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XML Sitemap Validator

Paste a sitemap or open the file to check it against the sitemaps.org protocol: XML syntax, root element and namespace, every URL, lastmod dates, optional fields, duplicates and the 50,000-URL / 50 MB limits.

XML Sitemap Validator
Paste sitemap XML or open a file to check structure, URLs, dates and limits.

How to use the XML Sitemap Validator

  1. Get the sitemap XML

    Open your sitemap URL in a browser and copy the source, or download the file.

  2. Paste or open it

    Files are read locally. Unzip .xml.gz files first.

  3. Add your host (optional)

    URLs on a different host are then flagged.

  4. Fix errors, then warnings

    Syntax and namespace errors can stop the whole file being read; URL issues affect individual entries.

What it checks

XML syntax
Whether the file parses as XML at all, with the parser's error message and approximate line.
Root and namespace
A urlset or sitemapindex root using the http://www.sitemaps.org/schemas/sitemap/0.9 namespace.
loc values
Present in every entry, absolute http(s), under 2,048 characters, no whitespace or fragments.
Optional fields
lastmod in W3C datetime format (and not in the future), changefreq from the allowed list, priority between 0.0 and 1.0.
Duplicates and hosts
Repeated URLs and URLs from hosts other than the expected one.
Limits and extensions
50,000 entries and 50 MB per file; image, video, news and xhtml (hreflang) extensions are recognised.

Interpreting the results

The summary shows the sitemap type, entry count, file size and how many errors and warnings were found. Issues are grouped: errors break the protocol (invalid XML, wrong namespace, missing or relative loc), warnings are likely mistakes (future lastmod dates, duplicates, other hosts).

The entries table lists each URL with its lastmod and any issue, and you can download the URL list as CSV. For a sitemap index, entries are the child sitemap URLs — validate each child file separately.

Detected marks facts read directly from what you provided. Guidance marks general recommendations based on those facts — rules of thumb, not guarantees or search engine requirements.

Practical guidance

Most sitemap problems come from generators and plugins rather than hand-written files: an HTTP sitemap on an HTTPS site, lastmod set to the build time for every URL, staging hosts left in, or ampersands that weren't escaped. The validator catches each of these.

A valid sitemap still needs good contents. Check that listed URLs return 200 and aren't redirected — the HTTP Status Code Checker helps with a sample — and that they aren't blocked by robots.txt (use the Robots.txt Tester). To rebuild a clean file, use the XML Sitemap Generator.

Discovery is only the first step for new pages. Internal links and relevant backlinks help search engines decide which of them matter — our campaign planning guide explains how to prioritise.

Limitations

  • It validates the XML you provide; it doesn't fetch the listed URLs or check their status.
  • Line numbers are approximate when the parser reports an error.
  • Extension elements (image, video, news) are recognised but only lightly checked.

Frequently asked questions

Why does a single error make the whole sitemap invalid?

XML must be well-formed to be read. An unescaped & or a missing closing tag can stop a parser from reading anything after it.

Is an http:// namespace URL a mistake?

No — the official namespace is http://www.sitemaps.org/schemas/sitemap/0.9, even on HTTPS sites. Using https:// in the namespace is the mistake.

Can I validate a sitemap index?

Yes. The tool detects sitemapindex files and checks each child sitemap entry.

Is my file uploaded?

No. It's read and parsed in your browser.

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