Title: Missing XML tag
Last modified: August 21, 2016

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# Missing XML tag

 *  [Encify](https://wordpress.org/support/users/damiafaw/)
 * (@damiafaw)
 * [12 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/missing-xml-tag-2/)
 * How do I fix this issue, only occurred last few updates.
 * Missing XML tag
    This required tag is missing. Please add it and resubmit.
 * Parent tag: urlset
    Tag: url
 * [https://wordpress.org/plugins/wordpress-seo/](https://wordpress.org/plugins/wordpress-seo/)

Viewing 7 replies - 1 through 7 (of 7 total)

 *  [ThatIOWGuy](https://wordpress.org/support/users/chrislowthian/)
 * (@chrislowthian)
 * [12 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/missing-xml-tag-2/#post-4728818)
 * Having exactly the same issue, not found a fix yet either 🙁
 *  [JohnNadeau](https://wordpress.org/support/users/johnnadeau/)
 * (@johnnadeau)
 * [12 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/missing-xml-tag-2/#post-4728880)
 * I’m having the same problem with Google Webmaster Tools. Any ideas how to resolve
   this?
 *  [JohnNadeau](https://wordpress.org/support/users/johnnadeau/)
 * (@johnnadeau)
 * [12 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/missing-xml-tag-2/#post-4728881)
 * Forgive the lengthy post. It is fixed for me now and I’m no longer getting the
   Missing XML Tag on Google Webmaster Tools (GWT). I’m not exactly sure “what” 
   fixed it, but here are some steps I took… maybe someone else can glean something
   from it 🙂
 * In my case, on GWT, the error was referring to the “Category” and “Post_Tag” 
   xml’s. Also, it indicated on both that there was an error on LINE #3 of the xml’s.
 * I didn’t have any Categories or Posts (all my pages are static) so I added one
   of each. In SEO/SiteMaps, I clicked the XML Sitemap button and could view my 
   Sitemap, including sub-maps for the Category and Post_Tag and could open & view
   each of them independently in the browser.
 * Back to GWT, tried resubmitting the sitemap but it resulted in the same error.
 * I then went into SEO/ExcludeTaxonomies and placed checkmarks next to Categories&
   Tags. Save Changes. Clicked XML Sitemap and this time it did not generate the
   Category and Post_Tag sub-maps.
 * Back to GWT, resubmitted, but STILL had the same problem. I don’t know “what”
   GWT was seeing. Were there leftover xml’s for those two sub-maps? (note: I’m 
   not using a wordpress cache plugin)
 * I installed the Plugin “Google XML Sitemaps”, generated its Sitemap, and was 
   able to submit it successfully at GWT. Tried YoastSEO’s Sitemap again and still
   no joy.
 * Back to SEO/ExcludeTaxonomies, removed checkmarks, saved, resubmitted, same problem
   at GWT.
 * Finally, back to SEO/ExcludeTaxonomies, placed checkmarks back on Categories 
   and Post_Tag, saved, resubmitted to GWT and all was well this time.
 * So, again, I’m really not sure “what” fixed it. I wonder if it was toggling the
   ExcludeTaxonomies check boxes (saving in between) that did it.
 * GWT definitely did not like line #3 in both the Categories.xml and Post_Tag.xml
 *  [hdsterling](https://wordpress.org/support/users/hdsterling/)
 * (@hdsterling)
 * [12 years, 2 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/missing-xml-tag-2/#post-4728883)
 * I had a similar problem with Yoast, but I guess a bit simpler since my fix was
   easier.
 * The error that I got in Webmaster Tools referenced the Post_Tag.xml. I realized
   that the site I was looking at wasn’t even using “tags” on their blog, so I went
   into Yoast SEO settings and just checked off the Tags (post_tag) under Exclude
   Taxonomies and saved changes. At Webmaster Tools I resubmitted my sitemap and
   it worked perfectly fine.
 * I didn’t need to do anything other than what’s noted above, and I’m not a dev,
   so maybe this is an easy fix for people with a similar problem who are not so
   technical?
 *  [Ross Morsali](https://wordpress.org/support/users/designsandcode/)
 * (@designsandcode)
 * [12 years ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/missing-xml-tag-2/#post-4728897)
 * Getting this error too..
 * Basically only happens when the sitemap is empty – in my case it was for a custom
   taxonomy…
 * I guess the way the mark-up is generated is dependant on there being at least
   1 results…. My work around as above was applying the taxonomy arbitrarily to 
   a post.
 *  [Henry Cullen](https://wordpress.org/support/users/davethedrummer909/)
 * (@davethedrummer909)
 * [12 years ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/missing-xml-tag-2/#post-4728899)
 * Same for me, empty category was causing XML error
 *  [ansar nawaz](https://wordpress.org/support/users/ansar-nawaz/)
 * (@ansar-nawaz)
 * [11 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/missing-xml-tag-2/#post-4728909)
 * Same Problem 😀
 * Errors
    Missing XML tag This required tag is missing. Please add it and resubmit.
   1 Parent tag: urlset Tag: url
 * [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=laOLAgQvyVg](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=laOLAgQvyVg)

Viewing 7 replies - 1 through 7 (of 7 total)

The topic ‘Missing XML tag’ is closed to new replies.

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## Tags

 * [missing xml tag](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/missing-xml-tag/)

 * 7 replies
 * 7 participants
 * Last reply from: [ansar nawaz](https://wordpress.org/support/users/ansar-nawaz/)
 * Last activity: [11 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/missing-xml-tag-2/#post-4728909)
 * Status: not resolved