Sitemap Checker
Validate XML sitemap syntax, check for broken tags, invalid URLs, and character encoding issues. Ensure your sitemap meets search engine requirements for optimal indexing with comprehensive error detection and validation reports.
Complete Guide: Sitemap Checker
Everything you need to know about using this tool effectively
The Sitemap Checker reviews XML sitemaps and sitemap index files for structural and formatting problems that can interfere with crawling or indexing. It can validate pasted XML directly or fetch a sitemap URL, then report errors, warnings, URL counts, and common protocol issues in one pass.
This tool is a browser-based XML sitemap validator. It checks whether your sitemap uses the right root elements, contains valid URLs, stays within common sitemap limits, and follows expected formatting for optional fields such as lastmod, changefreq, and priority.
Pre-launch sitemap review
Check a new sitemap before submitting it to search engines so formatting issues are caught early.
Indexing troubleshooting
Validate a sitemap when pages are not being discovered or when Search Console reports sitemap issues.
Migration QA
Review sitemap output after a platform migration or URL restructuring to confirm the file still validates cleanly.
Template or generator testing
Audit sitemap output from a CMS, plugin, or custom generator without needing a full crawler.
SEO maintenance
Run periodic checks on live sitemap URLs to catch malformed entries, invalid optional values, or protocol drift.
Choose your input
Paste sitemap XML directly or enter a live sitemap URL if you want the tool to fetch the file first.
Run validation
Start the check to parse the XML, inspect the sitemap structure, and count entries.
Review the issue list
Look at errors, warnings, and informational notes to see what needs fixing first.
Check sitemap stats
Use the URL count and issue totals to understand the scale of the problem before making changes.
Export the report if needed
Download the validation summary when you want to document findings or send them to a developer.
Fix XML parsing errors first because they can stop the rest of the sitemap from being processed properly.
Validate live sitemap URLs after major releases so you catch broken output from generators or templates quickly.
Warnings on optional fields like priority or changefreq are still worth cleaning up if the sitemap is part of a broader technical SEO review.
Use pasted XML mode when you want to test a draft sitemap before it is deployed.
Keep sitemap checks separate from crawl audits because a valid sitemap does not guarantee the pages themselves are indexable.
What does this sitemap checker validate?
It validates XML parsing, sitemap root elements, namespace usage, URL formatting, optional field values, and common sitemap limits such as total URL count and file size.
Can the tool validate a live sitemap URL?
Yes. If you enter a full sitemap URL, the tool will fetch the file and run the same validation checks it uses for pasted XML.
Does it support sitemap index files as well as normal sitemaps?
Yes. The validator checks both standard urlset sitemaps and sitemapindex files, with rules appropriate to each format.
What is the difference between an error and a warning here?
Errors are issues that make the sitemap structurally invalid or unusable, while warnings usually point to optional fields, formatting quality, or protocol choices that should still be reviewed.
Will a valid sitemap guarantee indexing?
No. A valid sitemap improves discoverability, but indexing still depends on the pages themselves, crawlability, canonical handling, quality, and search engine decisions.