This free llms.txt generator builds a starter file from your website, and the llms.txt checker below it validates any file against the llmstxt.org format. You can check a live URL, paste text, or generate a file, and a side panel shows which AI crawlers your robots.txt allows.
- Generate an llms.txt file
- What the llms.txt checker validates
- llms.txt format and example
- Where to put your llms.txt file
- Does llms.txt help AI visibility?
- Common llms.txt errors and fixes
- llms.txt FAQ
- Related tools
Generate an llms.txt file
The generator is the fastest way to a first draft. It gives you a file in the right shape, which you then edit so it describes your site the way you would.
- Open the generate tab and enter your homepage address.
- The tool fetches the homepage and reads its title, meta description, main heading and links.
- It writes a draft: one H1 with your site name, a short blockquote summary, H2 sections of links with a short note each, and an Optional section for lower priority pages such as legal information and the sitemap.
- Copy the draft or download it as a text file.
- Edit before you publish. Remove links that do not help a reader, rewrite each note so it says what the page is for, and keep the file short. Then paste it into the validate tab to check it.
The draft is built from your homepage signals only. It cannot know which of your pages matter most, so treat it as a starting point and not a finished file.
What the llms.txt checker validates
This llms.txt validator works in three ways. Validate by URL fetches the file from your site root. Validate pasted text checks a draft before you upload it. Generate builds a new file. For both validation modes the structure checks are the same.
Exactly one H1, and it is the first thing in the file. This is the one required element in the format.
An optional short summary directly under the H1. The tool warns if it is missing or in the wrong place, since it is the first thing a reader sees.
Sections that hold list items in the form - [name](url) or - [name](url): notes. Items that break the pattern are counted.
A section named Optional is recognized as lower priority content that a reader can skip when space is short.
When you validate by URL, the tool tests up to 10 of the links and reports how many are broken.
For URL checks: the HTTP status, the content type, UTF-8 text, file size and whether a /llms-full.txt file also exists.
llms.txt format and example
The format is plain Markdown, proposed at llmstxt.org. A small valid file looks like this:
# Example Store
> Example Store sells handmade ceramics and ships worldwide. This file lists the pages that explain our products, shipping and returns.
## Products
- [Mugs](https://example.com/mugs/): Hand-thrown mugs, with sizes and care notes
- [Plates and bowls](https://example.com/plates/): Dinnerware sets and single pieces
## Help
- [Shipping](https://example.com/shipping/): Delivery times and prices by country
- [Returns](https://example.com/returns/): How to return or exchange an item
## Optional
- [Sitemap](https://example.com/sitemap.xml): Every public page on the siteUse absolute https links, give each link a note that says what the reader will find, and keep the whole file to the pages that matter. To see a real one, open the Rank Ray llms.txt, then paste its address into the checker above.
Where to put your llms.txt file
- Place the file in the root of your domain so that it loads at
yourdomain.com/llms.txt. - Serve it as plain text or Markdown, saved as UTF-8. The checker warns when a server sends it as a web page.
- Make sure the address returns a 200 status and not a redirect or an error page.
- If you use WordPress, upload the file to the site root through your host or an SEO plugin that supports it. A plain page at that address is not the same as a file.
- Open the address in a browser and run the checker again after every edit.
Does llms.txt help AI visibility?
Be wary of anyone who says it does. llms.txt is a proposal, not a standard that search engines or AI companies have agreed to follow. As checked on 1 November 2026, Google Search does not use it, and Google's guidance on AI features and your website says no special files are needed to appear in AI Overviews or AI Mode. In the same check we found no AI company that has confirmed its crawler reads the file to decide what to cite.
What is confirmed: the format exists, tools can read it, and some developers feed it to assistants by hand. What is not confirmed: any effect on rankings, citations or traffic. The cost is low, so publishing a clean file is reasonable, but do not expect results from it alone.
It also helps to keep three files straight, because they do different jobs.
| File | What it is for | Controls crawling? |
|---|---|---|
| llms.txt | A readable guide to your key pages, written for language models and people | No |
| robots.txt | Rules telling crawlers which paths they may fetch | Yes, for crawlers that respect it |
| sitemap.xml | A machine list of the URLs you want found | No, it only suggests URLs |
If you want to allow or block an AI crawler, that is a robots.txt job. The panel beside the checker reads your robots.txt and shows whether GPTBot, OAI-SearchBot, ChatGPT-User, ClaudeBot, Claude-SearchBot, PerplexityBot, Google-Extended, Applebot-Extended and CCBot are allowed. For the wider picture, read our guides to what the llms.txt file is and LLM SEO, run the AI visibility audit, or test rules in the robots.txt tester. Our generative engine optimization service covers the rest.
Common llms.txt errors and fixes
| Error or warning | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Missing H1 | The file starts with text or a lower heading | Begin with one line such as # Your Site Name |
| More than one H1 | Several top-level headings | Keep one H1 and turn the others into H2 sections |
| H1 is not first | Text or a comment sits above it | Move the H1 to the first line |
| No summary | No blockquote under the H1 | Add one short line starting with > |
| No link sections | No H2 heading with a list of links | Add at least one H2 with items in the form - [name](url): notes |
| List item format | Items are plain text or the link is malformed | Rewrite each item as - [name](url), with an optional note after a colon |
| Broken links | Pages moved, were deleted or the URL has a typo | Fix the address or remove the line |
| Relative or http links | Links start with a slash or use http | Use full https addresses |
| Wrong content type | Server sends text/html | Serve text/plain or text/markdown in UTF-8 |
| Not a 200 response | Redirect, 404 or server error at /llms.txt | Upload the file to the root and test the address |
| File too large | Over about 100 KB | List only key pages and move detail to a separate file |
| Duplicate or empty sections | The same URL listed twice, or a heading with no links | Remove the repeat or add links under the heading |
| Robots.txt rules inside | User-agent or Disallow lines pasted in | Remove them. They have no meaning here and belong in robots.txt |
llms.txt FAQ
What is llms.txt?
llms.txt is a plain Markdown file at the root of a website that lists its most useful pages for language models and the people who use them. It starts with a site name, a short summary and sections of links with notes. It is a community proposal, not an official web standard.
Is llms.txt required?
No. No search engine or AI service requires it, and your site works without one. Google Search does not use it. Publish one only if you want a tidy, human-readable index of your key pages, and keep it accurate when your site changes.
What is the difference between llms.txt and robots.txt?
robots.txt tells crawlers which parts of your site they may fetch, and well-behaved bots follow it. llms.txt does not allow or block anything. It only describes content. To control AI crawlers, edit robots.txt. The panel beside the checker shows how nine common AI bots are treated today.
How often should I update llms.txt?
Update it whenever you add, move or remove a page that is listed in it, and check it after any site redesign. A quarterly run of the checker is enough for most sites. Broken links are the most common problem because pages change while the file stays the same.
Can I validate a file before I upload it?
Yes. Use the pasted text mode. It runs the same structure checks on your draft, such as the H1, summary, sections and link format. Checks that need a live file, like the HTTP status, content type and link testing, only run when you validate by URL.
Does the generator write the whole file for me?
It writes a starter draft from your homepage title, description, main heading and links. It cannot judge which pages are most important, so review every line. Remove weak links, improve the notes and keep the file short before you publish it.