Sitemap.xml GeneratorAnd Validator In One Place
Turn a list of URLs into a valid XML sitemap, or paste an existing one to catch errors before search engines do. Large lists are split into a sitemap index automatically.
Everything runs in your browser. Your URLs are not uploaded or stored.
2. Optional fields
Google says it ignores <changefreq> and <priority>, so they're off by default. A consistently accurate <lastmod> is the one optional field worth including.
3. Your sitemap
Paste some URLs on the left and your sitemap.xml will appear here.
Step-by-step
How to create and validate a sitemap.xml with this tool
Six steps from a list of URLs to a clean sitemap that search engines can read.
1.Collect the URLs you want indexed
Paste one URL per line. Include only canonical, indexable pages that return a 200 status ; not redirects, error pages, or noindex pages. If you know a page's last real update date, add it after a comma in YYYY-MM-DD format.
2.Review the checks the tool runs for you
The tool normalizes each URL, removes duplicates and #fragments, and warns about invalid lines, mixed hosts, and mixed http/https. Fix anything flagged before you publish.
3.Choose optional fields carefully
<lastmod> is worth including only when it reflects genuine content changes. <changefreq> and <priority> are off by default because Google says it ignores them.
4.Download sitemap.xml and upload it to your site root
Your sitemap should open at https://your-domain/sitemap.xml. Over 50,000 URLs? The tool automatically splits the list into several sitemaps and creates a sitemap index that points to them.
5.Reference and submit the sitemap
Copy the generated Sitemap: line into your robots.txt, then submit the sitemap URL in Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools so you can see how it is processed.
6.Validate again after every change
Switch to the Validate tab and paste your live sitemap's contents whenever you update it. It checks structure, namespace, URL formats, dates, duplicates, and size limits.
Sitemap best practices
- List only URLs you want in search results. Every URL should be canonical, return 200, and be allowed in robots.txt and meta tags.
- Keep it in sync with your site. Generate the sitemap automatically from your CMS or build step, so new pages appear and deleted pages disappear without manual edits.
- Use one canonical version of each URL. Pick https and either www or non-www and list only that form, matching your canonical tags.
- Be honest with lastmod. Update it only when the page content meaningfully changes. Setting every page to today's date teaches search engines to ignore the field.
- Split large sites logically. Separate sitemaps for blog posts, tools, and categories make the Search Console report easier to read.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Including redirected, 404, noindex, or non-canonical URLs, which sends search engines conflicting signals.
- Forgetting to escape special characters. An unescaped & breaks the XML ; this tool escapes it as & for you.
- Treating the sitemap as a ranking factor. It helps search engines discover URLs; it doesn't guarantee indexing or boost rankings.
Learn the method
What is a sitemap.xml and why does it matter?
An XML sitemap is a file that lists the URLs on your site you want search engines to discover and crawl. It is especially useful for new sites, large sites, and pages that aren't well linked from elsewhere. A sitemap doesn't guarantee a page will be indexed or ranked, but it gives search engines a clear, machine-readable list to work from.
Which sitemap tags do search engines actually use?
| Tag | Status | Meaning | Used by Google? |
|---|---|---|---|
| <loc> | Required | The full, absolute URL of the page. | Yes |
| <lastmod> | Optional | When the page content last meaningfully changed (W3C date). | Yes, when accurate and consistent |
| <changefreq> | Optional | A hint about how often the page changes. | Ignored by Google |
| <priority> | Optional | A 0.0–1.0 hint of importance relative to your other URLs. | Ignored by Google |
Other search engines may treat these hints differently, so they are optional here. If you can't keep lastmod accurate, leaving it out is better than guessing.
What to include
- Canonical URLs that return a 200 status
- Pages you want to appear in search results
- Pages that are allowed by robots.txt and have no noindex tag
What to leave out
- Redirected (3xx), missing (404), or blocked URLs
- Pages with a noindex directive or a different canonical URL
- Duplicate or parameter-based versions of the same page
- Internal search results, cart, and login pages
Limits and sitemap index files
A single sitemap can hold up to 50,000 URLs and be up to 50 MB uncompressed. Larger sites use several sitemap files plus a sitemap index that lists them, and you submit just the index. This tool builds the split and the index automatically when your list is too long.
Special characters in URLs
URLs must be entity-escaped inside XML. The generator does this for you; if you edit a file by hand, use these replacements:
Building a Next.js site?
The App Router can generate your sitemap from code, so it stays in sync as you publish. Use this tool to validate the output, and a hand-built list for one-off sites.
// app/sitemap.ts
import type { MetadataRoute } from "next";
export default function sitemap(): MetadataRoute.Sitemap {
return [
{ url: "https://example.com/", lastModified: new Date("2026-10-01") },
{ url: "https://example.com/tools" },
];
}After you publish your sitemap
Point crawlers to it with a robots.txt file, and announce new or updated pages quickly with the IndexNow Key Generator & URL Submitter. Then find pages worth improving with the Striking Distance Keyword Finder and strengthen your site structure using the Internal Link Opportunity Finder.
Browse all toolsQuestions and answers
Sitemap generator FAQ
Do I need to include changefreq and priority?
No. Google says it ignores both fields, so they are off by default in this tool. A <lastmod> date is the one optional field worth adding, as long as it reflects real content changes.
How many URLs can one sitemap contain?
Up to 50,000 URLs and 50 MB uncompressed. If your list is longer, this tool splits it into several sitemap files and creates a sitemap index that lists them.
Does a sitemap guarantee my pages will be indexed?
No. A sitemap helps search engines discover URLs, but they decide what to crawl, index, and rank. Pages should be canonical, indexable, and worth indexing.
Where do I put the sitemap file?
Upload it to your site root so it opens at https://your-domain/sitemap.xml, reference it with a Sitemap: line in robots.txt, and submit it in Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools.
Does the validator check my live site?
It checks the sitemap text you paste or load: XML structure, namespace, URL formats, dates, duplicates, and size limits. It does not fetch your pages, so it can't tell whether each URL returns a 200 status.
Is my list of URLs uploaded anywhere?
No. Generation and validation run entirely in your browser, and nothing is sent to a server.