diff --git a/generate.py b/generate.py
index d327365..d000eee 100644
--- a/generate.py
+++ b/generate.py
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@
 # Get sample code to customize main.cpp
 
 # Get impulses ID from model_variables.h
-with open(os.path.join(target_dir, 'model-parameters/model_variables.h'), 'r') as file:
+with open(os.path.join(target_dir, 'model-parameters/model_variables.h'), 'r', encoding='utf-8') as file:
     file_content = file.read()
 impulses_id_set = set(re.findall(r"impulse_(\d+)_(\d+)", file_content))
 impulses_id = {}
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@
 {newline}"""
 
 # Insert custom code in main.cpp
-with open(os.path.join(target_dir, 'source/main.cpp'), 'r') as file1:
+with open(os.path.join(target_dir, 'source/main.cpp'), 'r', encoding='utf-8') as file1:
     main_template = file1.readlines()
 
 idx = main_template.index("// get_signal declaration inserted here\n") +1
@@ -229,7 +229,7 @@
 main_template[idx:idx] = callback_function_code
 
 logger.info("Editing main.cpp")
-with open(os.path.join(target_dir, 'source/main.cpp'), 'w') as file1:
+with open(os.path.join(target_dir, 'source/main.cpp'), 'w', encoding='utf-8') as file1:
     file1.writelines(main_template)
 logger.info("main.cpp edited")
 
diff --git a/utils.py b/utils.py
index c11093c..843cf98 100644
--- a/utils.py
+++ b/utils.py
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
 def insert_define_statement(file_path, define_statement):
     logger.info(f"Inserting {define_statement} into {file_path}")
     try:
-        with open(file_path, 'r') as file:
+        with open(file_path, 'r', encoding='utf-8') as file:
             file_content = file.readlines()
 
         include_idx = None
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ def insert_define_statement(file_path, define_statement):
         if include_idx is not None and define_idx is not None:
             file_content.insert(include_idx + 1, define_statement + '\n')
 
-        with open(file_path, 'w') as file:
+        with open(file_path, 'w', encoding='utf-8') as file:
             file.writelines(file_content)
 
         logger.info(f"Inserted {define_statement} into {file_path}")
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ def insert_define_statement(file_path, define_statement):
 def insert_after_line(file_path, search_line, lines_to_insert):
     logger.info(f"Inserting lines into {file_path} after {search_line}")
     try:
-        with open(file_path, 'r') as file:
+        with open(file_path, 'r', encoding='utf-8') as file:
             file_content = file.readlines()
 
         insert_idx = None
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ def insert_after_line(file_path, search_line, lines_to_insert):
         for line in reversed(lines_to_insert):
             file_content.insert(insert_idx, line + '\n')
 
-        with open(file_path, 'w') as file:
+        with open(file_path, 'w', encoding='utf-8') as file:
             file.writelines(file_content)
 
         logger.info(f"Lines inserted into {file_path}")
@@ -97,12 +97,12 @@ def insert_after_line(file_path, search_line, lines_to_insert):
 def replace_line(file_path, search_line, replacement_line):
     logger.info(f"Replacing line in {file_path}: {search_line}")
     try:
-        with open(file_path, 'r') as file:
+        with open(file_path, 'r', encoding='utf-8') as file:
             file_content = file.readlines()
 
         file_content = [line if search_line not in line else replacement_line + '\n' for line in file_content]
 
-        with open(file_path, 'w') as file:
+        with open(file_path, 'w', encoding='utf-8') as file:
             file.writelines(file_content)
 
         logger.info(f"Replaced line in {file_path}")
@@ -116,12 +116,12 @@ def replace_line(file_path, search_line, replacement_line):
 def remove_line(file_path, search_string):
     logger.info(f"Removing line from {file_path} containing {search_string}")
     try:
-        with open(file_path, 'r') as file:
+        with open(file_path, 'r', encoding='utf-8') as file:
             file_content = file.readlines()
 
         file_content = [line for line in file_content if search_string not in line]
 
-        with open(file_path, 'w') as file:
+        with open(file_path, 'w', encoding='utf-8') as file:
             file.writelines(file_content)
 
         logger.info(f"Removed line containing {search_string} from {file_path}")
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ def remove_line(file_path, search_string):
 def edit_file(file_path, patterns, suffix):
     logger.info("Editing " + file_path)
     try:
-        with open(file_path, 'r') as file:
+        with open(file_path, 'r', encoding='utf-8') as file:
             file_content = file.read()
 
