Free Online XML Sitemap Validator

An XML sitemap validator fetches a sitemap from our server, confirms it is valid urlset or sitemapindex markup, counts its URLs and flags structural errors.

This tool uses AI and sends your text to a secure API for processing. No data is stored after your session.

Instant results Secure AI processing No signup needed

How to Use This Tool

  1. Enter the direct URL of the sitemap, for example /sitemap.xml or /sitemap_index.xml.
  2. Press Check to fetch and parse the file on our server.
  3. Confirm whether it is a urlset or sitemapindex and review the URL count.
  4. Resolve any flagged errors, such as a missing XML declaration or empty loc entries.
  5. Keep each file under 50,000 URLs and split into a sitemapindex if you exceed that.

What Is a XML Sitemap Validator?

An XML sitemap lists the URLs you want search engines to crawl, following the schema published at sitemaps.org. A urlset file lists individual page URLs; a sitemapindex file lists other sitemap files and is used once a site passes the protocol's limit of 50,000 URLs or 50 MB uncompressed per file. A valid sitemap needs an XML declaration, a correct root element and at least one loc entry.

We fetch the sitemap on our server — bypassing browser CORS limits — and run a structural check: it detects whether the file is a urlset or sitemapindex, verifies the XML declaration and root element, counts the loc entries and reports a preview of the URLs. It surfaces common problems such as a missing declaration, the wrong root element or an empty file with no URLs. This is a structural validation against the sitemaps.org conventions, not a full XSD schema validation.

Use it after generating or editing a sitemap to confirm it parses correctly before submitting it in Search Console or declaring it in robots.txt.

Frequently Asked Questions

urlset vs sitemapindex?
A urlset lists individual page URLs; a sitemapindex lists other sitemap files and is used when a site exceeds the 50,000-URL or 50 MB limit of a single file. The validator detects which type it found and reports accordingly.
What does it validate?
It checks for an XML declaration, a valid urlset or sitemapindex root element and at least one loc entry, then counts the URLs. It is a structural check based on the sitemaps.org schema, not a full XSD validation.
What is the URL limit?
The sitemaps.org protocol caps a single file at 50,000 URLs and 50 MB uncompressed. If you exceed either, split into multiple sitemaps referenced from a sitemapindex file.

Published by the WeGotEveryTool team. We build and test every tool in-house and update pages when the underlying spec, formula, or recommendation changes.

Reviewed: May 2026. Disclaimer: this tool is provided as-is for general informational use. For decisions with material consequences (medical, legal, financial, security) verify results against a qualified professional source.

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