If you use Blogger and spend time inside Google Search Console, there is a good chance you have seen the frustrating message: “Couldn’t fetch sitemap.”
At first, it feels like something is seriously wrong with your website. You open Search Console, check your sitemap submission, and suddenly see an error even though everything looks fine when you open the sitemap in your browser.
I have been there too.
The first time I saw this on a Blogger site, is I thought I had broken something. I checked my theme, my robots.txt file, my domain settings, and even my custom redirects. Everything looked normal, but Search Console still refused to fetch the sitemap.
The good news is that this problem is usually fixable. In some cases, it is not even your fault at all. Sometimes it is caused by a temporary delay or glitch inside Google Search Console itself.
In this guide, you will learn why Google cannot fetch your Blogger sitemap, what causes the issue, and how to fix it step by step.
What Does “Couldn’t Fetch Sitemap” Mean?
When Google says it could not fetch your sitemap, it simply means Googlebot was unable to access, read, or process the sitemap URL you submitted in Search Console.
A sitemap is a file that helps search engines understand which pages exist on your website. It can help Google discover new pages faster and understand your site structure better. Google supports XML sitemap files and recommends submitting them through Search Console.
If Google cannot fetch your sitemap, it does not always mean your site is broken. In many cases, the sitemap still works, but Google has not processed it yet or is temporarily unable to read it.
The Correct Blogger Sitemap URL
One of the most common reasons people see this error is because they submit the wrong sitemap URL.
For Blogger, the sitemap URL is usually:
https://yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml
If your site has many posts, Blogger may also use:
https://yourdomain.com/sitemap-pages.xml
Or:
https://yourdomain.com/feeds/posts/default?orderby=updated
For most Blogger websites, simply submitting /sitemap.xml is enough.
I remember once submitting /feeds/posts/default instead of /sitemap.xml because I saw someone recommend it in an old tutorial. Search Console kept showing an error for days. The moment I removed it and submitted the standard sitemap.xml version, the issue disappeared.
Before submitting any sitemap to Search Console, always open it in your browser first. If the page loads properly and you can see the XML content, that is a good sign.
Common Reasons Google Cannot Fetch Your Blogger Sitemap
There are several reasons this issue happens. Some are simple, while others take a bit more troubleshooting.
1. You Submitted the Wrong Domain Version
This is one of the easiest mistakes to make.
For example, if your website uses:
https://www.rankriseseo.name.ng
But you submitted the sitemap under:
https://rankriseseo.name.ng
Google may fail to fetch it because the sitemap does not match the exact property you verified in Search Console.
The same issue can happen with:
- HTTP vs HTTPS
- www vs non-www
- Blogspot domain vs custom domain
Always make sure your sitemap URL matches the exact version of the site inside Search Console. This is one of the most common causes of sitemap fetch errors.
2. Your Sitemap URL Returns a 404 Error
Sometimes the sitemap URL simply does not exist.
This often happens after:
- Changing domains
- Setting up redirects incorrectly
- Editing Blogger settings
- Using the wrong sitemap path
If your sitemap returns a 404 error, Google cannot read it.
To test this, open your sitemap URL in an incognito browser window. If you see a “page not found” message, then the URL is wrong or broken.
For example:
Wrong:
https://yourdomain.com/sitemap
Correct:
https://yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml
A sitemap should open as an XML page, not a normal webpage.
3. Your Robots.txt File Is Blocking the Sitemap
Another common reason is a robots.txt mistake.
Blogger allows custom robots.txt settings, and sometimes people accidentally block Google from accessing important pages.
For example, if your robots.txt contains something like this:
User-agent: *
Disallow: /
Google may not be able to access the sitemap or crawl the site properly.
A proper Blogger robots.txt file usually includes the sitemap URL at the bottom, like this:
User-agent: Mediapartners-Google
Disallow:
User-agent: *
Disallow: /search
Allow: /
Sitemap: https://yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml
Google recommends making sure robots.txt does not block important pages or sitemap files.
If you recently changed your robots.txt settings, double-check them carefully.
4. Google Search Console Is Delayed
This is something many people do not realize.
Sometimes your sitemap is completely fine, but Search Console still shows “Couldn’t fetch.”
I have seen this happen on Blogger sites where the sitemap opened perfectly in a browser, URLs were indexing normally, and there were no crawl issues at all.
In those cases, the problem was simply that Google had not processed the sitemap yet.
Google itself explains that submitting a sitemap does not mean it will be processed immediately. There can be delays depending on Google's crawling schedule and backlog.
A lot of SEO professionals have noticed the same thing. Even on forums and communities, many people report that their sitemap errors eventually disappear without changing anything.
So if your sitemap URL works in a browser and your pages are still getting indexed, do not panic too quickly.
5. Your Site Is Too New
New Blogger sites often experience sitemap fetch issues.
When a site is brand new, Google may not trust it enough yet. Search Console can take a while to process sitemap submissions for new domains.
I noticed this with a fresh blog that had only three posts. The sitemap stayed in “Couldn’t fetch” mode for nearly a week. Then one day it suddenly changed to “Success” without me doing anything.
If your site is very new:
- Keep publishing content
- Submit a few important URLs manually
- Build internal links
- Give Google some time
New sites often need patience more than anything else.
