Checks / Links, canonical and speed
No sitemap.xml
A sitemap lists every page you want crawled.
sitemap_missing · Links, canonical and speed · Warning
What triggers it
No sitemap is found at /sitemap.xml or at the address a Sitemap: line in robots.txt names.
What to change
Publish /sitemap.xml and add a Sitemap: line to robots.txt.
Example
Line to add to robots.txt:
Sitemap: https://example.com/sitemap.xmlHow to confirm the fix
- Open https://example.com/sitemap.xml: an XML list of URLs
- Check robots.txt has a Sitemap: line
How common it is
On a sample, the study measured sites whose sitemap.xml answers 404: 76 of 291 Show HN sites (26%), and 45 of 65 Lovable sites (69%).
Fetched 20 and 21 Oct 2026 as CitedBot, robots.txt obeyed, no JavaScript. Study: Launch crawl 2026-10 (English).
Counted with the check's own rule, leaving out sites that refused the request (HTTP 403): CSV of the counts.
About this check
| Check ID | sitemap_missing |
|---|---|
| Report section | Links, canonical and speed |
| Severity | Warning |
| How it is decided | Measured: read directly from the page or the server's response. |
| Added | Before 19 Oct 2026 (versions 1 and 2), or a site-wide check with no version date yet |
| Status | Measured in every report |
| Report gives the code | Yes, one block for the site |
Settings by platform
Where the setting lives on a few platforms, from each platform's own help page, read on 26 October 2026. On any other server, apply the fix box above.
Shopify
Shopify creates the sitemap by itself, at the root of your site (example.com/sitemap.xml), so there is nothing to publish. If the check still fires, open that address in a private window. (Shopify help page)
Wix
Wix creates the sitemap by itself, at the root of your site (example.com/sitemap.xml), so there is nothing to publish. If the check still fires, open that address in a private window. (Wix help page)
Related checks
- Links to pages that no longer exist
- Sitemap has invalid entries
- robots.txt does not name your sitemap
- Slow page
See whether it applies to your site
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How an audit works: method