XML sitemap validator
Paste your sitemap.xml URL and see the type, the URL count, and the errors that stop Google from reading the file. Right in your browser, no sign up.
Everything about the XML sitemap
An XML sitemap is a file that lists your site URLs for search engines. It helps Google discover and crawl your pages faster, especially on large sites, new sites, or sites with few internal links pointing to the content.
What an XML sitemap is
It is a file, usually named sitemap.xml, in XML format. Each entry holds a URL in a <loc> tag and may include extra data such as the last modified date. You submit this file to Google to state which pages exist and deserve to be crawled.
Format: urlset and sitemapindex
- urlset: the standard URL sitemap. The root is
<urlset>and each page sits in<url><loc>...</loc></url>. - sitemapindex: an index that points to other sitemaps. The root is
<sitemapindex>and each item sits in<sitemap><loc>...</loc></sitemap>. - Use the index when you have many sitemaps, for example one per site section or one per language.
Limits: 50,000 URLs and 50 MB
Each sitemap allows at most 50,000 URLs and 50 MB uncompressed. When you pass either limit, split the content into several sitemaps and create a <sitemapindex> pointing to all of them. You can also serve the file gzipped to save bandwidth.
Where to declare the sitemap
- In robots.txt: add the line
Sitemap: https://yoursite.com/sitemap.xmlso any search engine finds the file. - In Google Search Console: open the Sitemaps report and submit the file URL to track its read status.
- In Bing Webmaster Tools: the same file works for other engines, so submit it there too.
Common sitemap mistakes
| Mistake | Effect |
|---|---|
| URL with http instead of https | Google may ignore the entry or treat it as a different page |
| Relative URLs in <loc> | The sitemap is invalid; each <loc> must be an absolute URL |
| Over 50,000 URLs or 50 MB | The file is rejected; split into several sitemaps with an index |
| Malformed XML or missing closing tag | The engine cannot read the file |
| Sitemap missing from robots.txt and Search Console | Discovery is slower and you miss read errors |
A sitemap does not guarantee indexing
The sitemap helps Google discover your pages, but the decision to index depends on the content quality and the technical signals of each URL. Treat the sitemap as an invitation to crawl and handle the rest with canonical tags, useful content and good internal links.
XML sitemap questions
Is the validator free?
Yes, free and no sign up. Paste the sitemap URL and get the analysis instantly.
What is the difference between urlset and sitemapindex?
A urlset lists page URLs. A sitemapindex lists other sitemaps and helps organize large sites across several files.
How many URLs fit in a sitemap?
Up to 50,000 URLs and 50 MB uncompressed per file. Above that, split into several sitemaps and use an index.
How do I submit the sitemap to Google?
Declare the URL in robots.txt with a Sitemap: line and submit the file in the Sitemaps report inside Google Search Console.
Do I need to update the sitemap manually?
It is best to generate the sitemap automatically whenever you publish or remove pages, so it reflects the current site with no manual work.
Is my data stored?
The validation runs on demand and the sitemap content is not stored.
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