Free XML sitemap validator.
Enter a domain or sitemap URL and we check that the file is valid XML, follows the sitemap protocol and lists URLs that actually return a 200 status.
Validate a sitemap
Enter a sitemap URL, or a domain to test /sitemap.xml.
What the sitemap validator checks.
A clean sitemap helps search engines discover and prioritize your pages.
Structure
Well-formed XML, the correct namespace and a valid root element for either a URL set or a sitemap index.
- XML syntax
- urlset or sitemapindex
- Namespace check
Protocol limits
Each file may hold up to 50,000 URLs. Entries need absolute http(s) locations.
- Entry count
- Valid loc values
- Host consistency
Quality
Duplicates, malformed dates and URLs that do not return 200 reduce trust in the file.
- Duplicate URLs
- lastmod format
- Sample status check
Three steps to useful results.
Enter the sitemap
Use the full sitemap URL, or just the domain if it lives at /sitemap.xml.
Review the checks
Fix invalid or inconsistent entries first.
Submit it
Reference the sitemap in robots.txt and submit it in Google Search Console.
Sitemap Validator FAQ
Common questions about this tool and what the results mean.
Ask us about your resultsDo I need an XML sitemap?
Small, well-linked sites can be crawled without one, but a sitemap helps discovery and gives you indexing reports in Search Console.
Should every URL be in the sitemap?
Only canonical, indexable pages that return 200. Leave out redirects, noindex pages and duplicates.
Does the validator support compressed sitemaps?
Not at the moment. Test the uncompressed XML URL.
What if I have a sitemap index?
The tool validates the index structure. Validate each child sitemap separately.
Read our guide
Want an expert to fix what the tool finds?
Our team turns diagnostics into a prioritized roadmap and does the work. Start with a free audit request.