# string(withContentsOfFile:) Returns a string created by reading data from the file named by a given path. ``` class func string(withContentsOfFile path: String) -> Any? ``` ## Discussion If the contents begin with a Unicode byte-order mark (`U+FEFF` or `U+FFFE`), interprets the contents as UTF-16 code units. If the contents begin with a UTF-8 byte-order mark (`EFBBBF`), interprets the contents as UTF-8. Otherwise, interprets the contents as data in the default C string encoding. Since the default C string encoding will vary with the user’s configuration, do not depend on this method unless you are using Unicode or UTF-8 or you can verify the default C string encoding. Returns `nil` if the file can’t be opened. ## See Also [`+ stringWithContentsOfFile:encoding:error:`](/documentation/Foundation/NSString/stringWithContentsOfFile:encoding:error:) Returns a string created by reading data from the file at a given path interpreted using a given encoding. [`+ stringWithContentsOfFile:usedEncoding:error:`](/documentation/Foundation/NSString/stringWithContentsOfFile:usedEncoding:error:) Returns a string created by reading data from the file at a given path and returns by reference the encoding used to interpret the file. --- Copyright © 2026 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. | [Terms of Use](https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/terms/site.html) | [Privacy Policy](https://www.apple.com/privacy/privacy-policy)