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Free sitemap index generator
Combine several sitemaps into one valid sitemap index file you can submit to Search Console.
Result
0Sitemaps
0Duplicates removed
0Issues
The free sitemap index generator runs in your browser, needs no sign-up and never sends what you type anywhere.
Quick answer
This sitemap index generator lists your individual sitemap files inside one sitemapindex XML file, with optional lastmod dates. Rule of thumb: one index can reference up to 50,000 sitemaps, each child sitemap must stay under 50,000 URLs and 50 MB, and the sitemaps must sit on the same site, in the same folder as the index or deeper.
What is a sitemap index generator?
A sitemap index generator is a tool that wraps each sitemap URL in a sitemap element with a loc and optional lastmod inside the sitemapindex root defined by sitemaps.org. It validates that every URL is absolute, removes duplicates, escapes special characters and checks that each sitemap lives on the same host and folder path as the index file.
How do you use the Sitemap Index Generator?
- Enter the URL where the index file will live, for example https://example.com/sitemap_index.xml.
- Paste your sitemap URLs, one per line. Add a date after a comma to set that sitemap's lastmod.
- Choose a default lastmod: none, today or a specific date.
- Fix any warnings about other hosts, parent folders or invalid URLs.
- Download sitemap_index.xml, upload it to that location and submit only the index in Search Console.
When do I need a sitemap index?
You need a sitemap index once you have more than one sitemap, which is required when a site passes 50,000 URLs or 50 MB in a single file. Many sites also split sitemaps by type, such as posts, products and images, for cleaner reporting. Google explains this in its guide to sitemap index files.
Can a sitemap index contain another sitemap index?
No, a sitemap index should only list sitemap files, not other index files. Nesting indexes is not supported by the sitemaps protocol. If you have more than 50,000 sitemaps, create several index files and submit each one in Search Console, up to 500 per site.
Where should my sitemaps be stored?
Store the child sitemaps on the same site as the index, in the same folder as the index file or a deeper one. An index at /sitemaps/index.xml can list /sitemaps/posts.xml but not /posts.xml. Cross site submission is possible only with verified ownership of both sites.
Quick reference
| Limit or rule | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Sitemaps per index file | Up to 50,000 loc entries | Google Search Central |
| URLs per child sitemap | Up to 50,000 | Google Search Central |
| Size per child sitemap | 50 MB uncompressed | Google Search Central |
| Index files per site in Search Console | Up to 500 | Google Search Central |
| Child sitemap location | Same site, same folder as the index or deeper | Google Search Central |
Worked example
Example
Example: a shop with 120,000 product URLs splits them into products-1.xml, products-2.xml and products-3.xml of 40,000 URLs each, plus posts.xml and pages.xml. The generator outputs an index with 5 sitemap entries, under 1 KB, which is the only file the shop submits in Search Console.
Frequently asked questions
What is the format of a sitemap index file?
It is an XML file with a sitemapindex root element using the sitemaps.org namespace. Each child is a sitemap element containing a required loc with the full sitemap URL and an optional lastmod date. The file must be UTF-8 encoded.
Should I set lastmod in a sitemap index?
Set lastmod only when it is accurate: the date the child sitemap last changed in a meaningful way. Google uses lastmod as a crawl scheduling hint when it is consistently correct, and learns to ignore it when it is always set to today.
Can I use gzipped sitemaps in an index?
Yes. Child sitemaps can be compressed as .xml.gz to save bandwidth. The 50 MB size limit applies to the uncompressed file, so compression does not let you add more URLs. List the .gz URL in the loc element.
Do I submit the index or each sitemap?
Submit the index file in the Sitemaps report of Search Console. Google then reads every sitemap it lists, and the report shows each child separately. You can also add the index URL as a Sitemap line in robots.txt.
What do WordPress SEO plugins already generate?
Most SEO plugins and WordPress core already create a sitemap index, often at /sitemap_index.xml or /wp-sitemap.xml. Use this tool when you build sitemaps by hand, combine sitemaps from several systems, or need a clean custom index.
Is my sitemap list sent anywhere?
No. The index is built in your browser with JavaScript and nothing is uploaded or saved. The tool checks format, host and folder rules but cannot confirm the files exist, so open each sitemap URL before you submit.
Sources
Facts checked against these official pages. Read how I check facts in my editorial policy.
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