Documentation → Administrator Guides
Troubleshooting Guide
Common issues and solutions for Developer Sitemap.
Sitemap Returns 404 Error
If /sitemap.xml returns a “Page not found” error:
Solution 1: Flush Permalinks
- Go to Settings → Permalinks
- Click Save Changes (no changes needed)
- Try accessing the sitemap again
Solution 2: Check Sitemap Status
- Go to Sitemap → Settings
- Ensure Enable Sitemap is checked
- Click Save Settings
Solution 3: Check .htaccess
If using Apache, ensure your .htaccess has proper WordPress rewrite rules.
Sitemap Shows No URLs
If the sitemap loads but contains zero URLs:
| Check | Action |
|---|---|
| No published content | Publish at least one post or page |
| Content types disabled | Enable types in Sitemap → Settings |
| All content excluded | Review exclusions in Sitemap → Advanced |
Specific Content Not Appearing
Posts or Pages Missing
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| Content is draft | Publish the content |
| Content is private | Change visibility to public |
| Content is excluded | Remove from Sitemap → Advanced exclusions |
| Post type disabled | Enable in Sitemap → Settings |
Products Missing (WooCommerce)
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| Products disabled | Enable in Sitemap → Settings |
| Hidden visibility | Change catalog visibility to “Shop and search” |
| Out of stock hidden | Check WooCommerce visibility settings |
| Product excluded | Remove from exclusion list |
Changes Not Reflecting
If recent changes aren’t appearing in the sitemap:
Manual Regeneration
- Go to Sitemap → Dashboard
- Click Regenerate Sitemap
Clear External Caches
If you use page caching plugins or CDNs, clear those caches as well.
XML Validation Errors
If search engines report XML errors:
| Error | Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Invalid characters | Special characters in titles | Plugin auto-escapes; regenerate sitemap |
| Malformed XML | Plugin conflict | Check for conflicting plugins |
| Empty response | PHP error | Enable WP_DEBUG and check logs |
Validate your sitemap at: XML Sitemap Validator
Performance Issues
Slow Sitemap Generation
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| Large site (50k+ pages) | Reduce Items Per Sitemap in Advanced |
| Cache disabled | Enable caching in Settings |
| Low PHP memory | Increase memory_limit in php.ini |
Timeout Errors
If sitemap generation times out:
- Lower the Items Per Sitemap value
- Increase PHP max_execution_time
- Contact your hosting provider
Plugin Conflicts
Developer Sitemap may conflict with other sitemap plugins:
Common Conflicts
- Yoast SEO (has built-in sitemap)
- Rank Math (has built-in sitemap)
- All in One SEO (has built-in sitemap)
- Google XML Sitemaps
- WordPress Core Sitemap (WP 5.5+)
Resolution
Disable the sitemap feature in other plugins, or disable Developer Sitemap if you prefer another solution.
Note: Developer Sitemap is designed to coexist with WordPress core sitemaps by default. Only disable one if you notice conflicts.