Punycode converter, both ways.
Turn a name with accents or another script into the xn-- form DNS uses, or decode one back, and spot names made to imitate others.
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How a name in another script reaches DNS.
DNS only carries letters a to z, digits and hyphens. A label with other characters is first mapped (capitals to lower case, full-width forms to normal ones), then encoded with Punycode and given the prefix xn--. Each label is converted on its own, so bücher.de becomes xn--bcher-kva.de while .de stays as it is. The encoded label must fit in 63 characters.
Lookalikes and mixed scripts.
- Some letters in Cyrillic and Greek look exactly like Latin ones.
аррӏе.com, written entirely in Cyrillic, can pass for apple.com; its real name isxn--80ak6aa92e.com. - A label that mixes scripts (Latin with Cyrillic, say) is the classic trick. Most registries refuse such labels, and browsers show them in xn-- form.
- Mixing Han, Hiragana, Katakana or Hangul is normal in Chinese, Japanese and Korean names.
Standards in use.
The encoding is Punycode (RFC 3492). Which characters may appear is set by IDNA2008 (RFC 5890 to 5893); browsers add the mapping step from Unicode's UTS #46, which is what this page uses, so the result matches what your browser sends.
Questions people ask.
What is Punycode?
The way DNS stores names written with accents or other scripts: each such label becomes plain letters, digits and hyphens with xn-- in front. bücher.de is stored as xn--bcher-kva.de.
Why does my browser show xn-- instead of the real name?
Browsers show the xn-- form when a name could be mistaken for another one, for example when it mixes scripts or uses letters that look like Latin ones. It protects people from lookalike sites.
Can I register a domain with accents or other scripts?
Many extensions accept them, each with its own list of allowed characters. You register the xn-- form; type the Unicode name into a registrar or into the availability checker.
What is a homograph attack?
A name built from letters of another script that look the same, such as Cyrillic а in place of Latin a, to imitate a known brand. The converter warns when a label mixes scripts or could pass for a Latin name.
Is the conversion done on Hivex's servers?
No. It runs in your browser with the same rules browsers use, and nothing you type is sent.
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Sources
- RFC 3492: Punycode
- RFC 5891: Internationalized domain names in applications (IDNA2008): protocol
- RFC 5892: The Unicode code points and IDNA2008
- Unicode UTS #46: IDNA compatibility processing
By Hivex. Updated 10 October 2026. Converted by this page in your browser, with the same rules browsers use; nothing you type is sent.