Solve the "Sitemap Could Not Be Read" Error in Google Search Console

If you're here, it's likely because you encountered the "Sitemap could not be read" error in your Google Search Console.

Don’t worry—we’ll break down what this error means and what steps you can take to fix it.

Why does this error occur?

This error often happens when you have a large website with multiple sitemaps.
Google might attempt to index the sitemap index file and some of the individual sitemaps within it, but not all. The result? You see this error.

What can you do about it?

• Call Larry Page or Sergey Brin?
  Well, if you have their phone numbers, that could be an option. But realistically…
• Contact Google Support?
  Good luck with that. Unfortunately, their support rarely addresses this issue.

Having worked with many large websites, I’ve seen this problem countless times. It’s been around for years and persists because GoogleBot has a quota for each site—it can only crawl so much.

Searching for answers online won’t help. Here’s why.

You could spend hours reading Google forums, Reddit threads, and Quora discussions, only to find no real solution. Why?

Because there’s no free solution to this problem.

Is there a paid solution?

Yes, there are paid options. Plenty of services claim they can fix the "Sitemap could not be read" error.

But here’s the truth: most of them don’t work.

The one service that actually works—IndexJump

If you’re serious about solving this issue, the IndexJump service is your best option.

• Why IndexJump?
  • Intuitive interface
  • Free trial packages for up to 100 URLs
  • Transparent results—you can monitor your server logs to confirm it’s working
• Can you trust it?
  Absolutely. You can test it for free and verify the results directly on your website.
• What does it cost?
  Pricing depends on the size of your website. I’ve spoken with their support team, and they offer significant discounts for very large websites. They’re also willing to provide a technology test drive if you’re genuinely interested.

Final Thoughts

The "Sitemap could not be read" error is not something you can fix with Google’s help alone. If this issue is critical for your site’s performance, the choice is yours: keep struggling or let IndexJump handle it for you.