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To view a WordPress sitemap, open the URL generated by your site’s sitemap provider. On self-hosted WordPress with pretty permalinks, start with https://yourdomain.com/wp-sitemap.xml. On WordPress.com, use https://yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml. If Yoast SEO controls XML sitemaps, open Yoast SEO → Settings → Site features → Technical SEO → View the XML sitemap. The right address depends on whether your site uses WordPress core, WordPress.com hosting, or an SEO plugin.
Start with the URL that matches your WordPress setup
Replace yourdomain.com with your site’s canonical domain, including HTTPS when that is the address visitors use. A sitemap index is an XML document containing links to more specific files, such as post, page, category, or author sitemaps. You can open it in any modern browser; the unstyled XML view is normal.
| Setup | First route to try | Dashboard route | Important distinction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Self-hosted WordPress core | /wp-sitemap.xml |
Core behavior follows the site’s permalink configuration | With pretty permalinks disabled, use /?sitemap=index |
| WordPress.com | /sitemap.xml |
Jetpack → Traffic or Jetpack → Settings → Traffic → Sitemaps | WordPress.com says sitemaps are active by default, with a generation toggle |
| Yoast SEO | Use Yoast’s View the XML sitemap link | Yoast SEO → Settings → Site features → Technical SEO | Yoast can enable or disable XML sitemaps and omits post types set to noindex |
View a sitemap generated by WordPress core
1. Open the core sitemap index
- Copy your site’s canonical home address.
- Append
/wp-sitemap.xml. For example,https://example.com/wp-sitemap.xml. - Press Enter. The page should return XML and usually list subordinate sitemap files.
WordPress core introduced its sitemap endpoint in WordPress 5.5.0. The endpoint is generated automatically; you do not need to create an XML file manually for the basic core feature.
2. Use the query-string route when pretty permalinks are off
If the first address returns a 404 or does not resolve on a site using plain, non-pretty permalinks, try https://yourdomain.com/?sitemap=index. WordPress documents this as the core index route when pretty permalinks are disabled. Do not assume that a failed /wp-sitemap.xml attempt proves that the site has no sitemap; the permalink setting changes the route.
3. Follow the child sitemap links
The index may contain separate URLs for posts, pages, taxonomies, or other registered content types. Select a child link to inspect the actual URLs included in that group. A sitemap index can therefore be short even when the site has thousands of URLs.
View a sitemap on WordPress.com
Use the public shortcut
For a WordPress.com site, open https://yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml. This is different from the WordPress core shortcut used by many self-hosted installations.
Check the dashboard setting
- Sign in to the WordPress.com dashboard.
- Open Jetpack → Traffic, or Jetpack → Settings → Traffic, depending on the dashboard layout.
- Find Sitemaps and review the sitemap URL and the Generate XML Sitemaps toggle.
WordPress.com documents sitemaps as active by default. The site must be public, and Discourage search engines from indexing this site must not be enabled if you expect search engines to find and use the sitemap.
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View a sitemap supplied by Yoast SEO
Open Yoast’s sitemap control
- In WordPress admin, open Yoast SEO → Settings → Site features.
- Scroll to Technical SEO.
- Make sure XML sitemaps is on.
- Select View the XML sitemap.
Yoast’s link opens its sitemap index, which then points to individual files. Yoast updates those files as content changes and includes post types configured for indexing. A post type marked noindex is omitted, so the sitemap is not necessarily a complete inventory of every database object.
When Yoast and core appear to conflict
Use the provider whose dashboard link and output you can verify. A plugin may replace or filter core behavior, so testing only /wp-sitemap.xml can lead you to the wrong endpoint. If Yoast’s feature is disabled, its control will not be the active source; if another SEO plugin is installed, check that plugin’s sitemap setting instead.
What a sitemap page should look like
- XML markup: Seeing tags rather than a designed web page is expected.
- An index: The document lists other sitemap URLs, which you can open individually.
- URL entries: Child files contain locators for pages the provider wants search engines to discover.
- A successful response: The browser must receive the document without an authentication wall, redirect loop, or server error.
Being able to read the XML confirms only that a URL returned viewable content to your browser. It does not prove that Google has crawled every listed URL or placed those URLs in its index.
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If the expected sitemap URL does not work
Check the hosting model first
Confirm whether the site is WordPress.com or self-hosted. Try /sitemap.xml for WordPress.com and /wp-sitemap.xml for a typical self-hosted core installation. A domain that migrated from WordPress.com to separate hosting may retain old documentation or redirects, so verify the current dashboard and DNS arrangement.
Check permalink configuration
On core WordPress, test /?sitemap=index when pretty permalinks are disabled. If you have just changed permalink settings, open Settings → Permalinks and save the current structure to refresh rewrite rules, then test the documented route again.
