Static sites and frameworks
Place the downloaded file in the folder that publishes root assets. For many Next.js, Vite, and static-site projects this is the public folder, so it deploys as https://your-domain.com/your-key.txt.
Free IndexNow Tool
Submit every URL in your Sitemap to IndexNow
Create or enter your IndexNow key, publish its TXT file, then let this tool read your Sitemap and send the URLs to the official IndexNow endpoint.
No loginSitemap index supportUp to 10,000 URLs
Publish the TXT file
Put the key file at the website root
The filename must be your key followed by .txt, and the file must contain only that same key in UTF-8 text.
CMS and traditional hosting
Upload the file to the site's public document root, often named public_html, www, htdocs, or the WordPress installation root. It must not sit behind an admin login.
Verify the public URL
Open https://your-domain.com/your-key.txt in a private browser window. Continue only when the page loads successfully and shows exactly the key.
How it works
A bounded, verifiable IndexNow submission
The submission follows the same safe Sitemap traversal shape used by GSC Vault's extension, adapted for a public no-login web tool.
Step 1
Verify site ownership
The server first opens the expected root TXT file and checks that its contents exactly match the key you entered.
Step 2
Read the Sitemap tree
It reads urlset or sitemapindex XML, follows child Sitemaps, supports gzip, removes fragments and duplicate URLs, and stops at explicit safety limits.
Step 3
Notify the official endpoint
It sends one JSON request of up to 10,000 same-host URLs to api.indexnow.org and reports whether the request was received or key validation is pending.
IndexNow does not submit URLs to Google
IndexNow notifications are shared among participating services, but Google does not participate in IndexNow. For Google, keep your Sitemap current and use Search Console's supported inspection and indexing workflows.
Limits and expectations
IndexNow submission FAQ
Will this submit my pages to Google?
No. Google does not participate in IndexNow. This tool only sends notifications through the official IndexNow endpoint.
Does a successful response guarantee indexing?
No. HTTP 200 means the URL notification was received; HTTP 202 means it was received while key validation is pending. Neither status promises crawling or indexing.
Why is the limit 10,000 URLs?
The IndexNow protocol allows up to 10,000 URLs in one POST request. If your Sitemap is larger, submit its child Sitemaps separately.
Does GSC Vault store my key or URLs?
No. The Web tool uses the key, Sitemap URL, and discovered page URLs only while validating and sending the current request, and does not persist them.
Need to check Google index status for your pages?
The Search Console Indexing Assistant reads your Sitemaps, checks Google's indexed version for each URL, and keeps a workspace record of every inspection and request.