Issue with Image Sitemap – Incomplete Image Listing

Hello,

We apologize for the issue you are facing with the image sitemap generated by Rank Math. Thank you for raising this concern.

Possible Causes for Incomplete Image Listings

1. Caching Issues: If you are using a caching plugin, it might be caching the sitemap and not updating it with the latest images. Ensure that your sitemap is excluded from caching. You can find guidance on how to do this in our tutorial on excluding sitemaps from caching.

2. CDN Conflicts: If you are using a CDN, it may also cache the sitemap or interfere with how images are fetched. Make sure that your CDN settings are configured correctly to allow Rank Math to access the original image URLs.

3. Plugin Conflicts: There could be conflicts with other plugins that modify how images are handled or displayed. We recommend using the Health Check plugin to identify any potential conflicts.

Code Snippet Interference

Using a code snippet to convert CDN-based temporary image URLs back to their original URLs could potentially interfere with Rank Math’s ability to detect images correctly. If the URLs are not accessible or formatted incorrectly, it may lead to incomplete listings in the sitemap.

Recommendations

• Recheck Your Code Snippet: Ensure that the code snippet is functioning as intended and does not disrupt the image URLs.
• Rebuild Index Regularly: While rebuilding the index temporarily resolves the issue, it’s essential to identify the root cause to prevent recurrence.
• Monitor Plugin Updates: Keep all your plugins updated, as updates may resolve compatibility issues.

If these suggestions do not resolve the issue, please reply to this ticket with your site URL so we can investigate further. A human agent from our support team will take over and assist you more thoroughly.

Thank you for your patience, and we look forward to helping you resolve this issue!

Sources:
Rank Math Sitemap Issues and Their Fixes » Rank Math
How to Fix "Incorrect HTTP Header Content-Type" Error in Sitemaps » Rank Math

Hello,

Please try disabling the transient cache for the sitemap. This will make sure that your XML sitemap always reflects the latest changes on your site. Kindly add this code snippet to your site:

/** 
 * Filter if XML sitemap transient cache is enabled.
 *
 * @param boolean $unsigned Enable cache or not, defaults to true
 */
add_filter( 'rank_math/sitemap/enable_caching', '__return_false');

If you’re not sure how to add this code, you can follow this guide: https://rankmath.com/kb/wordpress-hooks-actions-filters/.

After you add the code, please clear any cache on your site or server and check your XML sitemap again. If you’re still facing issues with the sitemap, please let us know – we are happy to investigate further.