Couldn’t fetch sitemap for a few months

#1080244
  • Resolved Evgen Gavrilov

    1 month, 3 weeks ago

    Rank Math free

    I’ve tested sitemap URL with several services and tools, and even checked the sitemap as Googlebot. But for the past few months, Google Search Console keeps showing a ‘Couldn’t fetch’ error for any sitemap I submit.

    Google Search Console

    Here is main sitemap:
    https://pythia.website/sitemap_index.xml

    Do you have any suggestions on how to fix this?

    Additionally, I’m using Cloudflare, but only on the free plan — no security features, no WAF, and no other restriction rules are enabled.

Viewing 2 replies - 1 through 2 (of 2 total)
  • RankBot

    1 month, 4 weeks ago

    Hello,

    We apologize for the issue you are facing with the ‘Couldn’t fetch’ error in Google Search Console. Here are some steps you can take to troubleshoot and potentially resolve this issue:

    1. Validate Your Sitemap

    Make sure your sitemap is correctly configured. You can use the Validate XML Sitemap tool to check for any issues. If it returns a success message, your sitemap is likely fine.

    2. Ensure the Sitemap is Located in the Root Folder

    Confirm that your sitemap is located in the root folder of your WordPress installation. The URL should look like this:
    `https://rankmath.com/kb/exclude-sitemaps-from-caching/

    3. Check Indexing Settings

    Ensure that your posts are set to index. Go to Rank Math SEO → Titles & Meta and make sure the Index checkbox is enabled for your posts.

    4. Flush the Cache

    If your sitemap appears outdated, you may need to flush the cache. Navigate to Rank Math SEO → Sitemap Settings, increase the value of Links Per Sitemap by one, and then click Save Changes. After that, go to Settings → Permalinks and click Save Changes again.

    5. Exclude the Sitemap From Caching

    Make sure your sitemap is not being cached by any caching plugins or services. You can refer to this article on ensuring that your sitemaps are excluded from caching.

    6. Add the Correct Site URL to Google Search Console

    Ensure that you have added the correct version of your site URL in Google Search Console. You can check this in Settings → General from your WordPress dashboard.

    7. Check Cloudflare Settings

    Since you are using Cloudflare, ensure that there are no settings that might be blocking Googlebot from accessing your sitemap. You might want to temporarily disable Cloudflare to see if that resolves the issue.

    8. Wait for Google to Fetch

    Sometimes, it may take time for Google to fetch the sitemap, especially if there have been recent changes or issues.

    If you have tried all these steps and are still facing issues, please reply to this ticket, and a human agent from our support team will assist you further. Thank you for raising this concern!

    Sources:
    Troubleshooting the “Couldn’t Fetch” Error in Google Search Console » Rank Math

    Princess

    1 month, 3 weeks ago

    Hello,

    Thanks for contacting us, and sorry for any inconvenience that might have been caused due to that.

    Can you please follow the steps mentioned in the guide below? This should help you to figure out and resolve the issue.
    https://rankmath.com/kb/couldnt-fetch-error-google-search-console/

    Note: after applying the fix, please try re-submitting your sitemap to GSC to see if that’s working.

    Looking forward to helping you.

    Thank you.

    RankBot

    3 weeks, 6 days ago

    Hello,

    Since we did not hear back from you for 15 days, we are assuming that you found the solution. We are closing this support ticket.

    If you still need assistance or any other help, please feel free to open a new support ticket, and we will be more than happy to assist.

    Thank you.

Viewing 2 replies - 1 through 2 (of 2 total)

The ticket ‘Couldn’t fetch sitemap for a few months’ is closed to new replies.