IDN Punnycode converter

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About IDN Punycode Converter

IDN Punycode Converter translates internationalized domain names between Unicode and ASCII (punycode) representations. It is useful when working with domain names that contain non-ASCII characters.

How to use it

Paste a domain name. The tool reports both the Unicode and the punycode forms.

Common use cases

Configuring DNS for international domains. Verifying certificate registration.

Domain names with non-ASCII characters — accented letters, Cyrillic, Chinese, Arabic and other scripts — cannot pass through the DNS itself, which only speaks ASCII. Those internationalized domain names (IDNs) are therefore stored and resolved in a punycode encoding such as xn--rks594a for a Spanish word. This converter translates between the friendly Unicode form you type and the punycode form the DNS and certificates actually use.

It is the tool you reach for when configuring records, verifying a certificate, or debugging why a non-ASCII domain is not resolving the way you expect — because systems you work with often show the punycode form, not the pretty Unicode name.

How to Use the IDN Punycode Converter

Paste the domain name in either its Unicode or its punycode form.
Read the counterpart representation the tool produces.
Use the punycode string in DNS, certificate or server configuration as needed.

Practical Use Cases

Configure DNS records for an internationalized domain, check what punycode a certificate authority actually signed so the name matches, debug a non-ASCII domain that is not resolving, and understand the xn-- label sitting in a whois or server log.

Why the Punycode Form Matters

Two names that look identical on screen can resolve differently if one is composed of different bytes, and mixed-script lookalike domains are a real spoofing concern. Seeing the punycode makes the canonical, canonical form explicit and lets you confirm exactly which domain is registered.

IDN punycode — common questions

What does the xn-- prefix mean?

It is the marker that says a label is an internationalized domain stored in punycode. A string like xn--rks594a is the ASCII-safe encoding of a non-ASCII domain label.

Do I ever type the punycode myself?

Sometimes. Browser address bars usually accept the Unicode form, but when configuring DNS, certificates or server config you often need or see the punycode, which is exactly what this converter produces.

Why do lookalike scripts matter?

Different scripts can produce visually similar characters, enabling a confusing mix. Converting to punycode exposes the real byte-level identity so you can confirm the exact domain you are working on.