Couldn’t fetch sitemaps

When submitting your XML index sitemap to Google Search Console, you may encounter the error message: “Couldn’t fetch sitemaps.” This guide will help you understand why this happens and how to troubleshoot the issue effectively.

Why Does This Happen?

This error is a known issue with Google Search Console. Unfortunately, Google does not provide detailed logs for this error, and it can occur randomly due to various reasons, such as temporary connectivity issues or server response problems.

How to Troubleshoot

1. Verify Your Sitemap

While Eazysites generates valid sitemaps, it’s a good practice to double-check yours. You can use online sitemap validation tools to ensure there are no errors in your sitemap structure. If you find any issues, please contact our support team so we can investigate further.

2. Submit Only the Index Sitemap

Instead of submitting individual sub-sitemaps, you should submit only the index XML sitemap URL. Google will automatically detect and process the sub-sitemaps listed within it.

To submit your index sitemap, use the following format (without URL rewriting):

https://example.com/sitemap_index.xml

After submitting, refresh your page in Google Search Console (press F5 or CMD+R) to update the information.

3. Be Patient

Google can take several weeks to crawl, read, and update sitemap details. If you continue to encounter the “Couldn’t fetch sitemaps” error, it may be best to wait for Google to process the sitemap before attempting further changes.

Additional Tips

Check DNS Status: Ensure that your website is up and running with our correct A record, as this can affect Google’s ability to fetch your sitemap.
Review Robots.txt: Make sure your robots.txt file is not blocking Google from accessing your sitemap.
Monitor Google Search Console: Keep an eye on the Search Console for any updates or changes regarding your sitemap submission.

If you need further assistance or have any questions, feel free to reach out to our support team. We’re here to help!