Ever seen a domain name that starts with `xn--` and wondered what it means? You've encountered Punycode, the system that allows non-English characters in web addresses. Our free Punycode Converter makes it easy to translate these international domains (IDNs) to and from their special ASCII format.

How to Use Our Punycode Converter

Our tool converts both ways instantly. Here’s how to use it:

1. To encode (Unicode to Punycode): Type or paste an international domain (e.g., `täst.de`) into the top "Unicode" box. The Punycode version will appear automatically in the box below.
2. To decode (Punycode to Unicode): Type or paste a Punycode domain (e.g., `xn--tst-qla.de`) into the bottom "Punycode" box. The readable Unicode version will appear automatically in the box above.
3. Use the "Copy" buttons to easily copy either format.

Example Conversions

See how common international characters are translated into the ASCII-compatible Punycode format.

Unicode:  mañana.com
Punycode: xn--maana-pta.com

Unicode:  你好.com
Punycode: xn--6qq79v.com

Unicode:  TÜV-SÜD.de
Punycode: xn--tv-sd-fsa.de

What is Punycode and Why is it Necessary?

The internet's core infrastructure, the Domain Name System (DNS), was built to handle only a limited set of ASCII characters (a-z, 0-9, and the hyphen `-`). This created a barrier for a global internet where users want domain names in their native languages, using characters like `ü`, `ñ`, `你好`, or `مثال`.

Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs) were created to solve this, but the DNS still couldn't understand them directly. Punycode is the clever solution. It's a special encoding algorithm that translates Unicode characters (which represent almost all characters from all languages) into a unique string of basic ASCII characters.

When a domain contains non-ASCII characters, it is converted to Punycode and prefixed with `xn--`. This prefix acts as a signal to browsers and other systems, telling them: "The string that follows is Punycode and needs to be decoded back into Unicode to be displayed to the user." This allows the global internet to work with any language while maintaining backward compatibility with the original DNS system.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Is an `xn--` domain a scam or a virus?

No, the `xn--` prefix itself is not a scam; it's a legitimate internet standard. However, scammers can use it for phishing attacks. For example, they might register `xn--pple-43d.com`, which looks very similar to `apple.com` but uses a visually similar character from another language. Always be cautious and verify the true source of a link if it looks suspicious.

Q2: Can I register a domain name with emojis?

Yes, emoji domains are a fun example of IDNs! For instance, `i❤️.ws` is a valid domain name. When you use this tool, you'll see it converts to its Punycode equivalent: `xn--i-7iq.ws`. Whether you can register a specific emoji domain depends on the rules of the Top-Level Domain (TLD) registrar (e.g., .com, .ws, .fm).

Q3: Is this Punycode converter safe and private?

Yes. This tool performs all conversions directly in your web browser using JavaScript. No data you enter is ever sent to our servers. Your domain names and conversions remain completely private to your computer.