# Sitemap index A sitemap index is an XML file that lists other sitemap files. You use it when one sitemap is not enough, or when you want one file per section or language. This page shows when to create one, how to submit it, and the traps to avoid. Updated 2026-09-14 · Source: https://porteur.ai/glossary/sitemap-index ## What a sitemap index does and who needs one A sitemap index points Google to multiple sitemap files. Each child sitemap can hold up to 50,000 URLs or 50 MB uncompressed. The index lets you split by section, subdomain, or language, and keep one URL to submit. You likely do not need one on a small site. A single sitemap is fine until you near the limits, or want cleaner split reports by area. It helps on sites like yourproduct.com with /blog, /docs, and /app, or en and fr versions. Nested indexes are not allowed. Your index lists only sitemap files, not other indexes. Frameworks and platforms often generate an index once you cross a limit, so check before you build one by hand. ## Structure and example ```xml https://yourproduct.com/sitemaps/sitemap-blog.xml YYYY-MM-DD https://yourproduct.com/sitemaps/sitemap-docs.xml YYYY-MM-DD ``` Place it at a stable URL, for example https://yourproduct.com/sitemap.xml. The lastmod on each entry tells crawlers when that child sitemap changed, not the pages inside it. Keep loc absolute and on the same host when you can. Use an ISO date format. ## Submit and monitor in Search Console 1. **Add the index URL in the Sitemaps report** Open Search Console, pick your property, go to Sitemaps, and submit https://yourproduct.com/sitemap.xml. You submit the index, not the child files. 2. **Wait for processing** Google reads the index, then fetches each listed sitemap. It shows status, when it was last read, and how many URLs it discovered from each file. 3. **Check coverage by area** If you split by section or language, issues are easier to trace. Fix the specific child sitemap that throws errors, then resubmit the index or wait for recrawl. You can also ping the index URL in your deploy script. Submission by Search Console is usually enough for a small site, as of 2026. ## When to create one, and when not to - Create one when your single sitemap nears 50,000 URLs or 50 MB uncompressed. - Create one to split areas: /blog, /docs, /shop, or by language like /en and /fr. - Keep one sitemap if you have a few hundred URLs. The index adds overhead with no gain. A neat split helps with ownership. Your docs generator can update its own sitemap, and your blog build can update another. The index sits above them, stable and small. ## Common traps - Linking another index inside an index. Not allowed. - Letting lastmod lie. Update the child sitemap’s timestamp when it changes, then reflect that date in the index. - Listing sitemaps on a different protocol or host you do not control. - Including child sitemaps that list noindex, 404, or redirected URLs. Clean those out at source. - Moving the index URL without redirecting. Keep it stable, or 301 to the new location. - Blocking sitemap files in robots.txt. Do not do that. > Keep each child sitemap under 50,000 URLs or 50 MB uncompressed. Split sooner if your build process struggles. ## Questions ### How do I view a sitemap index? Open the URL in a browser, for example https://yourproduct.com/sitemap.xml. You will see a list of child sitemaps with loc and lastmod. If it downloads, open it in a text editor. It is plain XML. ### Is a sitemap index still relevant? Yes. It tells Google where your sitemaps are when one file is not enough. It does not force indexing, but it helps discovery. Keep it accurate and current. ### What is the purpose of a sitemap? A sitemap lists canonical URLs you want crawled. It helps search engines find new and changed pages. An index groups multiple sitemaps so you can scale and monitor by area. ### How do I get my site indexed? Publish clean pages, link them from your navigation, and submit a sitemap or index in Search Console. Fix crawl blocks and avoid noindex on pages you want indexed. Indexing is not guaranteed, but this shortens the path. ### Do I need a sitemap index for a small site? No, not until you approach the limits or want split files by section or language. One sitemap is simpler and works well for a few hundred URLs. ### Can I have an index of indexes? No. Nested indexes are not allowed. Your top sitemapindex must list only sitemap files. Split your content into more child sitemaps instead. ## Read next - [XML sitemap](https://porteur.ai/glossary/xml-sitemap): What to put in sitemap.xml, how lastmod works, how to create, validate and submit your XML sitemap, and the traps to avoid. - [The Sitemaps report: what Success, Has errors and Couldn’t fetch mean](https://porteur.ai/guides/search-console-sitemaps-report): How to submit your sitemap URL, read Success, Has errors and Couldn’t fetch, and fix invalid XML, 404s, cross‑host URLs and missing child sitemaps. - [How to use Google Search Console in ten minutes a week](https://porteur.ai/guides/how-to-use-google-search-console): A quick weekly routine: set four filters, compare 28 days, check pages then queries, and fix three findings, without getting lost in noise. - [Read a rival’s sitemap: their whole content plan in one file](https://porteur.ai/guides/read-a-rivals-sitemap): Open a rival’s sitemap, spot their page families, see what they update, and turn it into a list of pages you can build and win. - [Indexation](https://porteur.ai/glossary/indexation): Indexation means a page is stored in Google’s index and can appear in search. Here is how to check status, read Page indexing, and fix what blocks it. - [International SEO for a small product: structure, language, and when to start](https://porteur.ai/guides/international-seo): Pick a structure, set one language per URL, add hreflang, and know when to expand. A short plan for founders shipping their own product site. Check if you need a sitemap index: paste your homepage URL and get three findings on your site and rivals in about thirty seconds, free, from Porteur. Free check: https://porteur.ai/