Punycode Encoder & Decoder | IDN Converter
Encode internationalized domain names (IDN) to Punycode or decode Punycode back to Unicode domain names. Supports all languages including Korean, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, and emoji domains—everything runs locally in your browser.
How to Use This Tool
- 1
Choose Encode (Unicode → Punycode) or Decode (Punycode → Unicode).
- 2
Enter your domain name with international characters.
- 3
See instant conversion in Live mode or click the button in Manual mode.
- 4
Copy the encoded domain for DNS registration or the decoded version for display.
- 5
Use Swap to quickly switch between encoded and decoded formats.
Use Cases & Examples
Domain Name Registration
Register domain names with international characters by converting to Punycode format for DNS systems.
Display Internationalized Domains
Convert Punycode domains from DNS records back to readable Unicode for display in applications.
URL & Email Debugging
Inspect and debug internationalized domain names in URLs, emails, and web applications.
Web Development & APIs
Build applications that handle international domain names correctly across different systems.
Educational & Testing
Understand how browsers and DNS systems handle non-ASCII domain names.
Understanding Punycode & IDN
Punycode encodes Unicode domain labels to ASCII using a bootstring algorithm (RFC 3492).
Encoded labels are prefixed with 'xn--' to indicate Punycode encoding.
The algorithm efficiently represents Unicode characters using only A-Z, 0-9, and hyphens.
Browsers automatically convert between Punycode and Unicode for display, but DNS uses Punycode internally.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q.What is Punycode and why is it needed?
A. Punycode is an encoding method that converts Unicode domain names to ASCII format using the 'xn--' prefix. It allows international characters in domain names while maintaining DNS compatibility.
Q.What does 'xn--' mean in domain names?
A. The 'xn--' prefix indicates a Punycode-encoded domain label. It tells DNS systems that the following characters represent an internationalized domain name.
Q.Can I use any language in domain names?
A. Yes. Punycode supports all Unicode characters, including Korean (한글), Chinese (中文), Japanese (日本語), Arabic (العربية), Cyrillic, and even emojis.
Q.Is Punycode encoding secure?
A. No—Punycode is encoding for DNS compatibility, not security. Domain names are public information and Punycode doesn't provide encryption or protection.
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