Submit your sitemap to Bing by adding your site to Bing Webmaster Tools, verifying ownership through an XML file or meta tag, then navigating to Sitemaps and entering your sitemap URL. Click Submit. Your sitemap helps Bing discover and index your pages faster.
Why Submit Your Sitemap to Bing
Submitting your sitemap to Bing tells the search engine which pages exist on your site. A sitemap is an XML file listing all your important URLs. When you submit it, Bing's crawler (Bingbot) finds and indexes your content more efficiently.
Bing holds significant search market share. While Google dominates, Bing powers Microsoft Edge, Windows search, and voice assistants. Sites that ignore Bing miss out on traffic from millions of users.
Sitemaps help with:
Without a sitemap, Bingbot relies solely on links to find your content. Pages buried deep in your site structure may wait weeks or months to be crawled. A sitemap puts all your URLs in front of Bing immediately.
Create Your XML Sitemap First
Before you submit anything, you need a valid sitemap file. Most modern platforms generate sitemaps automatically.
Common sitemap URLs:
Check your sitemap: Open the URL in a browser. You should see XML code listing your pages. If you see an error or blank page, your sitemap does not exist or has problems.
Sitemap requirements:
If your site has more than 50,000 pages, split them into multiple sitemaps and use a sitemap index file.
Popular plugins and platforms:
Verify your sitemap works before moving to Bing Webmaster Tools.
Step 1: Sign Up for Bing Webmaster Tools
Go to https://www.bing.com/webmasters and sign in with a Microsoft account. If you don't have one, create an account for free using any email address.
Import from Google Search Console (fastest method):
If you already verified your site on Google Search Console, click Import from Google Search Console on the Bing dashboard. Sign in to your Google account and select which sites to import. Bing will automatically add and verify them.
This method is fastest because verification happens instantly. Your Google sitemap submission does not carry over, so you still need to submit your sitemap separately in Bing.
Manual site addition:
If you prefer manual setup or don't use Google Search Console, click Add a site manually. Enter your full site URL including protocol (https://www.example.com or https://example.com).
Choose the exact version you want indexed. Include www if your site uses it. Bing treats www.example.com and example.com as separate properties.
Step 2: Verify Site Ownership
Bing needs proof you own the site before allowing sitemap submission or data access.
Verification methods:
Option 1: XML File Upload
Download a unique XML file from Bing. Upload it to your site's root directory. For example, if Bing provides BingSiteAuth.xml, place it at https://yoursite.com/BingSiteAuth.xml. Click Verify in Bing Webmaster Tools.
This method works well if you have FTP or hosting panel access.
Option 2: HTML Meta Tag
Copy a meta tag from Bing. Add it to the head section of your homepage HTML. The tag looks like:
<meta name="msvalidate.01" content="UNIQUE_CODE_HERE" />
Paste this tag before the closing head tag on your homepage. Click Verify in Bing.
Use this if you manage your site through a CMS like WordPress. Many SEO plugins (Yoast, Rank Math, All in One SEO) have dedicated fields for Bing verification codes.
Option 3: CNAME DNS Record
Add a CNAME record to your domain's DNS settings. Bing provides the record details. Log in to your domain registrar (GoDaddy, Namecheap, Cloudflare, etc.) and add the record. DNS changes take time to propagate, often 15 minutes to a few hours.
This method works if you control DNS but not website files.
Choose the method easiest for your setup. Most users pick the meta tag option for simplicity.
After adding your verification method, click Verify in Bing Webmaster Tools. If verification succeeds, you gain full access to submit sitemaps and view reports.
Step 3: Submit Your Sitemap
Once verified, locate the Sitemaps section in the left sidebar of Bing Webmaster Tools.
Click the Submit a sitemap button in the top-right corner. A dialog box appears.
Enter your sitemap URL:
Click Submit.
Bing immediately begins processing your sitemap. You will see the sitemap listed in the Sitemaps dashboard with a status indicator.
Status meanings:
If you see errors, click the sitemap row to view details. Common errors include:
Fix any issues and resubmit.
Submit multiple sitemaps: If you have separate sitemaps for posts, pages, products, and images, submit each one individually. Bing accepts multiple sitemaps per site.
Sitemap index files: If you use a sitemap index, submit only the index file URL. Bing will automatically discover and crawl all child sitemaps listed inside.
