diff --git a/core/io/plist.cpp b/core/io/plist.cpp
index 30c786ae645f..dd1e6dc439f6 100644
--- a/core/io/plist.cpp
+++ b/core/io/plist.cpp
@@ -383,14 +383,14 @@ void PListNode::store_text(String &p_stream, uint8_t p_indent) const {
 			p_stream += String("\t").repeat(p_indent);
 			p_stream += "<data>\n";
 			p_stream += String("\t").repeat(p_indent);
-			p_stream += data_string + "\n";
+			p_stream += String(data_string.get_data()) + "\n";
 			p_stream += String("\t").repeat(p_indent);
 			p_stream += "</data>\n";
 		} break;
 		case PList::PLNodeType::PL_NODE_TYPE_DATE: {
 			p_stream += String("\t").repeat(p_indent);
 			p_stream += "<date>";
-			p_stream += data_string;
+			p_stream += String(data_string.get_data());
 			p_stream += "</date>\n";
 		} break;
 		case PList::PLNodeType::PL_NODE_TYPE_STRING: {
diff --git a/core/io/resource_uid.cpp b/core/io/resource_uid.cpp
index 545659e460b0..b28ef32074b7 100644
--- a/core/io/resource_uid.cpp
+++ b/core/io/resource_uid.cpp
@@ -295,7 +295,7 @@ String ResourceUID::get_path_from_cache(Ref<FileAccess> &p_cache_file, const Str
 		ERR_FAIL_COND_V(rl != len, String());
 
 		if (singleton->id_to_text(id) == p_uid_string) {
-			return String(cs);
+			return String(cs.get_data());
 		}
 	}
 	return String();
diff --git a/core/string/ustring.h b/core/string/ustring.h
index b8ebeb99d7cb..7c405d740293 100644
--- a/core/string/ustring.h
+++ b/core/string/ustring.h
@@ -204,8 +204,7 @@ class Char16String {
 	Char16String &operator+=(char16_t p_char);
 	int length() const { return size() ? size() - 1 : 0; }
 	const char16_t *get_data() const;
-	operator const char16_t *() const { return get_data(); }
-	explicit operator StrRange<char16_t>() const { return StrRange(get_data(), length()); }
+	operator StrRange<char16_t>() const { return StrRange(get_data(), length()); }
 
 protected:
 	void copy_from(const char16_t *p_cstr);
@@ -250,8 +249,7 @@ class CharString {
 	CharString &operator+=(char p_char);
 	int length() const { return size() ? size() - 1 : 0; }
 	const char *get_data() const;
-	operator const char *() const { return get_data(); }
-	explicit operator StrRange<char>() const { return StrRange(get_data(), length()); }
+	operator StrRange<char>() const { return StrRange(get_data(), length()); }
 
 protected:
 	void copy_from(const char *p_cstr);
@@ -523,11 +521,19 @@ class String {
 	CharString ascii(bool p_allow_extended = false) const;
 	CharString utf8() const;
 	Error parse_utf8(const char *p_utf8, int p_len = -1, bool p_skip_cr = false);
+	Error parse_utf8(const StrRange<char> p_range, bool p_skip_cr = false) {
+		return parse_utf8(p_range.c_str, p_range.len, p_skip_cr);
+	}
 	static String utf8(const char *p_utf8, int p_len = -1);
+	static String utf8(const StrRange<char> &p_range) { return utf8(p_range.c_str, p_range.len); }
 
 	Char16String utf16() const;
 	Error parse_utf16(const char16_t *p_utf16, int p_len = -1, bool p_default_little_endian = true);
+	Error parse_utf16(const StrRange<char16_t> p_range, bool p_skip_cr = false) {
+		return parse_utf16(p_range.c_str, p_range.len, p_skip_cr);
+	}
 	static String utf16(const char16_t *p_utf16, int p_len = -1);
+	static String utf16(const StrRange<char16_t> &p_range) { return utf16(p_range.c_str, p_range.len); }
 
 	static uint32_t hash(const char32_t *p_cstr, int p_len); /* hash the string */
 	static uint32_t hash(const char32_t *p_cstr); /* hash the string */
@@ -642,7 +648,7 @@ class String {
 		parse_utf32(p_cstr);
 	}
 
