In short. To use a custom sitemap in Webflow, disable automatic generation, paste XML into Custom sitemap.xml, save changes, and publish.
Definition: A sitemap is a file that lists website URLs for search engines. As of October 2026, Webflow accepts custom XML sitemap content in its SEO settings after automatic sitemap generation is disabled.
Key facts
- Webflow's sitemap documentation places the Custom sitemap.xml field under Site settings > SEO > Sitemap.
- Google's sitemap construction guide requires complete, absolute URLs and UTF-8 encoding.
- Google's sitemap introduction explains that listing a URL leaves crawling and indexing subject to the search engine's decisions.
How does the custom field replace automatic generation?
Webflow's custom sitemap instructions specify this sequence: open Site settings > SEO > Sitemap, set Auto-generate sitemap to No, paste the XML into Custom sitemap.xml, select Save changes, and publish the site.
The field accepts the sitemap content itself. Automatic generation updates the sitemap on each site publication. Choosing custom content therefore means maintaining the URL list separately when pages change.
What XML belongs in the field?
Google's construction guide provides a basic XML example. This shortened version retains its structure and example URL, with the optional modification date omitted:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<urlset xmlns="http://www.sitemaps.org/schemas/sitemap/0.9">
<url>
<loc>https://www.example.com/foo.html</loc>
</url>
</urlset>
The example URL is a placeholder to replace with an actual page address. Each additional page needs its own url element containing a loc element. A canonical URL is the preferred address for content available through multiple URLs; Google recommends including that preferred address in the sitemap.
The same guide requires XML values to be entity escaped. For example, an ampersand in a URL is written as &. Preparing the file also involves checking that every listed address includes its protocol and domain.
How is the published sitemap checked?
After publication, the file to inspect is:
/sitemap.xml
Webflow's documentation states that it automatically adds the sitemap address to robots.txt, the file that carries crawler instructions and sitemap references.
Google's submission guidance identifies Search Console's Sitemaps report as a way to inspect Googlebot access and processing errors. Reviewing those results checks whether Google processes the published file. Google's introduction also describes internal links as a route through which Google finds pages, so maintaining those links remains relevant alongside sitemap maintenance.
Related terms
- XML sitemap
- How do I enable an automatically generated Webflow sitemap?
- How do I exclude a Webflow page from the sitemap?
- robots.txt
FAQ
Can I switch back to automatic generation?
Yes. Webflow's automatic generation instructions say to set Auto-generate sitemap to Yes, save changes, and publish.
Which URLs should I include if several addresses show the same content?
Use the preferred address for each page. Google's construction guide recommends choosing a canonical URL rather than listing every address leading to the same content.
Sources
- Webflow, "Create a sitemap in Webflow", 19 August 2026
- Google Search Central, "Build and submit a sitemap", 8 July 2026
- Google Search Central, "Learn about sitemaps", 10 December 2025
Check how a page reads to answer engines. Open the GEO score analyzer