Step 4: Monitor Indexing Status
After submission, check the Sitemaps report regularly. Bing shows:
Give Bing time. Indexing does not happen instantly. Depending on your site's authority and crawl frequency, pages may take days or weeks to appear in Bing search results.
Use the URL Inspection tool to check specific pages. Enter a URL and see if Bingbot has crawled it, when it last visited, and whether any issues prevent indexing.
Enable crawl control: Bing Webmaster Tools lets you control crawl rate if your server struggles with bot traffic. Adjust settings in the Crawl Control section.
Best Practices for Bing Sitemap Submission
Follow these tips to maximize indexing success:
Only include indexable URLs: Your sitemap should list only pages you want indexed. Exclude:
Bing treats sitemaps as a quality signal. Submitting junk URLs damages trust.
Use canonical URLs: If you have multiple URLs for the same content (with and without trailing slashes, with parameters, etc.), only list the canonical version in your sitemap.
Update lastmod accurately: The last modified date tag helps Bing prioritize recent changes. Update this tag only when content actually changes. Changing it on every deploy trains Bing to ignore the field.
Add priority and changefreq (optional): These tags suggest how often pages change and their importance. Bing considers them but does not guarantee they impact crawl frequency. Many SEO experts skip these tags entirely.
Reference sitemap in robots.txt: Add a line to your robots.txt file:
Sitemap: https://yoursite.com/sitemap.xml
This tells all crawlers where to find your sitemap, even if they don't check Webmaster Tools.
Resubmit after major changes: If you redesign your site, change URL structure, or migrate domains, resubmit your sitemap. This signals Bing to recrawl everything.
You only submit once: After initial submission, Bing automatically checks your sitemap for updates. You do not need to resubmit unless the sitemap URL changes.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Sitemap not fetching:
Low indexing rate:
Verification fails:
Sitemap errors:
Bing Webmaster Tools vs. Google Search Console
Both platforms serve similar purposes but have key differences:
Bing is faster to index small sites. Many webmasters report Bing indexes new sites more quickly than Google, especially for niche topics.
Google has stricter quality filters. Google's "Discovered - currently not indexed" status is common. Bing tends to index more liberally.
Always submit to both. Submitting to Google does not automatically submit to Bing. Maintain accounts on both platforms.
Bing supports IndexNow: This protocol allows instant URL submission when you publish or update content. Google does not support IndexNow. If your CMS or plugin supports it, enable IndexNow to notify Bing immediately.
Conclusion
Submitting your sitemap to Bing Webmaster Tools takes less than 15 minutes and significantly improves your visibility on Bing search. Add your site, verify ownership, submit your sitemap URL, and monitor the results.
Bing represents a valuable traffic source often overlooked by webmasters focused only on Google. With AI-powered Bing Chat and Microsoft's ecosystem integration, Bing's importance continues to grow in 2026.
Take action now: Go to Bing Webmaster Tools, add your site, and submit your sitemap. Your Bing search traffic will thank you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to submit my sitemap to Bing if I already submitted to Google?
Yes. Google and Bing are separate search engines with independent systems. Submitting your sitemap to Google does not notify Bing. You must submit your sitemap to both platforms separately.
How long does Bing take to index my sitemap?
Bing typically processes sitemaps within a few hours to a few days. Full indexing of all URLs varies based on site authority, crawl budget, and content quality. Established sites with good backlinks index faster than brand new domains.
Can I submit multiple sitemaps to Bing Webmaster Tools?
Yes. Bing allows you to submit multiple sitemaps per verified site. This is common for large sites that separate content types (blog posts, products, images, videos) into different sitemap files. Submit each sitemap URL individually.
What happens if my sitemap has errors?
Bing shows error details in the Sitemaps report. Common errors include inaccessible URLs, invalid XML format, or blocked resources. Fix the errors in your sitemap file and Bing will automatically reprocess it on the next crawl. For urgent fixes, resubmit the sitemap manually.
Do I need to resubmit my sitemap when I add new pages?
No. After the initial submission, Bing automatically checks your sitemap for updates. As long as your sitemap URL stays the same and updates dynamically when you add content, Bing will discover new pages on its next crawl. Only resubmit if you change the sitemap URL or make major structural changes to your site.