How to Find Your Sitemap and Robots.txt on SmugMug

Every SmugMug website (except trial accounts) automatically generates a sitemap and robots.txt file. These files help search engines discover and index your content.

Finding your sitemap

Your sitemap is located at:

https://yourname.smugmug.com/sitemap-index.xml

Or if you have a custom domain:

https://www.yourcustomdomain.com/sitemap-index.xml

What is a sitemap?

A sitemap is an XML file that lists all the pages on your website. It helps search engines:

• Discover all your galleries, folders, and pages
• Understand your site structure
• Know when content was last updated
• Prioritize important pages

Do I need to submit it manually?

Google and other search engines typically find your sitemap automatically through your robots.txt file. However, you can submit it manually to Google Search Console for:

• Faster initial indexing of your site
• Visibility into indexing status
• Error notifications if pages can't be crawled

Finding your robots.txt

Your robots.txt file is located at:

https://yourname.smugmug.com/robots.txt

Or with a custom domain:

https://www.yourcustomdomain.com/robots.txt

What is robots.txt?

The robots.txt file tells search engine crawlers which parts of your site they can access. It:

• Guides search engines on what to crawl
• Points to your sitemap location
• Prevents crawling of system pages
• Helps manage crawler traffic

Can I edit my robots.txt?

No, SmugMug's robots.txt file cannot be edited. SmugMug automatically configures it with optimal settings to ensure:

• All your public content is discoverable
• Search engines can find your sitemap
• System and private pages are excluded

Using these files with Search Console

After verifying your site with Google Search Console, you can:

1. Submit your sitemap URL in the Sitemaps section
2. View your robots.txt in the Settings → robots.txt section
3. Test URLs against your robots.txt rules