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Sitemap Validator

Check an XML sitemap or sitemap index against the sitemaps.org rules: syntax, namespace, URLs, lastmod dates, changefreq, priority, limits.

Search engines use your XML sitemap to discover pages, but they quietly skip a sitemap — or parts of it — when it breaks the rules. The Sitemap Validator checks a sitemap or sitemap index against the sitemaps.org protocol that Google, Bing and other search engines follow, and lists every problem with the entry it belongs to.

It checks that the file is well-formed XML (and shows the line and column of a syntax error, such as an unescaped & in a URL), that the root element and namespace are right, that every location is an absolute http or https URL on one host and no longer than 2,048 characters, that lastmod dates use the W3C format, that changefreq and priority have allowed values, and that the file stays within 50,000 URLs and 50 MB. Duplicates and future dates are flagged as warnings.

How to use Sitemap Validator

  1. Paste your sitemap XML, or open a .xml file (or a gzipped .xml.gz).
  2. Read the verdict: valid, or the number of errors and warnings.
  3. Fix each listed problem — every message names the entry or line.
  4. Validate again, then submit the sitemap in Google Search Console or Bing Webmaster Tools.

Features

  • Sitemaps (urlset) and sitemap indexes (sitemapindex).
  • XML syntax errors with line and column.
  • Namespace, root element and allowed child elements.
  • Absolute http(s) URLs, length, encoding, fragments and hosts.
  • W3C lastmod dates, changefreq values and priority from 0.0 to 1.0.
  • Duplicate URLs and the 50,000-URL / 50 MB limits.
  • Opens .xml.gz files; runs in your browser.

The rules that are checked

These are the requirements of the sitemaps.org protocol, plus a few best practices that search engines recommend. Errors break the protocol; warnings are worth fixing but don't make the file invalid.

CheckRuleLevel
XMLWell-formed; & written as &Error
Root and namespaceurlset or sitemapindex with xmlns http://www.sitemaps.org/schemas/sitemap/0.9Error
locAbsolute http or https URL, at most 2,048 charactersError
lastmodW3C date: 2026-10-15 or 2026-10-15T09:30:00+00:00Error
changefreqalways, hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, yearly or neverError
priority0.0 to 1.0Error
SizeAt most 50,000 entries and 50 MB uncompressedError
Duplicates, several hosts, #fragments, future datesBest practiceWarning

Common sitemap mistakes

The most frequent problem is an unescaped ampersand in a URL with parameters: in XML, & must be written as &, otherwise the whole file fails to parse. Next come relative URLs (/about instead of https://example.com/about), dates in local formats such as 15/10/2026, and URLs from the wrong host — www.example.com and example.com are different hosts, and a sitemap should only list URLs of the site it lives on. Very large sites hit the 50,000-URL limit and need several sitemaps listed in a sitemap index.

Why a browser can't fetch your sitemap

For privacy and security, browsers don't let a web page read files from other websites, so this tool can't download a sitemap from its address. Open the sitemap in a new tab, copy the XML and paste it here, or save the file and open it. For gzipped sitemaps (sitemap.xml.gz), use Open .xml.gz: the file is unpacked with your browser's built-in decoder. Nothing you paste or open is uploaded.

After validating

A valid sitemap still needs to be found: reference it in your robots.txt with a Sitemap: line and submit it in Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools. Keep lastmod accurate — search engines learn to ignore dates that change without real updates — and list only canonical, indexable pages that return status 200. To build a sitemap from a list of URLs, use the XML Sitemap Generator; to write robots.txt, use the Robots.txt Generator.

Frequently asked questions

How do I validate my sitemap?

Paste the sitemap XML or open the file. The validator lists every error and warning with the entry it belongs to.

Why does my sitemap fail with an XML error?

Usually because of an & in a URL. Write it as & inside the sitemap.

Can it check a sitemap index?

Yes. Indexes are checked the same way; validate each child sitemap separately.

Can I enter my sitemap URL?

Browsers can't read other sites' files, so paste the XML or open the downloaded file.

What date format does lastmod use?

W3C Datetime, for example 2026-10-15 or 2026-10-15T09:30:00+00:00.

How many URLs can a sitemap have?

Up to 50,000 URLs and 50 MB uncompressed. Use a sitemap index for more.

Are changefreq and priority required?

No, they are optional; Google ignores them, but if present they must be valid.

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