Hello,
I apologize for the inconvenience you are facing with your XML sitemap URLs returning a 404 error. This issue can occur due to various reasons such as changes in the permalink structure, missing rewrite rules, or caching plugins affecting the sitemap.
To resolve this issue with your XML sitemap URLs returning a 404 error, please follow these steps:
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Check Permalink Structure: Ensure that your permalink structure is correctly set up to match the sitemap index file.
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Add Rewrite Rules: If you are using an Apache server, add the necessary rewrite rules to your .htaccess file. You can find detailed instructions on how to do this in our knowledgebase article here.
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Exclude Sitemap Files from Caching: If you are using a caching plugin, make sure to exclude the sitemap files from being cached. Caching the sitemap can lead to a 404 error. You can learn how to exclude sitemap files from caching here.
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Flush Sitemap Cache: After making any changes, remember to flush the sitemap cache by navigating to Rank Math SEO → Sitemap Settings and changing the Links Per Sitemap. Then save the changes and flush the permalinks settings under Settings → Permalinks.
If you continue to experience issues after following these steps, please reach out to our support team for further assistance. We are available 24×7 and happy to help you with any problems you encounter.
Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention.
Sources:
Why the Sitemap_Index.xml is Throwing a 404 Error » Rank Math
I have applied all the suggestion but it still 404. So look into this
Hello,
We’ve checked your sitemap, and it is opening fine
If it’s still showing 404 on your end, please clear your website and browser’s cache.
Looking forward to helping you.
Hello,
Glad that helped.
If you have any other concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact us anytime to assist you further.
Looking forward to helping you.
Thank you.
