diff --git a/test/test_YoutubeDL.py b/test/test_YoutubeDL.py
index 708a04f92..1a0313305 100644
--- a/test/test_YoutubeDL.py
+++ b/test/test_YoutubeDL.py
@@ -802,7 +802,7 @@ def test(tmpl, expected, *, info=None, **params):
         test('%(id)s', '-abcd', info={'id': '-abcd'})
         test('%(id)s', '.abcd', info={'id': '.abcd'})
         test('%(id)s', 'ab__cd', info={'id': 'ab__cd'})
-        test('%(id)s', ('ab:cd', 'ab：cd'), info={'id': 'ab:cd'})
+        test('%(id)s', ('ab:cd', 'ab\u0589cd'), info={'id': 'ab:cd'})
         test('%(id.0)s', '-', info={'id': '--'})
 
         # Invalid templates
@@ -861,7 +861,7 @@ def expect_same_infodict(out):
         test('%(formats)j', (json.dumps(FORMATS), None))
         test('%(formats)#j', (
             json.dumps(FORMATS, indent=4),
-            json.dumps(FORMATS, indent=4).replace(':', '：').replace('"', '＂').replace('\n', ' '),
+            json.dumps(FORMATS, indent=4).replace(':', '\u0589').replace('"', '\u2033').replace('\n', ' '),
         ))
         test('%(title5).3B', 'á')
         test('%(title5)U', 'áéí 𝐀')
@@ -872,13 +872,13 @@ def expect_same_infodict(out):
         test('%(filesize)#D', '1Ki')
         test('%(height)5.2D', ' 1.08k')
         test('%(title4)#S', 'foo_bar_test')
-        test('%(title4).10S', ('foo ＂bar＂ ', 'foo ＂bar＂' + ('#' if os.name == 'nt' else ' ')))
+        test('%(title4).10S', ('foo \u2033bar\u2033 ', 'foo \u2033bar\u2033' + ('#' if os.name == 'nt' else ' ')))
         if os.name == 'nt':
             test('%(title4)q', ('"foo ""bar"" test"', None))
             test('%(formats.:.id)#q', ('"id 1" "id 2" "id 3"', None))
             test('%(formats.0.id)#q', ('"id 1"', None))
         else:
-            test('%(title4)q', ('\'foo "bar" test\'', '\'foo ＂bar＂ test\''))
+            test('%(title4)q', ('\'foo "bar" test\'', '\'foo \u2033bar\u2033 test\''))
             test('%(formats.:.id)#q', "'id 1' 'id 2' 'id 3'")
             test('%(formats.0.id)#q', "'id 1'")
 
@@ -903,7 +903,7 @@ def expect_same_infodict(out):
                           for f in FORMATS])
         test('%(formats.:.{id,height.:2})j', (out, None))
         test('%(formats.:.{id,height}.id)l', ', '.join(f['id'] for f in FORMATS))
-        test('%(.{id,title})j', ('{"id": "1234"}', '{＂id＂： ＂1234＂}'))
+        test('%(.{id,title})j', ('{"id": "1234"}', '{\u2033id\u2033\u0589 \u20331234\u2033}'))
 
         # Alternates
         test('%(title,id)s', '1234')
diff --git a/yt_dlp/utils/_utils.py b/yt_dlp/utils/_utils.py
index 4093c238c..664757b67 100644
--- a/yt_dlp/utils/_utils.py
+++ b/yt_dlp/utils/_utils.py
@@ -639,8 +639,18 @@ def replace_insane(char):
         elif not restricted and char == '\n':
             return '\0 '
         elif is_id is NO_DEFAULT and not restricted and char in '"*:<>?|/\\':
-            # Replace with their full-width unicode counterparts
-            return {'/': '\u29F8', '\\': '\u29f9'}.get(char, chr(ord(char) + 0xfee0))
+            # Replace with lookalike characters
+            return {
+                '"': '\u2033',
+                '*': '\uA60E',
+                ':': '\u0589',
+                '<': '\u227A',
+                '>': '\u227B',
+                '?': '\uFF1F',
+                '|': '\u01C0',
+                '/': '\u29F8',
+                '\\': '\u29f9',
+            }[char]
         elif char == '?' or ord(char) < 32 or ord(char) == 127:
             return ''
         elif char == '"':