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Free Robots.txt Generator

Generate robots.txt file to control search engine crawler access. Optimize which pages search engines index and crawl.

Last Updated: 15 Jan 2026

User Agent

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Sitemap URL (Optional)

robots.txt

User-agent: *

What is robots.txt?

robots.txt is a text file that tells search engine crawlers which pages or files they can or cannot access on your website. It's placed in your website's root directory and follows the Robots Exclusion Protocol, allowing you to control how search engines crawl and index your site.

The robots.txt file is essential for SEO because it helps you manage crawl budget, prevent indexing of duplicate or low-value content, protect private areas, and guide search engines to important pages. While robots.txt doesn't guarantee crawlers will follow instructions (it's a guideline, not enforcement), it's a standard practice used by all major search engines.

Why Use Our Free Robots.txt Generator?

SEO Optimization

Control which pages search engines crawl and index. Optimize crawl budget by blocking low-value pages and directing crawlers to important content.

Standard Compliant

Generate robots.txt files that follow the Robots Exclusion Protocol standards. Compatible with Google, Bing, and all major search engines.

Instant Generation

Create robots.txt files instantly by specifying which pages to allow or disallow. Generate ready-to-use files for your website root directory.

Common Use Cases for Robots.txt

SEO Management

Crawl Budget Optimization
Block low-value pages (admin areas, search results, filters) to ensure search engines focus crawl budget on important content.
Duplicate Content Prevention
Block duplicate content, print versions, or filtered views that could dilute SEO value or cause indexing issues.
Sitemap Reference
Direct search engines to your XML sitemap location, helping them discover and index all your important pages efficiently.

Content Protection

Private Areas
Block admin panels, private directories, or staging environments from being crawled and indexed by search engines.
Resource Files
Block unnecessary file types (PDFs, images, CSS, JS) if you don't want them indexed, though this is usually not recommended.
Development Sites
Block staging or development sites from being indexed. Prevent duplicate content issues and protect work-in-progress content.

How robots.txt Works

Basic Syntax

User-agent: *

Disallow: /admin/

Disallow: /private/

Allow: /

Sitemap: https://yoursite.com/sitemap.xml

User-agent: Specifies which crawler (use * for all). Disallow: Blocks paths. Allow: Permits paths. Sitemap: Points to your sitemap location.

Crawler Access

When a search engine crawler visits your site, it first checks robots.txt in your root directory (yoursite.com/robots.txt) to see what it's allowed to crawl.

Path Matching

Crawlers match URL paths against Disallow and Allow rules. More specific rules take precedence. If no rules match, the default is to allow crawling.

Important Notes

robots.txt is a guideline, not enforcement. Malicious crawlers may ignore it. For true protection, use password protection or server-side access controls. Also, blocking pages in robots.txt doesn't remove them from search results if already indexed.

Robots.txt Best Practices

File Location

Place robots.txt in your website's root directory (yoursite.com/robots.txt). It must be accessible via HTTP/HTTPS for crawlers to find it.

Tip: Test accessibility by visiting yoursite.com/robots.txt in a browser.

Include Sitemap

Always reference your XML sitemap in robots.txt. This helps search engines discover your sitemap and index your pages more efficiently.

Tip: Add "Sitemap: https://yoursite.com/sitemap.xml" to your robots.txt.

Be Specific

Use specific paths rather than blocking everything. Block only what you don't want indexed. Over-blocking can prevent important content from being crawled.

Tip: Test your robots.txt using Google Search Console's robots.txt Tester tool.

Keep It Updated

Update robots.txt when you add new sections or change site structure. Remove old rules that no longer apply to avoid confusion.

Tip: Review robots.txt regularly as part of your SEO maintenance routine.

Common Robots.txt Rules

Allow All Crawlers

User-agent: *
Allow: /

Allows all search engines to crawl everything. Use this if you want full indexing.

Block Specific Directories

User-agent: *
Disallow: /admin/
Disallow: /private/
Allow: /

Blocks admin and private directories while allowing everything else.

Block Specific File Types

User-agent: *
Disallow: /*.pdf$
Disallow: /*.jpg$

Blocks specific file types using regex patterns. Usually not recommended unless necessary.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do I place robots.txt?

Place robots.txt in your website's root directory so it's accessible at yoursite.com/robots.txt. It must be in the root, not in subdirectories, for search engines to find it.

Does robots.txt block pages from search results?

robots.txt prevents crawling but doesn't remove already-indexed pages. To remove pages from search results, use the noindex meta tag or request removal via Google Search Console.

Can I block specific search engines?

Yes, use specific user-agent names. For example, "User-agent: Googlebot" for Google only, or "User-agent: *" for all crawlers. Each search engine has its own bot name.

What if I don't have a robots.txt file?

If robots.txt doesn't exist, search engines will crawl everything by default. Creating a robots.txt file gives you control over what gets crawled, even if you allow everything.