IDN Punnycode converter
International Domains (Punycode)
Converts Unicode domain names (münchen.de, 例え.jp) to Punycode ASCII form (xn--mnchen-3ya.de) that the DNS system actually uses. Required when configuring DNS, SSL certificates, or email for internationalized domains.
Homograph Attacks
Punycode exists partly because lookalike Unicode letters enable phishing (аpple.com with a Cyrillic а). Browsers show Punycode for suspicious mixed-script domains — if you see "xn--" in your address bar unexpectedly, look twice.
How to Use the IDN Punycode Converter
Convert internationalized domain names with non-ASCII characters into Punycode — the ASCII-only form that DNS, email systems, and older software understand.
- Enter the internationalized domain, for example münchen.de.
- The converter encodes the non-ASCII part into Punycode, prefixed with
xn--. - Copy the ASCII result and use it in DNS records, configurations, or anywhere Unicode domains are not accepted.
Example
münchen.de → xn--mnchen-3ya.de. Browsers display the pretty Unicode version to users while the network uses this ASCII form behind the scenes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Punycode?
A standard encoding (defined in RFC 3492) that represents Unicode characters using only basic ASCII letters, digits, and hyphens, so the global DNS — which was built ASCII-only — can handle international domains.
Why not just use the Unicode domain everywhere?
Modern browsers do show it, but DNS servers, many email systems, SSL certificate tooling, and older applications still require the Punycode form to function.
Does the conversion change where the domain points?
No. Punycode is purely an encoding of the same name — münchen.de and xn--mnchen-3ya.de resolve to the identical domain.