How to Create a WordPress XML Sitemap (2026 Guide)

An XML sitemap helps search engines discover important URLs on your website.

If you have recently launched a WordPress website, creating and submitting a sitemap is one of the first technical SEO tasks worth learning.

Fortunately, modern WordPress versions include built-in XML sitemap functionality.

In this guide, you’ll learn how to find your WordPress sitemap, create one with an SEO plugin if needed, and submit it to Google Search Console.

What Is an XML Sitemap?

An XML sitemap is a file that lists URLs you want search engines to discover.

It uses a structured XML format that search engine crawlers can understand.

A sitemap may contain information such as:

Page URLs
Last modification dates
References to additional sitemap files

For example, a simplified sitemap might look like this:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<urlset xmlns="http://www.sitemaps.org/schemas/sitemap/0.9">
  <url>
    <loc>https://example.com/</loc>
  </url>
  <url>
    <loc>https://example.com/blog/</loc>
  </url>
</urlset>

A sitemap helps Google discover pages, but submitting one does not guarantee that every URL will be crawled or indexed.

Step 1: Check the Built-In WordPress Sitemap

WordPress 5.5 and later include basic XML sitemap functionality.

For a standard WordPress installation, the sitemap index is commonly available at:

https://example.com/wp-sitemap.xml

Replace example.com with your website’s domain.

Open the URL in your browser.

If the sitemap is available, you may see links to separate sitemaps for posts, pages, and other supported content types.

You do not necessarily need an additional SEO plugin just to generate a sitemap.

Step 2: Create a Sitemap with an SEO Plugin

SEO plugins can provide more control over which content types appear in your sitemap.

Popular options include:

Yoast SEO
Rank Math
All in One SEO

To install an SEO plugin:

Log in to your WordPress dashboard.
Navigate to Plugins → Add New Plugin.
Search for your preferred SEO plugin.
Install and activate it.
Find the XML sitemap settings.
Enable the sitemap feature if necessary.

Many SEO plugins generate a sitemap index at a URL similar to:

https://example.com/sitemap_index.xml

The exact URL depends on the plugin.

Avoid using multiple sitemap generators unnecessarily. Check which sitemap is active after installing an SEO plugin.

Step 3: Decide Which Pages to Include

Your sitemap should generally contain important canonical URLs that you want search engines to index.

Examples include:

Published blog posts
Important website pages
Useful category archives
Other valuable public content

You should generally exclude URLs that are intentionally blocked from indexing, duplicate URLs, and pages that redirect elsewhere.

A sitemap should not be used to force Google to index low-quality or duplicate pages.

Step 4: Add Your Website to Google Search Console

Open Google Search Console:

https://search.google.com/search-console

If you have not added your website, create a property.

Google Search Console supports two main property types.

Domain property

A Domain property covers multiple protocols and subdomains. Verification normally requires a DNS record.

URL-prefix property

A URL-prefix property covers URLs beginning with the specified prefix. Several verification methods may be available.

Choose the property type that matches your needs and complete the verification process.

Step 5: Submit Your XML Sitemap

After verifying your website:

Open your Search Console property.
Select Sitemaps from the navigation menu.
Enter the sitemap URL in the submission field.
Click Submit.
Check the reported status.

For example, if your sitemap is located at:

https://example.com/wp-sitemap.xml

Submit that sitemap URL using the Search Console interface.

Google will attempt to fetch and process the sitemap.

If the submission fails, check whether the URL is publicly accessible and returns a valid XML sitemap.

Step 6: Monitor Indexing in Search Console

Submitting a sitemap is only the beginning.

Use the Page indexing report to understand which pages Google has indexed and why some pages are not indexed.

You may encounter statuses or reasons such as:

Discovered – currently not indexed

Google knows about the URL but has not crawled it yet.

Crawled – currently not indexed

Google crawled the page but has not indexed it.

Duplicate, Google chose different canonical than user

Google selected another URL as the canonical version.

Not found (404)

The requested URL returned a 404 response.

Not every non-indexed URL represents a problem. Some pages should not be indexed.

Step 7: Inspect an Individual URL

The URL Inspection tool allows you to examine a specific page.

Copy a published article URL and paste it into the inspection field.

You can check:

Whether the URL is indexed
The last known crawl information
The canonical URL selected by Google
Whether indexing is allowed
Relevant crawl and indexing details

If appropriate, you can request indexing.

However, repeated indexing requests do not guarantee faster crawling or inclusion in search results.

Common XML Sitemap Problems

Sitemap Returns a 404 Error

Check whether your sitemap generator is enabled.

If you use an SEO plugin, confirm the correct sitemap URL.

Sitemap Contains Unwanted URLs

Review your SEO plugin’s content-type settings.

Exclude content that should not appear in search results.

Sitemap Is Valid but Pages Are Not Indexed

A valid sitemap does not guarantee indexing.

Review content quality, duplicate pages, canonical tags, and indexing restrictions.

Sitemap Contains Redirected URLs

Update the sitemap so it points directly to your preferred canonical URLs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does WordPress automatically create an XML sitemap?

Yes. WordPress 5.5 and later include built-in XML sitemap functionality, although plugins or custom configurations may change the behavior.

Do I need to submit my sitemap every time I publish a post?

Usually not. If your sitemap updates automatically, Google can fetch the updated version.

Does submitting a sitemap improve Google rankings?

A sitemap helps with URL discovery. It is not a direct guarantee of better rankings.

How long does Google take to index a new WordPress website?

There is no guaranteed timeframe. Crawling can take days or weeks, and some pages may never be indexed.

Conclusion

Creating an XML sitemap is a useful first step when learning technical SEO.

For most modern WordPress websites, you can use the built-in sitemap or an SEO plugin.

After submitting your sitemap to Google Search Console, monitor the indexing reports and inspect individual URLs to understand how Google discovers and processes your content.

Remember that a sitemap supports discovery, while useful content, accessible pages, and sound technical configuration remain essential for search visibility.

How to Create an XML Sitemap in WordPress and Submit It to Google