         # function to add suffix to search patterns
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ def add_suffix(term):
             logger.debug("pattern: " + pattern)
             file_content = re.sub(pattern, add_suffix, file_content)
 
-        with open(file_path, 'w') as file:
+        with open(file_path, 'w', encoding='utf-8') as file:
             file.write(file_content)
 
         logger.debug(f"{file_path} edited")
@@ -290,9 +290,9 @@ def find_value(file_content, macro_string):
 def merge_model_metadata(src_file, dest_file):
     try:
         # Open the first file for reading
-        with open(src_file, 'r') as file1:
+        with open(src_file, 'r', encoding='utf-8') as file1:
             src_file_contents = file1.readlines()
-        with open(dest_file, 'r') as file2:
+        with open(dest_file, 'r', encoding='utf-8') as file2:
             dest_file_contents = file2.readlines()
 
         compare_version(src_file_contents, dest_file_contents)
@@ -315,7 +315,7 @@ def merge_model_metadata(src_file, dest_file):
         dest_file_contents = find_common_type(src_file_contents, dest_file_contents, "EI_CLASSIFIER_OBJECT_DETECTION_LAST_LAYER", object_detection_types)
         dest_file_contents = find_common_type(src_file_contents, dest_file_contents, "EI_CLASSIFIER_HAS_ANOMALY", anomaly_types)
 
-        with open(dest_file, 'w') as file2:
+        with open(dest_file, 'w', encoding='utf-8') as file2:
             file2.writelines("".join(dest_file_contents))
 
     except FileNotFoundError as e:
@@ -329,7 +329,7 @@ def merge_model_variables(src_file, dest_file):
     include_line_str = '#include "tflite-model/tflite_learn'
     try:
         # Open the first file for reading
-        with open(src_file, 'r') as file1:
+        with open(src_file, 'r', encoding='utf-8') as file1:
             file1_contents = file1.readlines()
 
         start_line = None
@@ -348,7 +348,7 @@ def merge_model_variables(src_file, dest_file):
             raise ValueError("Start or end string not found model_variables.h")
 
         # Open the second file for reading
-        with open(dest_file, 'r') as file2:
+        with open(dest_file, 'r', encoding='utf-8') as file2:
             file2_contents = file2.readlines()
 
         # Find the line number for the insertion string in the second file
@@ -374,7 +374,7 @@ def merge_model_variables(src_file, dest_file):
         file2_contents[insert_line:insert_line] = portion_to_copy
 
         # Open the second file for writing and overwrite its contents
-        with open(dest_file, 'w') as file2:
+        with open(dest_file, 'w', encoding='utf-8') as file2:
             file2.writelines(file2_contents)
 
         logger.info("Portion copied and inserted successfully!")
@@ -385,17 +385,17 @@ def merge_model_variables(src_file, dest_file):
 # Function to keep intersection of model_ops_define.h
 def merge_model_ops(src_file, dest_file):
     try:
-        with open(src_file, 'r') as file1:
+        with open(src_file, 'r', encoding='utf-8') as file1:
             lines_file1 = [line.strip() for line in file1.readlines()]
 
-        with open(dest_file, 'r') as file2:
+        with open(dest_file, 'r', encoding='utf-8') as file2:
             lines_file2 = [line.strip() for line in file2.readlines()]
 
         # Find the intersection of lines
         intersection = [line for line in lines_file1 if line in lines_file2]
 
         # Write the intersection back to src_file
-        with open(dest_file, 'w') as file:
+        with open(dest_file, 'w', encoding='utf-8') as file:
             for line in intersection:
                 file.write(line + '\n')
 
@@ -406,10 +406,10 @@ def merge_model_ops(src_file, dest_file):
 
 def merge_tflite_resolver(src_file, dest_file):
     try:
-        with open(src_file, 'r') as file1:
+        with open(src_file, 'r', encoding='utf-8') as file1:
             lines_file1 = [line.strip() for line in file1.readlines()]
 
-        with open(dest_file, 'r') as file2:
+        with open(dest_file, 'r', encoding='utf-8') as file2:
             lines_file2 = [line.strip() for line in file2.readlines()]
 
         # Find the union of lines
@@ -421,7 +421,7 @@ def merge_tflite_resolver(src_file, dest_file):
                 union.append(line2)
 
         # Write the union back to src_file
-        with open(dest_file, 'w') as file:
+        with open(dest_file, 'w', encoding='utf-8') as file:
             for line in union:
                 if line.startswith('resolver.') and not line.endswith('\\'):
                     line = line + ' \\'