft support or a qualified IT professional.
I was skeptical at first, but after downloading your Zip file, I confirmed that the file does indeed have the right-to-left override character at the beginning of its name. I even went as far as to verify this by hex-editing the directory entry.
The good news is that this character is harmless and does not hide any text. Therefore, your computer is not infected with any malware that may use this obscure method to conceal something in the file name.
In my personal opinion, which is not based on any reliable source, it seems that you have stumbled upon a strange artifact in Windows. It appears to be a poorly executed attempt to ensure the correct right-to-left display of the Hebrew word for “copy,” which is עותק.
My conclusion is that this is a subpar localization of an English feature in Windows for Hebrew users. The source of this character may have come from a translator who mechanically translated Windows strings without understanding their context or usage. It’s possible that they introduced this Unicode character into the string without even realizing it. Since then, Hebrew Windows continues to automatically add this character to file names.
I’m impressed that you were able to analyze this issue, as you may be the first Hebrew-reader to do so. (I did find one other person who discovered the same issue with the Persian language.)
Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be a solution to this problem. It has become a “feature” of Windows. The best course of action is to file a complaint with Microsoft through the Feedback Hub.
Realistically, you can either ignore the issue, avoid copying files with the same name, or use a renaming utility to remove the character from the file name.