sitemap couldn’t fetch on google

Hello, we apologize for the issue you are facing with the "Couldn’t fetch" error in Google Search Console. Since the XML Sitemap validation shows no problems, here are some additional steps you can take to troubleshoot this issue:

1. Rename the Sitemap File: Sometimes, changing the name of the sitemap file can help. In Google Search Console, go to Indexing → Sitemaps and paste your sitemap URL (e.g., https://yourdomain.com/?sitemap=1) in the Add a new sitemap field and click SUBMIT.
   

2. Ensure the Sitemap is Located in the Root Folder: Make sure your sitemap is correctly located in the root folder of your WordPress installation. The URL should look like this: https://yourdomainname.com/sitemap_index.xml.

3. Flush the Cache: If your sitemap appears outdated, you may need to flush the sitemap cache. Go to Rank Math SEO → Sitemap Settings, increase the value of Links Per Sitemap by one, and save your settings. Then, navigate to Settings → Permalinks and click Save Changes.
   

4. Exclude the Sitemap From Caching: Ensure that your sitemap is not being cached. You can refer to this article on ensuring that your sitemaps are excluded from caching.

5. Add the Correct Version of Your Sitemap to Google Search Console: Make sure you have added the correct URL variation of your site in Google Search Console. You can check this in your WordPress dashboard under Settings → General.
   

If you have followed these steps and are still encountering the "Couldn’t fetch" error, it may be that Google has not yet fetched your sitemap. In that case, you might just need to wait a bit longer for Google to process it.

If you continue to experience issues or have further questions, please feel free to reply to this ticket, and a human agent from our support team will assist you further!

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

Hello,

Thank you for contacting us. We apologize for any inconvenience this issue may have caused.

Please share your sitemap URL with us so that we can check this further for you.

Meanwhile, follow the steps below for initial troubleshooting:

1. Flush the Sitemap cache by following this video screencast:
https://i.rankmath.com/pipRDp

2. Exclude the Sitemap files of the Rank Math plugin in your caching plugin. The cache could be via a plugin or from the server. For plugins or Cloudflare, please follow this article: https://rankmath.com/kb/exclude-sitemaps-from-caching/

If the issue persists then 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.

Ensure you are following the steps shared in this guide: https://rankmath.com/kb/submit-sitemap-to-google/

If you’re still facing issues with the sitemap, please let us know – we are happy to investigate further.