Check the active SEO plugin
Yoast SEO, another SEO plugin, or custom code can provide the sitemap instead of the core endpoint. Open the relevant plugin’s settings and use its own sitemap link. Do not enable multiple competing sitemap generators merely to make a URL appear; identify the provider that is actually active.
Interpret common browser responses
- 404 Not Found: The route is wrong for the provider, rewrites are not active, or the endpoint has been disabled.
- 403 Forbidden or a login page: A firewall, maintenance mode, staging restriction, or authentication layer is blocking public access.
- 500-series error: The web server or WordPress request failed; inspect server and PHP logs and temporarily test whether a plugin or theme conflict is involved.
- Blank response: Confirm the exact address, remove accidental spaces, and test another browser or an HTTP client. A blank page is not evidence that there are no URLs.
- Redirect to another domain: Follow the canonical destination and make sure the sitemap uses the preferred HTTPS and host variant.
Use Google Search Console to check processing, not just visibility
Submit the sitemap when you want a processing record
Google Search Console’s Sitemaps report lets site owners submit a sitemap, review submission history, and inspect parsing diagnostics. Only sitemaps submitted through that report or the Search Console API appear in the report; Google may know about a sitemap discovered by another method without listing it there.
Read the reported error details
For fetch or parsing problems, inspect the exact URL, XML, and HTTP details shown in Search Console. Google documents diagnostics for malformed URLs, oversized files, format problems, and HTTP errors. Fix the reported condition at the source, reload the public URL, and resubmit when appropriate.
Keep the indexing expectation realistic
Google describes a sitemap submission as “merely a hint”: it does not guarantee that Google will download the sitemap or use it to crawl URLs. Properly linked pages can often be discovered without one, while a sitemap can help with discovery on larger or more complex sites. A successful submission is therefore a technical signal, not an indexing promise.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Practical checks before you rely on the file
- Open the sitemap without being logged in, using a private browser window.
- Confirm the host, protocol, and URL paths match the public canonical site.
- Follow at least one child sitemap link and confirm it also loads publicly.
- Check that recently published content appears when the provider says the sitemap updates automatically.
- Look for accidental staging, noindex, privacy, or maintenance settings that prevent discovery.
- Use Search Console diagnostics for Google’s processing status rather than treating the browser view as a crawl report.
Or skip the browser setup
If you need a saved image or PDF of a sitemap page for QA, documentation, or an automated workflow, ScreenshotNeo can capture the public URL with one request. Its cleanup step accepts cookie and consent banners and removes more than 60 known consent platforms, newsletter popups, and chat widgets before capture; each step can be turned off. Bot checks or CAPTCHAs, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads, and cache hits are not billed, and the response identifies the result with X-Page-Verdict and X-Billed headers. It also provides an MCP server for AI agents and MCP clients, including Claude and Cursor.
Use the API details in the ScreenshotNeo documentation. Replace the example URL with your public sitemap address.
cURL
curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://yourdomain.com/wp-sitemap.xml -o sitemap.webpPython
import requests
r = requests.get(
"https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot",
params={"access_key": "YOUR_API_KEY", "url": "https://yourdomain.com/wp-sitemap.xml"},
timeout=90,
)
r.raise_for_status()
open("sitemap.webp", "wb").write(r.content)Node.js
const q = new URLSearchParams({
access_key: 'YOUR_API_KEY',
url: 'https://yourdomain.com/wp-sitemap.xml'
});
const res = await fetch(`https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot?${q}`);
if (!res.ok) throw new Error(`${res.status} ${res.statusText}`);
const data = Buffer.from(await res.arrayBuffer());
require('fs').writeFileSync('sitemap.webp', data);ScreenshotNeo supports PNG, JPEG, WebP, and PDF output, plus full-page capture, custom waits, headers, cookies, user agents, request blocking, caching, signed links, asynchronous jobs, bulk capture, and a usage API. The free plan includes 1,000 screenshots per month with no card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000 screenshots. Create a free ScreenshotNeo account to get an API key.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to install a sitemap plugin just to view one?
No. WordPress core and WordPress.com generate documented sitemap routes, and Yoast exposes its own index when its XML sitemap feature is enabled. A plugin is only relevant when it is the provider already active on your site.
Why does my sitemap show several files instead of one long list?
The first document is a sitemap index. It separates URLs into child files, often by content type, so open those linked files to inspect individual entries.
Does a visible sitemap mean all of my pages are indexed?
No. Visibility confirms that the URL can return XML to your browser. Google states that sitemap submission is a hint and does not guarantee downloading, crawling, or indexing.
Which URL should I submit in Search Console?
Submit the public sitemap index generated by your active provider: the core route, WordPress.com route, or Yoast-linked index. Use the exact canonical URL that loads when you are logged out.
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