diff --git a/support/bazel/.bazelversion b/support/bazel/.bazelversion
index 66ce77b7ead5..a8a188756826 100644
--- a/support/bazel/.bazelversion
+++ b/support/bazel/.bazelversion
@@ -1 +1 @@
-7.0.0
+7.1.2
diff --git a/support/bazel/BUILD.bazel b/support/bazel/BUILD.bazel
index 7fc6c81a4d5c..1a06ed52b99d 100644
--- a/support/bazel/BUILD.bazel
+++ b/support/bazel/BUILD.bazel
@@ -8,6 +8,10 @@ cc_library(
     hdrs = glob([
         "include/fmt/*.h",
     ]),
+    copts = select({
+        "@platforms//os:windows": ["-utf-8"],
+        "//conditions:default": [],
+    }),
     includes = [
         "include",
     ],
diff --git a/support/bazel/README.md b/support/bazel/README.md
index dc4756b90f98..44508f1c2517 100644
--- a/support/bazel/README.md
+++ b/support/bazel/README.md
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@ For instance, to use {fmt} add to your `MODULE.bazel` file:
 bazel_dep(name = "fmt", version = "10.2.1")
 ```
 
+### Live at head
+
 For a live-at-head approach, you can copy the contents of this repository and move the Bazel-related build files to the root folder of this project as described above and make use of `local_path_override`, e.g.:
 
 ```
@@ -24,72 +26,3 @@ local_path_override(
     path = "../third_party/fmt",
 )
 ```
-
-### WORKSPACE system
-
-The following minimal example shows how to use {fmt} as a dependency within a Bazel project,
-that uses the traditional, repository-focused WORKSPACE system.
-Note that in the long term Bazel will only support Bzlmod.
-
-The following file structure is assumed:
-
-```
-example
-├── BUILD.bazel
-├── main.cpp
-└── WORKSPACE.bazel
-```
-
-*main.cpp*:
-
-```c++
-#include "fmt/core.h"
-
-int main() {
-  fmt::print("The answer is {}\n", 42);
-}
-```
-
-The expected output of this example is `The answer is 42`.
-
-*WORKSPACE.bazel*:
-
-```python
-load("@bazel_tools//tools/build_defs/repo:git.bzl", "git_repository")
-
-git_repository(
-    name = "fmt",
-    branch = "master",
-    remote = "https://github.com/fmtlib/fmt",
-    patch_cmds = [
-        "mv support/bazel/.bazelversion .bazelversion",
-        "mv support/bazel/BUILD.bazel BUILD.bazel",
-        "mv support/bazel/WORKSPACE.bazel WORKSPACE.bazel",
-    ],
-    # Windows-related patch commands are only needed in the case MSYS2 is not installed.
-    # More details about the installation process of MSYS2 on Windows systems can be found here:
-    # https://docs.bazel.build/versions/main/install-windows.html#installing-compilers-and-language-runtimes
-    # Even if MSYS2 is installed the Windows related patch commands can still be used.
-    patch_cmds_win = [
-        "Move-Item -Path support/bazel/.bazelversion -Destination .bazelversion",
-        "Move-Item -Path support/bazel/BUILD.bazel -Destination BUILD.bazel",
-        "Move-Item -Path support/bazel/WORKSPACE.bazel -Destination WORKSPACE.bazel",
-    ],
-)
-```
-
-In the *WORKSPACE* file, the {fmt} GitHub repository is fetched. Using the attribute `patch_cmds` the  files `BUILD.bazel`, `WORKSPACE.bazel`, and `.bazelversion` are moved to the root of the {fmt} repository. This way the {fmt} repository is recognized as a bazelized workspace. 
-
-*BUILD.bazel*:
-
-```python
-cc_binary(
-    name = "Demo",
-    srcs = ["main.cpp"],
-    deps = ["@fmt"],
-)
-```
-
-The *BUILD* file defines a binary named `Demo` that has a dependency to {fmt}.
-
-To execute the binary you can run `bazel run //:Demo`.
diff --git a/support/bazel/WORKSPACE.bazel b/support/bazel/WORKSPACE.bazel
index 5be77811bd11..b1be18f38ac8 100644
--- a/support/bazel/WORKSPACE.bazel
+++ b/support/bazel/WORKSPACE.bazel
@@ -1 +1,2 @@
-workspace(name = "fmt")
+# WORKSPACE marker file needed by Bazel
+