Sitemap validator

Validate your sitemap before submitting it to Google.

Paste a sitemap.xml URL to check whether it is reachable, parseable, and ready for search engines. Sitemap Watch validates response status, sitemap type, URL count, child sitemap count, duplicate warnings, and XML parse errors.

What this sitemap validator checks

Use this free sitemap validator when you already have a sitemap URL and want to confirm it can be fetched and parsed. It is designed for quick pre-submit checks before you add a sitemap to Google Search Console.

HTTP status

Confirm the sitemap URL returns a reachable response instead of a 404, 403, timeout, or blocked request.

XML structure

Detect whether the file is a URL set, a sitemap index, or a malformed XML response that needs cleanup.

URL entries

Count sitemap URLs, child sitemap files, duplicate URLs, and parsing warnings before search engine submission.

FAQ

What does it mean to validate a sitemap?

To validate a sitemap means checking that the sitemap URL is reachable, returns XML, can be parsed, and contains either URL entries or child sitemap entries that search engines can read.

How do I validate a sitemap for Google?

Paste your sitemap.xml URL, review the status and parsing result, then fix blocked responses, malformed XML, empty files, or duplicate URL warnings before submitting the sitemap in Google Search Console.

What makes a sitemap invalid?

Common sitemap problems include a 404 or 403 response, HTML returned instead of XML, broken XML syntax, an empty URL list, duplicate URLs, or a sitemap index that points to unavailable child sitemaps.

Can this tool validate a sitemap index?

Yes. If the sitemap is a sitemap index, Sitemap Watch detects child sitemap entries and reports the child sitemap count so you can inspect the structure before submission.

Can this validator check every sitemap protocol rule?

This first version focuses on practical validation signals: fetch status, sitemap type, entry extraction, duplicate warnings, and malformed XML signals. It is a fast pre-submit checker, not a full search engine crawler.

Why does my sitemap return 403 or HTML?

Some websites block automated requests or route unknown requests to an HTML page. If your sitemap validator result shows 403 or HTML content, review firewall, CDN, bot protection, or CMS routing rules.

Comparing formats? Read XML sitemap vs HTML sitemap.

Monitoring is coming next

The public tools are free. Account-based sitemap monitoring will build on the existing dashboard and billing foundation.

Read sitemap guides
Find a sitemap firstGenerate XML sitemapSitemap validator guide