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To submit a sitemap to Google, open Google Search Console, select your website property, go to Sitemaps, enter the sitemap URL under Add a new sitemap, and select Submit. The sitemap must already be hosted on your website and accessible to Googlebot. Submitting it points Google to the file; it does not upload the file to Google or guarantee that every listed page will be crawled or indexed.
Before you submit: make sure Google can access the sitemap
A sitemap is a file on your website that lists URLs you want search engines to discover. Google’s Search Console Help explains that “’Submitting’ a sitemap means telling Google where to find the file on your site. You cannot actually upload a sitemap to Google.” Google Search Console Help: Sitemaps report
- Confirm the sitemap exists at a URL on your site and uses a format Google accepts.
- Google recommends placing it at the site root, though your hosting provider’s instructions may differ.
- Make sure the URL can be fetched without a login and is not blocked to Googlebot. Google recommends using live URL Inspection to check that the fetch succeeds.
- If you use a platform such as Squarespace or Wix, check whether it already creates and manages your sitemap.
Submit the sitemap in Google Search Console
- Sign in to Google Search Console and select the property that corresponds to your website.
- Open the Sitemaps report.
- In Add a new sitemap, enter the sitemap URL. If the field already contains your site’s base address, enter the remaining path to the sitemap.
- Select Submit.
- Return to the Sitemaps report to check whether Google fetched and processed the file. If the status shows a problem, open that sitemap’s row for details.
You need owner permissions for the property to submit through the Sitemaps report. If you do not have them, Google documents adding a sitemap reference to your site’s robots.txt file as an alternative. Google Search Console Help: Sitemaps report
What happens after submission?
Search Console records submission history and can show parsing errors. Google says it should fetch a submitted sitemap immediately, but crawling the URLs in it can take time, and Google may not crawl every listed URL. Submission does not guarantee indexing.
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Google recommends allowing at least a week after submitting a sitemap or requesting indexing for a new page before assuming something is wrong. That is a troubleshooting guideline, not a promise that the page will be indexed within a week. Google Search Console Help: Fix a page that isn’t indexed
The Sitemaps report shows sitemaps submitted through that report. Google may discover other sitemaps independently, but submitting yours can help you monitor Google’s fetch attempts. Google Search Central: Top tasks for Search Console
Choose the right Google tool for the task
| Situation | Use | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Submit or monitor a sitemap as a property owner | Search Console Sitemaps report | Records submissions and surfaces sitemap processing information; owner permissions are required. Google Search Console Help |
| Manage sitemap submissions programmatically | Search Console Sitemaps API | Google says the API provides the same sitemap-management functionality and information as the report. Google Search Console Help |
| You do not have owner permissions | Add the sitemap reference to robots.txt |
Google’s documented alternative to submitting through the report. Google Search Console Help |
| Ask Google to crawl one specific page | URL Inspection | Use the individual-page workflow; a sitemap is the better fit for multiple URLs. Google Search Central: Top tasks for Search Console |
When you may not need to submit a sitemap
Google says a small site—about 500 pages or fewer—probably does not need a sitemap or the Sitemaps report if every page can be reached by following links from the homepage. This is a rule of thumb in Google’s guidance, not a measured threshold that guarantees discovery. Hosting platforms may also manage sitemaps automatically, so check your platform’s instructions before creating or submitting one yourself. Google Search Console Help: Sitemaps report
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Fix common sitemap submission problems
The sitemap has a fetch or parsing error
Open the sitemap row in the Sitemaps report and review the reported issue. Verify that the URL is correct, the file is accessible to Googlebot, and it uses an accepted format. Correct the underlying problem, then submit the sitemap again if needed.
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You cannot submit in the Sitemaps report
Check that you selected the correct Search Console property and have owner permissions. If you do not, add the sitemap reference to robots.txt instead.
A page is still missing from Google
Submitting a sitemap helps Google discover URLs but does not make Google crawl or index them. Allow time for processing; for a newly submitted page, Google advises waiting at least a week before assuming there is a problem. For one page, use URL Inspection and request indexing where appropriate. Google Search Console Help: Fix a page that isn’t indexed
You use a hosted website platform
Check the platform’s documentation to see whether it creates and updates the sitemap automatically. Avoid creating a second sitemap or submitting a URL that does not exist.
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