Punycode / IDN Converter

Convert between Unicode and Punycode for internationalized domain names (IDNs). Bidirectional, instant, and free.

What This Tool Does

The Punycode / IDN Converter lets you convert any internationalized domain name between its human-readable Unicode form and its ASCII-compatible Punycode representation. Simply enter a Unicode domain such as münchen.de and receive its Punycode equivalent xn--mnchen-3ya.de, or paste a Punycode domain to reveal the original Unicode characters.

The tool automatically detects which direction to convert. If your input contains labels starting with xn--, it decodes Punycode to Unicode. Otherwise, it encodes Unicode to Punycode. Multi-label domains are handled correctly, with each label encoded or decoded independently.

Every Unicode script is supported, including Latin with diacritics, Cyrillic, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Hindi, and any other characters permitted by the IDNA 2008 standard. Conversion happens instantly in your browser with no server round-trip, so your input never leaves your device.

What Are Punycode and IDNs?

Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs) allow domain names to contain non-ASCII characters such as accented letters, Chinese characters, Arabic script, or Cyrillic text. This means people around the world can register domains in their own language and script.

However, the Domain Name System (DNS) only understands ASCII characters. Punycode is the encoding standard that bridges this gap by representing Unicode characters in an ASCII-compatible form. Every Punycode-encoded label begins with the prefix xn--, making it easy to identify.

When you type an internationalized domain into your browser, it silently converts the Unicode form to Punycode before resolving the address through DNS. The browser then displays the readable Unicode version to you. This converter lets you see both forms, which is essential for DNS configuration, SSL certificate verification, email setup, and security analysis.

Common Use Cases

The Punycode converter serves a wide range of technical and practical needs. Here are the most common scenarios where this tool helps:

• DNS Configuration -- Use the Punycode form when setting up A, MX, CNAME, or other DNS records for internationalized domains. Many DNS management panels require the ASCII-encoded version.
• SSL Certificates -- Verify that the Punycode form matches the Subject Alternative Name (SAN) on your certificate. Mismatches between Unicode and Punycode representations can cause certificate errors.
• Email Setup -- Configure mail servers with the ASCII-compatible domain representation. Most SMTP servers require Punycode for routing international domains.
• Security Analysis -- Decode suspicious Punycode domains to detect homograph attacks. For example, xn--pple-43d.com decodes to a domain that visually resembles apple.com but uses a Cyrillic character.

Supported Scripts and Languages

This converter handles every script permitted by the IDNA 2008 standard. Whether you work with European languages or Asian writing systems, the tool has you covered:

• Latin with diacritics -- German umlauts (ä, ö, ü), French accents (é, è, ê), Spanish tildes (ñ), and more
• Cyrillic -- Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian, Serbian, and related scripts
• Arabic and Hebrew -- Right-to-left scripts fully supported
• CJK characters -- Chinese, Japanese kanji, and Korean hangul
• Devanagari -- Hindi, Marathi, Sanskrit, and other Indic scripts

Domainwise is available in 12 languages including Arabic (RTL), making it an ideal tool for anyone working with internationalized domain names in their native language. Use the ToolSwitcher bar at the top to navigate quickly between all free domain tools.

Related Guides

Want to learn more about how domain names work? These guides will help you understand the fundamentals:

• What is a domain name? -- A beginner-friendly introduction to how domain names work, including the role of DNS in translating names to IP addresses.
• Understanding TLDs: .com vs .dev vs .io -- Compare top-level domain extensions and learn which one fits your project, brand, or international audience.

After converting your internationalized domain, you can verify its DNS records with the DNS Lookup tool or search for available domain names with the domain name generator.