Punycode Converter
Turn special-character domains into punycode
DNS panels, SSL certificates and email settings need the ASCII form of a domain starting with xn--, not the special characters. Type the domain to see and copy both spellings as you type.
Problems with Special-Character Domains and Fixes
A domain with special characters opens fine in the browser; problems appear when you enter it into a panel, a certificate or an email setting. Pick your situation.
My DNS or hosting panel won't accept special characters
Panels need the ASCII form of the domain. Convert it here and paste the punycode spelling (starting with xn--) into the panel; visitors still see the readable name.
I see an address starting with xn-- in the address bar
That's the punycode spelling of your domain, and it is the same address. Browsers may show punycode instead of the readable name when alphabets are mixed or the user's language settings don't match; your site still works.
A capital letter changed the result
Domains are stored in lowercase. The Turkish capital İ becomes "i + dot" in the standard conversion, giving an entirely different name such as xn--istanbul-o0e. Type domains in lowercase; this tool turns İ into i for you.
The SSL certificate or CSR won't accept the domain
The CSR's common name (CN) and SAN fields must contain the punycode spelling. Recreate the CSR with punycode and check it with the CSR Decoder before ordering.
CSR DecoderI want special characters in my email address
The domain part (after the @) works thanks to punycode. Special characters before the @, however, aren't supported by every email system; keeping mailbox names in ASCII avoids delivery problems.
This address looks like a site I know, but it's different
Look-alike letters from different alphabets (Latin a and Cyrillic а) are used to build imitation domains. The tool flags such mixed labels; never enter passwords or payment details on a suspicious link.
What Are IDN and Punycode?
An IDN (Internationalized Domain Name) is a domain containing non-ASCII letters such as ü, é or Cyrillic characters. Because DNS only understands ASCII, these names are stored in a punycode spelling that starts with xn--.
Browsers and search engines show visitors the readable name, while DNS records, SSL certificates and mail servers use the punycode spelling. Both are the same domain.
- Readable nameWhat the visitor types
- Punycode conversionLetters become ASCII code
- DNS, SSL, emailWork with the xn-- spelling
How to Read Punycode
xn--Prefix: Marks the label as converted; every IDN label starts with it.iekASCII letters: The name's ASCII letters, in order and unchanged; fromçiçekonlyiekremains.-Delimiter: Separates the ASCII letters from the encoded part.1labEncoded letters: Which special letters there are and where they sit in the name, written with letters and digits..comExtension: An ASCII extension stays as it is; non-ASCII extensions are converted separately.
The result converts each label separately, gives both spellings ready to copy and flags risks such as mixed alphabets.
Examples of Domains with Special Characters
Two spellings of the same domain: the name visitors see and the punycode used in DNS, SSL and email.
| Readable name | Punycode (for DNS) |
|---|---|
| çiçek.com | xn--iek-1lab.com |
| ığdır.com | xn--dr-wna5ec.com |
| güneş.net | xn--gne-hoa11c.net |
| şişli.com.tr | xn--ili-rzab.com.tr |
| öğretmen.org | xn--retmen-vxa24a.org |
| müzik.com | xn--mzik-0ra.com |
Even one different letter gives a completely different punycode, so copy the value rather than typing it.
Frequently Asked Questions
The most common questions about IDNs, punycode and domains with special characters.
- Punycode is the standard encoding (RFC 3492) that turns domain names with non-ASCII letters into the letters, digits and hyphens DNS understands. Every converted label starts with
xn--. - Yes; many extensions such as .com and .net accept names with special characters. Type the name into the domain search to see whether an extension supports it, and consider registering the plain ASCII twin too so no visitors get lost.
-
xn--is the standard prefix that marks a label as punycode-encoded. What follows encodes the special letters, and decoding it gives the readable name. - Search engines index IDNs like any other domain and usually show the readable spelling in results. Because some apps display shared links as punycode, many owners also register the ASCII twin as a redirect.
- Yes, the domain part works through punycode. Some older email clients may show the address in punycode, though, and special characters before the
@aren't supported everywhere, so keep mailbox names in ASCII. - No. The conversion happens in your browser; the domain you type isn't sent to Atak Domain's servers.
Register your special-character domain
Register both the special-character spelling and its ASCII twin so no visitor gets lost; .com domains start at $6.99.