How to Fix 404 Errors on Rank Math Sitemaps (WordPress SEO Guide)

If you are using Rank Math SEO for WordPress and suddenly encounter a 404 Page Not Found error when opening your sitemap_index.xml (or individual post/page sitemaps), you are not alone.

When your sitemap throws a 404 error, search engine bots like Google and Bing cannot properly crawl and index your pages. This can cause delays in ranking your new content and lead to indexation issues in Google Search Console.

In this guide, you’ll learn the quick 3-step fix to resolve Rank Math 404 sitemap errors, how to clean up unnecessary sitemaps, and how to properly resubmit your updated sitemap in Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools.

🎥 Prefer Watching a Video Tutorial?

Check out the complete video walkthrough below to fix your sitemap 404 errors step-by-step:

What Causes the 404 Error on Rank Math Sitemaps?

Rank Math generates XML sitemaps dynamically. The 404 error usually occurs due to one of three common issues:

1. Corrupted Permalink Rewrite Rules: WordPress loses track of the dynamically generated sitemap URL structure.

2. Caching Conflicts: Your page cache plugin (such as LiteSpeed Cache, WP Rocket, or W3 Total Cache) is caching static sitemap files instead of letting Rank Math serve them live.

3. Module Desynchronization: The Sitemap module inside Rank Math needs to be refreshed.

3 Steps to Fix the Rank Math Sitemap 404 Error

Follow these three quick steps in your WordPress admin dashboard to bring your XML sitemap back online:

Step 1: Disable and Re-enable the Sitemap Module

1. Log into your WordPress Dashboard.

2. Go to Rank Math SEO → Dashboard.

3. Locate the Sitemap module and toggle it OFF.

4. Wait 5 seconds, then toggle it back ON.

Step 2: Clear Your Web Cache (LiteSpeed / WP Rocket)

Dynamic XML sitemaps should never be cached by performance plugins.

1. If you are using LiteSpeed Cache, click LiteSpeed Cache in the top admin bar and select Purge All.

2. If you are using another plugin (e.g., WP Rocket or W3 Total Cache), clear/purge the complete site cache.

Step 3: Flush WordPress Permalinks

Flushing your site’s permalink structure forces WordPress to rebuild its internal URL routing rules, which usually solves the sitemap 404 issue instantly:

1. In your WordPress menu, go to Settings → Permalinks.

2. Ensure your structure is set to Post name (recommended for SEO).

3. Scroll to the bottom and click Save Changes (you do not need to alter any text, just click save).

Now, open your sitemap URL (e.g., [yourwebsite.com/sitemap_index.xml](https://yourwebsite.com/sitemap_index.xml)) in an incognito window. Your XML sitemap index should now display cleanly without any 404 errors!

How to Clean Up Unnecessary Sitemaps (Avoid Crawl Waste)

Sometimes, plugins create sitemaps for content you don’t need indexed—such as Course Tags, Lesson Quizzes, or Product Tags. Submitting these causes search engine bots to waste time on low-value pages.

Method 1: Disable Taxonomy Sitemaps in Rank Math

1. Navigate to Rank Math SEO → Sitemap Settings.

2. Select the taxonomy or content type you want to exclude (e.g., Course Tags).

3. Toggle off Include in Sitemap.

4. Click Save Changes.

How to Resubmit Your Fixed Sitemap to Webmaster Tools

Once your sitemap is loading properly (HTTP 200 Status Code), update it in your search console dashboards:

In Google Search Console:

1. Log into Google Search Console.

2. Go to Sitemaps in the left menu.

3. If your old sitemap shows “Could Not Fetch” or 404 errors, click the three dots next to it and select Remove Sitemap.

4. Under Add a new sitemap, type sitemap_index.xml and click Submit.

In Bing Webmaster Tools:

1. Log into Bing Webmaster Tools.

2. Select Sitemaps from the side panel.

3. Delete any outdated broken sitemap URLs.

4. Click Submit Sitemap, paste your full URL ([https://yourwebsite.com/sitemap_index.xml](https://yourwebsite.com/sitemap_index.xml)), and submit.

Final Thoughts

A working sitemap helps search engines understand your website more easily. If you see a 404 sitemap error, don’t worry. In most cases, you can fix it by checking your Rank Math settings, refreshing permalinks, clearing the cache, and submitting the updated sitemap to Google Search Console.

📺 Watch the Complete Video Tutorial

fix rank math sitemap 404 error