diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 51cd06725..b8e9bc1ce 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 ### Bug fixes
 
+* On Windows, Shiny Express app files are now read in as UTF-8. (#1203)
+
 ### Other changes
 
 ## [0.8.1] - 2024-03-06
diff --git a/shiny/_custom_component_template_questions.py b/shiny/_custom_component_template_questions.py
index 00e64e4b0..4ca5b3350 100644
--- a/shiny/_custom_component_template_questions.py
+++ b/shiny/_custom_component_template_questions.py
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ def update_names_in_files(dir: Path):
         for item in dir.iterdir():
             if item.is_file():
                 # Only do this for files
-                with open(item, "r") as f:
+                with open(item, "r", encoding="utf-8") as f:
                     file_contents = f.read()
                 # First, "custom_component" -> "new_component_name"
                 file_contents = file_contents.replace(
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ def update_names_in_files(dir: Path):
                     old_capital_case_name, capital_case_name
                 )
 
-                with open(item, "w") as f:
+                with open(item, "w", encoding="utf-8") as f:
                     f.write(file_contents)
 
     # Loop over dirs_to_update and run the update function on them
diff --git a/shiny/_docstring.py b/shiny/_docstring.py
index 8505f96b0..96029dfe4 100644
--- a/shiny/_docstring.py
+++ b/shiny/_docstring.py
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ class DocStringWithExample(str): ...
 class ExampleWriter:
     def write_example(self, app_files: list[str]) -> str:
         app_file = app_files[0]
-        with open(app_file) as f:
+        with open(app_file, encoding="utf-8") as f:
             code = f.read()
 
         return f"```.python\n{code.strip()}\n```\n"
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@ def is_express_app(app_path: str) -> bool:
     if not os.path.exists(app_path):
         return False
 
-    with open(app_path) as f:
+    with open(app_path, encoding="utf-8") as f:
         for line in f:
             if "from shiny.express" in line:
                 return True
diff --git a/shiny/express/_run.py b/shiny/express/_run.py
index 53f112d25..f771731fd 100644
--- a/shiny/express/_run.py
+++ b/shiny/express/_run.py
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ def express_server(input: Inputs, output: Outputs, session: Session):
 
 
 def run_express(file: Path) -> Tag | TagList:
-    with open(file) as f:
+    with open(file, encoding="utf-8") as f:
         content = f.read()
 
     tree = ast.parse(content, file)
diff --git a/shiny/quarto.py b/shiny/quarto.py
index 5f0d5efc2..f9cba0e68 100644
--- a/shiny/quarto.py
+++ b/shiny/quarto.py
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ def convert_code_cells_to_app_py(json_file: str | Path, app_file: str | Path) ->
     app_file = Path(app_file)
 
     if app_file.exists():
-        with open(app_file, "r") as f:
+        with open(app_file, "r", encoding="utf-8") as f:
             first_line = f.readline().strip()
             if first_line != "# This file generated by Quarto; do not edit by hand.":
                 raise ValueError(
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ def convert_code_cells_to_app_py(json_file: str | Path, app_file: str | Path) ->
                     " If this is incorrect, remove the file and try again."
                 )
 
-    with open(json_file, "r") as f:
+    with open(json_file, "r", encoding="utf-8") as f:
         data = cast(QuartoShinyCodeCells, json.load(f))
 
     if data["schema_version"] != 1:
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ def server(input: Inputs, output: Outputs, session: Session) -> None:
 )
 """
 
-    with open(app_file, "w") as f:
+    with open(app_file, "w", encoding="utf-8") as f:
         f.write(app_content)