-	explicit operator StrRange<char32_t>() const { return StrRange(get_data(), length()); }
+	operator StrRange<char32_t>() const { return StrRange(get_data(), length()); }
 };
 
 bool operator==(const char *p_chr, const String &p_str);
diff --git a/editor/export/codesign.cpp b/editor/export/codesign.cpp
index 7515f9311957..adf4d921cfab 100644
--- a/editor/export/codesign.cpp
+++ b/editor/export/codesign.cpp
@@ -469,13 +469,13 @@ _FORCE_INLINE_ void CodeSignRequirements::_parse_certificate_slot(uint32_t &r_po
 _FORCE_INLINE_ void CodeSignRequirements::_parse_key(uint32_t &r_pos, String &r_out, uint32_t p_rq_size) const {
 #define _R(x) BSWAP32(*(uint32_t *)(blob.ptr() + x))
 	ERR_FAIL_COND_MSG(r_pos >= p_rq_size, "CodeSign/Requirements: Out of bounds.");
-	uint32_t key_size = _R(r_pos);
+	const uint32_t key_size = _R(r_pos);
 	ERR_FAIL_COND_MSG(r_pos + key_size > p_rq_size, "CodeSign/Requirements: Out of bounds.");
 	CharString key;
 	key.resize(key_size);
 	memcpy(key.ptrw(), blob.ptr() + r_pos + 4, key_size);
 	r_pos += 4 + key_size + PAD(key_size, 4);
-	r_out += "[" + String::utf8(key, key_size) + "]";
+	r_out += "[" + String::utf8(key) + "]";
 #undef _R
 }
 
@@ -526,13 +526,13 @@ _FORCE_INLINE_ void CodeSignRequirements::_parse_hash_string(uint32_t &r_pos, St
 _FORCE_INLINE_ void CodeSignRequirements::_parse_value(uint32_t &r_pos, String &r_out, uint32_t p_rq_size) const {
 #define _R(x) BSWAP32(*(uint32_t *)(blob.ptr() + x))
 	ERR_FAIL_COND_MSG(r_pos >= p_rq_size, "CodeSign/Requirements: Out of bounds.");
-	uint32_t key_size = _R(r_pos);
+	const uint32_t key_size = _R(r_pos);
 	ERR_FAIL_COND_MSG(r_pos + key_size > p_rq_size, "CodeSign/Requirements: Out of bounds.");
 	CharString key;
 	key.resize(key_size);
 	memcpy(key.ptrw(), blob.ptr() + r_pos + 4, key_size);
 	r_pos += 4 + key_size + PAD(key_size, 4);
-	r_out += "\"" + String::utf8(key, key_size) + "\"";
+	r_out += "\"" + String::utf8(key) + "\"";
 #undef _R
 }
 
diff --git a/modules/camera/camera_feed_linux.cpp b/modules/camera/camera_feed_linux.cpp
index 0a02e3ee6e42..a199366987cc 100644
--- a/modules/camera/camera_feed_linux.cpp
+++ b/modules/camera/camera_feed_linux.cpp
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ void CameraFeedLinux::_update_buffer() {
 }
 
 void CameraFeedLinux::_query_device(const String &p_device_name) {
-	file_descriptor = open(p_device_name.ascii(), O_RDWR | O_NONBLOCK, 0);
+	file_descriptor = open(p_device_name.ascii().get_data(), O_RDWR | O_NONBLOCK, 0);
 	ERR_FAIL_COND_MSG(file_descriptor == -1, vformat("Cannot open file descriptor for %s. Error: %d.", p_device_name, errno));
 
 	struct v4l2_capability capability;
@@ -235,7 +235,7 @@ String CameraFeedLinux::get_device_name() const {
 
 bool CameraFeedLinux::activate_feed() {
 	ERR_FAIL_COND_V_MSG(selected_format == -1, false, "CameraFeed format needs to be set before activating.");
-	file_descriptor = open(device_name.ascii(), O_RDWR | O_NONBLOCK, 0);
+	file_descriptor = open(device_name.ascii().get_data(), O_RDWR | O_NONBLOCK, 0);
 	if (_request_buffers() && _start_capturing()) {
 		buffer_decoder = _create_buffer_decoder();
 		_start_thread();
@@ -315,7 +315,7 @@ bool CameraFeedLinux::set_format(int p_index, const Dictionary &p_parameters) {
 
 	FeedFormat feed_format = formats[p_index];
 
-	file_descriptor = open(device_name.ascii(), O_RDWR | O_NONBLOCK, 0);
+	file_descriptor = open(device_name.ascii().get_data(), O_RDWR | O_NONBLOCK, 0);
 
 	struct v4l2_format format;
 	memset(&format, 0, sizeof(format));
diff --git a/modules/camera/camera_linux.cpp b/modules/camera/camera_linux.cpp
index b774d1be3554..a1b0b5b49e5d 100644
--- a/modules/camera/camera_linux.cpp
+++ b/modules/camera/camera_linux.cpp
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ void CameraLinux::_add_device(const String &p_device_name) {
 int CameraLinux::_open_device(const String &p_device_name) {
 	struct stat s;
 
