Developer Tools
Generate an XML Sitemap
Sitemap XML Generator for formatting, validating, or converting XML data.
Direct Answer
Use the Sitemap XML Generator when you need an XML sitemap format for a site, launch checklist, SEO audit, or search engine submission.
What a sitemap entry should contain
Each URL entry in a sitemap is meant to help crawlers discover and prioritize pages, not to describe content in detail.
- loc - the full, canonical absolute URL of the page
- lastmod - when the page was last meaningfully changed, in ISO 8601 format
- changefreq and priority - optional hints most major engines largely ignore
- only indexable, canonical URLs, not redirects or noindex pages
Limits and scaling to larger sites
A single sitemap file has hard limits, and larger sites need a different structure once they're exceeded.
- 50,000 URLs per sitemap file maximum
- 50MB uncompressed file size maximum
- a sitemap index file references multiple child sitemaps beyond those limits
- sitemap files can be gzip-compressed to reduce transfer size
Specific Use Cases This Tool Handles
Common situations where this tool helps, and what to do in each.
| Use Case | How This Page Helps |
|---|---|
| Copy-ready variations | Generate several options, copy the best result, then regenerate when you need another batch. |
| Fast naming and content drafts | Use generated output as a starting point for captions, titles, names, snippets, or random values. |
| No account workflow | Run the generator in the browser without signing into a large creative suite. |
How to Use Sitemap XML Generator
- Set your options (length, type, count) using the controls.
- Click Generate to produce new results.
- Click Copy next to any item to copy it individually, or Copy all to get everything.
- Download .txt saves all generated results as a text file.
- Click Generate again for a fresh set.
Reference
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Generate reusable output from selected options. |
| Input | Settings such as count, length, format, or topic. |
| Result | Generated items ready to copy. |
| Best for | Fast ideas, random values, names, passwords, codes, and reusable snippets. |
| Category | Developer Tools |
| Works on | Desktop, tablet, and mobile browsers |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What's the maximum number of URLs allowed in one sitemap file?
50,000 URLs, or 50MB uncompressed, whichever limit is hit first. Sites larger than that need to split URLs across multiple sitemap files referenced by a sitemap index file rather than one giant file.
What is a sitemap index file?
It's a sitemap made up of references to other sitemap files rather than individual URLs. Large sites use one sitemap index pointing to several child sitemaps (for example split by section or date) once a single file would exceed the URL or size limit.
Does the priority or changefreq tag affect how a page ranks?
Largely no. Google has stated it mostly ignores both values since site owners' self-reported priority and update frequency aren't reliable signals. lastmod is treated as more useful, provided it reflects genuine content changes rather than being updated on every deploy regardless of content.
What format should lastmod use?
W3C datetime format (a form of ISO 8601), such as 2026-08-01 or 2026-08-01T10:00:00+00:00. It should reflect the actual last modification date of the page's content - setting it to the current date on every generation run undermines its usefulness to crawlers.
Do I still need to submit the sitemap if it's listed in robots.txt?
Both help in different ways. The Sitemap directive in robots.txt helps any crawler discover the file passively, while submitting it directly through Google Search Console or Bing Webmaster Tools gives you indexing reports and error feedback you wouldn't otherwise see.
Should noindexed pages be included in the sitemap?
No. Including pages marked noindex sends a contradictory signal - the sitemap says 'here are canonical pages to index' while the page itself says 'don't index me.' Keep the sitemap limited to pages you actually want indexed.
Do sitemap URLs need to exactly match canonical URLs?
Yes, including consistent protocol, www vs non-www, and trailing slash usage. A mismatch between the sitemap URL and the page's actual canonical URL sends conflicting signals about which version is authoritative.
Can a sitemap include images or videos, not just pages?
Yes, using the image and video sitemap extensions, which add extra XML namespaces and tags (like image:loc) alongside the standard URL entry to help those assets get discovered and indexed separately.