Sitemap Splitter

The Sitemap Splitter takes one large sitemap and divides it into several smaller sitemaps, each holding no more than a maximum number of URLs that you choose. The sitemaps protocol limits a single file to fifty thousand URLs, and very large files can also be harder to process, so splitting keeps every file within the rules and makes them easier to manage and submit.

You paste the XML of an existing urlset sitemap, set a maximum number of URLs per file, and the tool slices the url entries into numbered chunks. Each chunk is wrapped in its own complete, valid sitemap with the correct XML declaration and namespace, and a comment marks where each new file begins along with its URL count, so you can copy each section into its own file.

The entire operation happens in your browser, meaning your sitemap content is never uploaded or stored. This makes it safe to split sitemaps for staging environments or internal sites, and because it is instant and free, you can experiment with different per-file limits until the split matches how you want to organise and reference your sitemaps from an index file.

Features

• Splits a urlset sitemap into multiple smaller sitemaps by a maximum URL count you set.
• Defaults to the protocol's fifty thousand URL limit so output always stays compliant.
• Wraps every chunk in a complete, valid sitemap with the correct declaration and namespace.
• Marks each split with a numbered comment and its URL count so files are easy to separate.
• Preserves the original url entries, including any lastmod, changefreq or priority children.
• Reports the total URLs, the number of sitemaps produced, and the per-file limit used.
• Runs locally with copy and text export and no accounts or network requests.

How to use Sitemap Splitter

1. Copy the XML of your large urlset sitemap and paste it into the input box.
2. Set the maximum number of URLs per file, or leave the default of fifty thousand.
3. Review the output, where each split sitemap is preceded by a numbered comment.
4. Check the stats for the total URL count and how many sitemaps were produced.
5. Copy each sitemap section into its own file, naming them like sitemap-1.xml and sitemap-2.xml.
6. Reference all the split files from a sitemap index and submit that index to search engines.

Benefits

• Large sites keep every sitemap within the fifty thousand URL protocol limit.
• Developers break an oversized file into manageable pieces without scripting.
• SEO teams organise URLs into logical sitemaps that are easier to monitor.
• Publishers reduce processing issues that very large sitemap files can cause.
• Migration projects re-shape sitemaps quickly when URL counts change.
• Local processing keeps internal or unpublished URLs private to your machine.

The sitemaps protocol caps a single sitemap at fifty thousand URLs and an uncompressed size limit. When a site exceeds that, you use several sitemaps and tie them together with a sitemap index file, which lists each sitemap's location. Splitting an existing large file is the quickest way to get there, and choosing a smaller per-file limit can make individual sitemaps easier to audit and update.

This tool preserves each url block exactly as it appears in the source, so any lastmod, changefreq, or priority values you already set are carried into the split files unchanged. It only re-groups entries and wraps each group in a fresh urlset, which means the split output stays faithful to your original data while satisfying the size and count constraints of the protocol.

Because everything runs in your browser, the sitemap content never leaves your device, which is helpful for staging or internal sites. After splitting, save each section as its own file, upload them to a stable location, create or update a sitemap index that references them all, and submit the index in your search console. To rebuild a sitemap from scratch, pair this with the XML Sitemap Generator, and to inspect any file use the Sitemap URL Extractor.