-	if (stat(p_device_name.ascii(), &s) == -1) {
+	if (stat(p_device_name.ascii().get_data(), &s) == -1) {
 		return -1;
 	}
 
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ int CameraLinux::_open_device(const String &p_device_name) {
 		return -1;
 	}
 
-	return open(p_device_name.ascii(), O_RDWR | O_NONBLOCK, 0);
+	return open(p_device_name.ascii().get_data(), O_RDWR | O_NONBLOCK, 0);
 }
 
 // TODO any cheaper/cleaner way to check if file descriptor is invalid?
diff --git a/modules/mono/csharp_script.cpp b/modules/mono/csharp_script.cpp
index e9a821c65a95..0f2ea2bed73b 100644
--- a/modules/mono/csharp_script.cpp
+++ b/modules/mono/csharp_script.cpp
@@ -1059,7 +1059,7 @@ void CSharpLanguage::_editor_init_callback() {
 	const void **interop_funcs = godotsharp::get_editor_interop_funcs(interop_funcs_size);
 
 	Object *editor_plugin_obj = GDMono::get_singleton()->get_plugin_callbacks().LoadToolsAssemblyCallback(
-			GodotSharpDirs::get_data_editor_tools_dir().path_join("GodotTools.dll").utf16(),
+			GodotSharpDirs::get_data_editor_tools_dir().path_join("GodotTools.dll").utf16().get_data(),
 			interop_funcs, interop_funcs_size);
 	CRASH_COND(editor_plugin_obj == nullptr);
 
diff --git a/modules/mono/mono_gd/gd_mono.cpp b/modules/mono/mono_gd/gd_mono.cpp
index 2fb9eb81e95d..7b9b3852ca7a 100644
--- a/modules/mono/mono_gd/gd_mono.cpp
+++ b/modules/mono/mono_gd/gd_mono.cpp
@@ -636,7 +636,7 @@ bool GDMono::_load_project_assembly() {
 	}
 
 	String loaded_assembly_path;
-	bool success = plugin_callbacks.LoadProjectAssemblyCallback(assembly_path.utf16(), &loaded_assembly_path);
+	bool success = plugin_callbacks.LoadProjectAssemblyCallback(assembly_path.utf16().get_data(), &loaded_assembly_path);
 
 	if (success) {
 		project_assembly_path = loaded_assembly_path.simplify_path();
diff --git a/modules/openxr/openxr_api.cpp b/modules/openxr/openxr_api.cpp
index c84454037d0f..2f9d237e3072 100644
--- a/modules/openxr/openxr_api.cpp
+++ b/modules/openxr/openxr_api.cpp
@@ -578,7 +578,7 @@ bool OpenXRAPI::create_instance() {
 
 	Vector<const char *> extension_ptrs;
 	for (int i = 0; i < enabled_extensions.size(); i++) {
-		print_verbose(String("OpenXR: Enabling extension ") + String(enabled_extensions[i]));
+		print_verbose(String("OpenXR: Enabling extension ") + String(enabled_extensions[i].get_data()));
 		extension_ptrs.push_back(enabled_extensions[i].get_data());
 	}
 
diff --git a/modules/regex/regex.cpp b/modules/regex/regex.cpp
index 02f97b3d0615..b6275b50a67f 100644
--- a/modules/regex/regex.cpp
+++ b/modules/regex/regex.cpp
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ Error RegEx::compile(const String &p_pattern, bool p_show_error) {
 			PCRE2_UCHAR32 buf[256];
 			pcre2_get_error_message_32(err, buf, 256);
 			String message = String::num(offset) + ": " + String((const char32_t *)buf);
-			ERR_PRINT(message.utf8());
+			ERR_PRINT(message);
 		}
 		return FAILED;
 	}
@@ -348,7 +348,7 @@ String RegEx::sub(const String &p_subject, const String &p_replacement, bool p_a
 		PCRE2_UCHAR32 buf[256];
 		pcre2_get_error_message_32(res, buf, 256);
 		String message = "PCRE2 Error: " + String((const char32_t *)buf);
-		ERR_PRINT(message.utf8());
+		ERR_PRINT(message);
 
