Google on Sitemap Crawls

Google’s John Mueller recently clarified how Search Console deals with sitemap uploads, while also stressing that there are no fixed timelines for crawling.

The discussion began when Mueller was asked about the correct way to submit sitemaps in Google Search Console. Specifically, the question centred on whether uploading just the main sitemap index file was enough, or if individual sitemaps needed to be submitted separately as well.

The query came from a member of the r/TechSEO community on Reddit. They had recently changed their website’s page slugs (the URL file names) and were keen to know how long it would take for Google to update this change once the sitemap was submitted.

Their question was:
“I submitted ‘sitemap.xml’ to Google Search Console, is this sufficient or do I also need to submit page-sitemap.xml and sitemap-misc.xml as separate entries for it to work? I recently changed my website’s page slugs, how long will it take for Google Search Console to consider the sitemap?”

In response, Mueller explained that submitting the main sitemap index file (sitemap.xml) was sufficient. Google would be able to pick up on the linked sitemaps within it, so there was no need to submit each smaller sitemap one by one.

He reassured the poster that Google would process the sitemap as expected, and therefore uploading individual sitemap files was not necessary. However, he also highlighted a very important point about how Google handles crawling.

According to Mueller, submitting a sitemap does not mean that all of the listed URLs will be crawled immediately. He made it clear that there is no guaranteed timeframe for when Googlebot will revisit and recrawl those pages.

This means that while uploading a sitemap is helpful for signalling updates to Google, it should not be seen as an instant solution to get pages indexed right away.

Mueller also advised making use of the Inspect URL tool in Google Search Console. This feature allows site owners to manually request indexing for individual pages, which can be particularly useful after making significant changes such as updating page slugs.

He said:
“You can submit the individual ones, but you don’t really need to. Also, sitemaps don’t guarantee that everything is recrawled immediately + there’s no specific time for recrawling. For individual pages, I’d use the Inspect URL tool and submit them (in addition to sitemaps).”

Essentially, his advice shows that while sitemaps remain an important part of SEO practice, they are not a shortcut to instant crawling or indexing. Patience is still required, and tools like Inspect URL can help bridge the gap for critical updates.

Is There Value In Uploading All Sitemaps?

Google’s John Mueller has explained that uploading the main sitemap index file is generally sufficient. However, many in the SEO community believe it’s risky to rely solely on this and prefer to submit all individual sitemaps, especially when URLs have recently been updated or changed. Doing so can provide reassurance that nothing is missed during the crawling process.

The URL Inspection tool within Search Console also gives website owners the option to request crawling for specific pages. This can be particularly useful when you want Google to recheck important updates. The limitation, though, is that this tool only allows submissions one URL at a time, meaning there’s no option for bulk requests.

As a result, while relying on the sitemap index may work in most cases, many SEO specialists combine this with direct use of the URL Inspection tool to make sure changes are picked up as quickly as possible.