6. Your Sitemap Has Temporary Server Issues
Even though Blogger is hosted by Google, temporary server problems can still happen.
For example:
- Slow loading time
- Temporary outage
- Connection timeout
- Redirect loop
If Google tries to fetch your sitemap during one of those moments, it may fail.
This is more common if you use:
- A custom domain
- Cloudflare
- Extra redirects
- Third-party DNS settings
Some website owners on Reddit discovered that Cloudflare settings, firewall rules, or unusual domain extensions caused Google to struggle with sitemap fetching.
If you use a custom domain, make sure:
- Your SSL certificate works
- Your domain resolves correctly
- There are no redirect loops
- Your sitemap opens quickly
7. Your Sitemap Format Is Invalid
Google only accepts certain sitemap formats.
XML is the most common and reliable format. If your sitemap contains broken code, missing tags, or invalid characters, Google may reject it.
This is less common on Blogger because Blogger generates sitemaps automatically. However, if you use a custom sitemap generator or a third-party tool, problems can happen.
Some common XML errors include:
- Missing closing tags
- Broken URLs
- Unsupported characters
- Invalid date formats
- Incorrect encoding
You can validate your sitemap using tools from big websites like:
- Google Search Central sitemap guide
- Search Console Help documentation
- XML Sitemap Validator resources
How to Fix “Couldn’t Fetch Sitemap” on Blogger
Now let’s go through the practical fixes.
Step 1: Open Your Sitemap in a Browser
Before doing anything else, paste your sitemap URL into your browser.
For example:
https://yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml
If the page loads correctly, that is a good sign.
If it shows:
- 404 error
- Redirect error
- Blank page
- Security warning
Then the issue is with the sitemap URL itself.
Step 2: Remove the Old Sitemap from Search Console
Sometimes Search Console gets stuck with an old or broken sitemap submission.
Delete the old sitemap and submit it again.
This simple step has worked for me more than once, especially after changing domains or moving from Blogspot to a custom domain.
Step 3: Make Sure You Are Using HTTPS
Google prefers secure URLs.
If your site uses HTTPS, your sitemap should also use HTTPS.
Wrong:
http://yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml
Correct:
https://yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml
Using the wrong protocol can stop Google from reading the sitemap correctly.
Step 4: Check Your Robots.txt File
Go to:
yourdomain.com/robots.txt
Make sure it includes your sitemap URL and does not block important content.
A correct Blogger robots.txt file helps Google understand your site better and improves crawlability. Google also recommends using robots.txt properly to guide crawlers.
Step 5: Submit Only the Main Sitemap
Many people submit multiple Blogger feed URLs when they do not need to.
Usually, the main sitemap is enough:
https://yourdomain.com/sitemap.xml
Google can discover the rest automatically. SEO experts generally recommend submitting only the main sitemap index rather than every sub-sitemap separately.
Step 6: Wait a Few Days
This is honestly the hardest step because nobody likes waiting.
But sometimes that is exactly what solves the problem.
If your sitemap works in the browser, your robots.txt is fine, and your domain settings are correct, then the best thing to do may be to wait.
Search Console errors can be delayed or inaccurate sometimes. Even YouTube SEO tutorials and community discussions often mention that “Couldn’t fetch” is sometimes just a temporary Search Console issue.
Does a Sitemap Error Stop Google From Indexing?
Not always.
This is something that surprised me when I first learned it.
Even if your sitemap has an error, Google can still find your pages through:
- Internal links
- External backlinks
- Navigation menus
- Category pages
- Manual URL submission
I have seen Blogger sites continue indexing pages even while Search Console still showed a sitemap fetch error.
That does not mean you should ignore the problem completely, but it does mean the situation is not always as serious as it looks.
Good internal linking can help Google discover pages faster even without a perfect sitemap. That is one reason why linking related posts naturally inside your content is so important.
For example, if someone is also dealing with Search Console problems, they may find it helpful to read:
- https://www.rankriseseo.name.ng/2026/03/how-to-fix-google-search-console.html
- https://www.rankriseseo.name.ng/2026/04/how-to-fix-soft-404-in-blogger.html
- https://www.rankriseseo.name.ng/p/disclaimer.html
Best Practices to Avoid Sitemap Problems in the Future
Here are a few habits that can help prevent sitemap issues:
- Always use the correct sitemap URL
- Stick with HTTPS
- Avoid unnecessary redirects
- Double-check robots.txt settings
- Submit only the main sitemap
- Use one consistent domain version
- Check Search Console regularly
- Build strong internal linking
- Keep publishing fresh content
I have learned that Blogger sitemap issues often look scarier than they really are. Most of the time, the site is still working fine in the background.
The key is not to panic.
Finally
Seeing “Couldn’t fetch sitemap” in Google Search Console can be stressful, especially when you are trying hard to get your Blogger site indexed.
But in most cases, the issue comes down to one of a few common problems:
- Wrong sitemap URL
- Incorrect domain version
- Robots.txt blocking
- Temporary Search Console delay
- Broken redirects
- New website trust issues
The good news is that Blogger automatically creates a sitemap, so you usually do not need complicated tools or plugins.
If your sitemap opens in the browser, your domain is set up correctly, and your robots.txt is not blocking Google, there is a very good chance everything will sort itself out with a little patience.
Sometimes the hardest part of SEO is simply waiting for Google to catch up.
