Sitemap Validator
Inspect one sitemap XML file and its core fields
Inspect one XML file’s core namespace, fields, HTTP(S) URLs and dates. Supports urlset and sitemapindex; linked files and extension schemas are not fetched. Dates use a four-digit positive-year date/dateTime profile; timestamps require seconds, and missing timezones receive a warning. loc follows the protocol prose’s under-2,048-character rule. Input limit: 5 MiB and 50,000 entries.
This tool processes input in the page, does not request embedded addresses, and does not save input drafts. Site analytics records actions and summary information only.
The full guide also includes pitfalls, worked examples, snippets, FAQs, and related tools for checking results or troubleshooting.
About this tool
Inspect one pasted urlset or sitemapindex XML file. Checks cover the Sitemap namespace, core field order and duplicates, required loc, HTTP(S) URL shape, optional HTTPS preference, repeated URLs, changefreq, priority and calendar dates. The date profile uses four-digit positive years and date/dateTime with seconds; timezone is optional but missing timestamp zones receive a warning. loc follows the protocol prose’s under-2,048-character rule. This is a local core-field checker, not complete XSD or search-engine validation. External-namespace extension elements are reported as unchecked; linked files, HTTP responses, ownership, canonical URLs and indexing are not fetched or verified. The browser input limit is 5 MiB and 50,000 entries; the protocol’s uncompressed file limit is 50 MiB. Input is processed in the page and not saved as a draft. Site analytics records actions and counts.
Failure Clinic (Common Pitfalls)
Assuming an XML schema validates every URL or extension
Cause: The core Sitemap XSD does not establish HTTP reachability; external image/news/video schemas are separate.
Fix: Use this report for the core fields, and validate any extension and live URL behavior with the relevant tools.
Changing every URL to HTTPS or adding a slash to remove a warning
Cause: HTTPS is an optional review preference here, and canonical URL shape depends on the deployed site.
Fix: Keep sitemap URLs aligned with the site’s actual canonical URLs. This checker does not rewrite them.
Scenario Recipes
Find a broken core field in one sitemap
Goal: Separate XML/core-field errors from deployment checks that need a live site.
- Paste the uncompressed XML of one urlset or sitemapindex file.
- Fix errors such as the wrong namespace, duplicate loc, a missing URL or an impossible calendar date.
- Review duplicate-URL and HTTPS-preference warnings. Fetching entries, cross-site submission permissions and indexing remain separate checks.
Result: A local report of the supplied file, including extension elements whose schemas were not checked.
Production Snippets
A valid XML string can still contain an invalid date
xml
<urlset xmlns="http://www.sitemaps.org/schemas/sitemap/0.9">
<url>
<loc>https://example.test/page</loc>
<lastmod>2026-02-30</lastmod>
</url>
</urlset>
<!-- February 30 is invalid. Use the actual page modification date,
or omit lastmod if no reliable date is available. -->Frequently Asked Questions
Does a clean report guarantee indexing?
No. This checks supplied XML only. It does not establish URL access, canonical selection, Search Console ownership, cross-site submission permission or search indexing.
Is HTTP always invalid in a sitemap?
No. HTTP is allowed. The optional HTTPS preference produces a warning without rewriting URLs; use the site’s actual canonical scheme and path shape.
Which lastmod dates are accepted?
The local profile accepts valid Gregorian YYYY-MM-DD and dateTime with seconds, optional fractional seconds and optional timezone, using years 0001–9999. An absent timestamp timezone is warned about. Impossible dates and natural-language dates fail.
Are image or other extension schemas validated?
No. External-namespace elements are reported as unchecked. This avoids treating a missing extension schema as proof that the extension content is invalid.
Does sitemapindex cause linked files to be fetched?
No. Only the index file’s own entries are inspected. No URLs from the input are requested.
Why are the input and protocol size limits different?
The browser checker caps input at 5 MiB for local processing. The Sitemap protocol permits up to 50 MiB uncompressed and 50,000 entries. This tool’s smaller input limit is not a protocol violation.
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