 		if (res == PCRE2_ERROR_NOSUBSTRING) {
 			flags |= PCRE2_SUBSTITUTE_UNKNOWN_UNSET;
diff --git a/platform/ios/display_server_ios.mm b/platform/ios/display_server_ios.mm
index 09acc199bf94..3fbc7f467d5d 100644
--- a/platform/ios/display_server_ios.mm
+++ b/platform/ios/display_server_ios.mm
@@ -774,7 +774,7 @@ _FORCE_INLINE_ int _convert_utf32_offset_to_utf16(const String &p_existing_text,
 }
 
 void DisplayServerIOS::clipboard_set(const String &p_text) {
-	[UIPasteboard generalPasteboard].string = [NSString stringWithUTF8String:p_text.utf8()];
+	[UIPasteboard generalPasteboard].string = [NSString stringWithUTF8String:p_text.utf8().get_data()];
 }
 
 String DisplayServerIOS::clipboard_get() const {
diff --git a/platform/linuxbsd/tts_linux.cpp b/platform/linuxbsd/tts_linux.cpp
index 95cae58fb3f0..2ef89747ecf6 100644
--- a/platform/linuxbsd/tts_linux.cpp
+++ b/platform/linuxbsd/tts_linux.cpp
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ void TTS_Linux::speech_init_thread_func(void *p_userdata) {
 			} else {
 				class_str = config_name.utf8();
 			}
-			tts->synth = spd_open(class_str, "Godot_Engine_Speech_API", "Godot_Engine", SPD_MODE_THREADED);
+			tts->synth = spd_open(class_str.get_data(), "Godot_Engine_Speech_API", "Godot_Engine", SPD_MODE_THREADED);
 			if (tts->synth) {
 				tts->synth->callback_end = &speech_event_callback;
 				tts->synth->callback_cancel = &speech_event_callback;
diff --git a/platform/linuxbsd/wayland/wayland_thread.cpp b/platform/linuxbsd/wayland/wayland_thread.cpp
index e1a0739a95c1..56ae3c324288 100644
--- a/platform/linuxbsd/wayland/wayland_thread.cpp
+++ b/platform/linuxbsd/wayland/wayland_thread.cpp
@@ -3676,12 +3676,12 @@ void WaylandThread::window_set_title(DisplayServer::WindowID p_window_id, const
 
 #ifdef LIBDECOR_ENABLED
 	if (ws.libdecor_frame) {
-		libdecor_frame_set_title(ws.libdecor_frame, p_title.utf8());
+		libdecor_frame_set_title(ws.libdecor_frame, p_title.utf8().get_data());
 	}
 #endif // LIBDECOR_ENABLE
 
 	if (ws.xdg_toplevel) {
-		xdg_toplevel_set_title(ws.xdg_toplevel, p_title.utf8());
+		xdg_toplevel_set_title(ws.xdg_toplevel, p_title.utf8().get_data());
 	}
 }
 
@@ -3691,13 +3691,13 @@ void WaylandThread::window_set_app_id(DisplayServer::WindowID p_window_id, const
 
 #ifdef LIBDECOR_ENABLED
 	if (ws.libdecor_frame) {
-		libdecor_frame_set_app_id(ws.libdecor_frame, p_app_id.utf8());
+		libdecor_frame_set_app_id(ws.libdecor_frame, p_app_id.utf8().get_data());
 		return;
 	}
 #endif // LIBDECOR_ENABLED
 
 	if (ws.xdg_toplevel) {
-		xdg_toplevel_set_app_id(ws.xdg_toplevel, p_app_id.utf8());
+		xdg_toplevel_set_app_id(ws.xdg_toplevel, p_app_id.utf8().get_data());
 		return;
 	}
 }
@@ -4185,7 +4185,7 @@ Vector<uint8_t> WaylandThread::selection_get_mime(const String &p_mime) const {
 		return Vector<uint8_t>();
 	}
 
-	return _wl_data_offer_read(wl_display, p_mime.utf8(), ss->wl_data_offer_selection);
+	return _wl_data_offer_read(wl_display, p_mime.utf8().get_data(), ss->wl_data_offer_selection);
 }
 
 bool WaylandThread::primary_has_mime(const String &p_mime) const {
@@ -4228,7 +4228,7 @@ Vector<uint8_t> WaylandThread::primary_get_mime(const String &p_mime) const {
 		return Vector<uint8_t>();
 	}
 
-	return _wp_primary_selection_offer_read(wl_display, p_mime.utf8(), ss->wp_primary_selection_offer);
+	return _wp_primary_selection_offer_read(wl_display, p_mime.utf8().get_data(), ss->wp_primary_selection_offer);
 }
 
 void WaylandThread::primary_set_text(const String &p_text) {