This free XML sitemap generator turns a plain list of URLs into a valid sitemap.xml file that follows the sitemaps.org protocol. Paste your URLs one per line, choose optional settings like last-modified dates, and copy or download the finished sitemap. It runs entirely in your browser — up to 50,000 URLs, the protocol maximum.
<!-- Your generated sitemap will appear here -->
How to use this sitemap generator
- Paste your URLs, one per line. Only include canonical, indexable pages — leave out redirects, noindexed pages, and parameter duplicates.
- Choose whether to include a last-modified date. Only include it if it is accurate; Google treats consistently wrong lastmod values as noise and may ignore them.
- Skip changefreq and priority unless another system requires them — Google has confirmed it ignores both.
- Generate, then upload the file to your site root (e.g.
/sitemap.xml). - Declare it in your robots.txt with a
Sitemap:line and submit it in Google Search Console.
Why XML sitemaps matter for discovery
An XML sitemap is a machine-readable inventory of every page you want discovered — search engines use it to find new and updated content faster than link-crawling alone, and AI crawlers use it the same way. Our XML sitemap guide covers sitemap strategy in depth, indexing best practices explains what happens after discovery, and site architecture shows how sitemaps complement good internal linking rather than replace it. CMS platforms like WordPress generate dynamic sitemaps automatically — this tool is for static sites, landing-page collections, migrations, and quick supplements.
Related tools and guides
- Robots.txt Generator — declare your sitemap and control crawl access.
- SEO Meta Tag Generator — canonical tags and robots meta for the pages in your sitemap.
- Schema Markup Generator — structured data for your indexed pages.
- Crawl budget optimization — make every crawl count.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many URLs can one sitemap contain?
The sitemaps.org protocol allows up to 50,000 URLs or 50 MB uncompressed per file, whichever comes first. Larger sites split URLs across multiple sitemaps and reference them from a sitemap index file. This generator enforces the 50,000-URL cap automatically.
Do I need a sitemap if my site is small?
A well-linked site under a few hundred pages will usually get crawled fine without one, but a sitemap still speeds up discovery of new pages and gives you Search Console indexing reports per sitemap — useful diagnostics for free. There is no downside to having one.
Should every page go in the sitemap?
No — only canonical, indexable pages you want in search results. Including redirected, noindexed, or duplicate URLs sends mixed signals and wastes crawl attention. Think of the sitemap as your statement of which pages matter.
Does lastmod actually matter?
Yes, when it is truthful. Google uses lastmod to prioritize recrawling changed pages — but only if it has learned to trust your dates. Setting every page’s lastmod to today on every regeneration teaches Google to ignore the field entirely. Include it only when it reflects real content changes.
How do search engines find my sitemap?
Two ways: declare it in robots.txt with a Sitemap: line (all crawlers check there), and submit it directly in Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools. Submission also unlocks per-sitemap indexing reports, which is the easiest way to spot discovery problems.
Struggling with indexing at scale? Our technical SEO service covers sitemap architecture and crawl diagnostics, or browse all free tools.