Punycode Converter
Make an international domain work on the internet. This free punycode converter changes Unicode domains like münchen.com into their ASCII xn-- form for DNS, and converts them back to the readable spelling. It runs instantly in your browser.
What is a punycode converter?
A punycode converter translates between the human-readable form of an internationalized domain name (IDN) and its ASCII-compatible encoded form. The internet's Domain Name System was built to handle only ASCII characters — letters, digits and hyphens — so a domain that contains letters like ü, é or 日 cannot be resolved as typed. Punycode, defined in RFC 3492, encodes those non-ASCII characters into a compact ASCII string and prefixes it with xn--, so münchen.com becomes xn--mnchen-3ya.com. The browser then displays the readable Unicode form while the DNS works with the ASCII version. This tool converts each domain label that contains non-ASCII characters; labels that are already plain ASCII pass through unchanged. It is useful when you register or manage an IDN, configure DNS or SSL records, or want to decode an xn-- link to spot a lookalike phishing domain.
How to use
- Choose the direction: Unicode → punycode, or punycode → Unicode.
- Paste one or more domains, one per line.
- Each domain is converted instantly; copy the result.
- ASCII domains stay unchanged, and non-ASCII labels get the xn-- prefix.
Example
Convert münchen.com to punycode. The output is xn--mnchen-3ya.com — the ü becomes the encoded label while the .com stays as is. Switch to the reverse direction and decode xn--mnchen-3ya.com back to münchen.com.
Who is this punycode converter for?
This free punycode converter is built for anyone who needs to make a conversion quickly, but a few groups reach for it most often.
- Students and young adults: Learning how internationalised domains work is fun with a punycode converter that turns Unicode into xn-- labels.
- Designers and developers: A punycode converter lets developers turn a Unicode domain into the ASCII form a browser actually uses.
- Professionals: Registrars and hosting teams verify IDN domains and use a punycode converter to check a label.
- Curious users: Paste a Unicode domain into the punycode converter to see the xn-- encoding the internet quietly uses.
Unicode to punycode reference table
Each domain is encoded with the RFC 3492 algorithm the tool implements, so the xn-- label is the same one browsers resolve.
| Unicode domain | Punycode (xn--) |
|---|---|
| münchen.de | xn--mnchen-3ya.de |
| bücher.de | xn--bcher-kva.de |
| café.fr | xn--caf-dma.fr |
| 日本語.jp | xn--wgv71a119e.jp |
| déjàvu.com | xn--djvu-1na6c.com |
Common use cases
- Registering or managing an internationalized domain name (IDN).
- Configuring DNS records, SSL certificates and firewalls that need the ASCII form.
- Decoding an xn-- link to see the real spelling and spot a homograph lookalike.
- Converting a domain between the two forms for a registrar or API integration.
Pro tips
- ASCII labels pass through unchanged; only non-ASCII labels get the xn-- prefix.
- Encoding happens per label (between the dots), not on the whole domain at once.
- Punycode output is case-insensitive per DNS convention, so case does not matter.
- Use the decode direction on an xn-- link to reveal visually similar phishing domains.
FAQ
What is punycode?
Punycode is an encoding that lets a domain with non-ASCII letters (like ü, é, or 日) be represented in the ASCII-only form that the DNS uses, shown with an xn-- prefix such as xn--mnchen-3ya.
Why do domains use punycode?
Internet protocols and DNS only reliably handle ASCII characters. Punycode turns Unicode domain labels into ASCII so they can be resolved and typed, while browsers display the readable Unicode form.
How do I convert a domain?
Choose Unicode to Punycode and paste a domain like münchen.com, or choose Punycode to Unicode and paste xn--mnchen-3ya.com. The result appears instantly.
What does the xn-- prefix mean?
It marks that a domain label is punycode-encoded, so xn--mnchen-3ya is the ASCII form of münchen.
Can I convert multiple domains at once?
Yes — paste one domain per line and each is converted independently.
Does it handle a full URL?
You can paste a whole domain; strip any scheme, path or trailing slash for a clean conversion. The tool converts each label between dots.
What is an IDN homograph attack?
An attacker registers a domain that looks like a legitimate one using visually similar characters from another script; punycode can reveal the real spelling.
Is it private?
Yes — it runs entirely in your browser and nothing is uploaded to a server.
Is it free?
Yes, free and unlimited with no signup and no limits.
Related URL tools
More FAQs
Are these URL tools free?
Yes, free and unlimited with no signup.
Is my data uploaded?
No. Everything runs in your browser and nothing is sent to a server.
Related searches
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