How to Submit Your Sitemap to Bing Webmaster Tools
A quick walkthrough for Idea Jar Web Design clients
Last updated: September 14, 2026 · 8 min read
Submitting your sitemap to Bing Webmaster Tools takes about 3 minutes if you've already done Google Search Console, because Bing has a one-click import. If you haven't, the manual setup takes about 10 minutes. Bing's results also show up in Yahoo, DuckDuckGo, and Microsoft Copilot, so it's worth doing even though Google handles most of your traffic.
Hi, it's Matt. You've already submitted your sitemap to Google. Now let's do the same for Bing. This matters more than it used to. Bing's results show up in more places than Bing itself: Yahoo, DuckDuckGo, and Microsoft Copilot all use them, and Bing is one of the search providers ChatGPT search works with. The good news? If you've already done Google Search Console, this takes about three minutes.
What you'll need: a Microsoft account, Google account, or Facebook account. Any of the three works for sign-in. If you've already set up Google Search Console (which I hope you have, and I have a separate guide for that), keep that Google account handy.
What this actually does
Bing keeps its own search index, separate from Google's. Even though Google and Bing both crawl the web, they each keep their own list of pages to show in search results. Submitting your sitemap to Bing tells it your site exists and where to find every page. Once submitted, Bing keeps checking back automatically. You don't need to resubmit unless we add brand new pages later. Why this matters: that one submission also reaches the places that use Bing's results.
A note before you start: Microsoft updates Bing Webmaster Tools every so often, so a button may look a little different or sit in a slightly different spot than I describe or show in the screenshots (taken September 2026). The steps themselves don't change much. If you can't find something, look for the exact label in bold below, or text me at 650-246-9863.
The fast path: Import from Google Search Console
If you've already done Google Search Console, this is the path. Microsoft built this shortcut specifically because almost everyone does Google first.
1
Go to bing.com/webmasters and click Sign In (or Get started). Use whatever account is easiest: Microsoft, Google, or Facebook all work.
2
You'll see two ways to add your site: Import your sites from GSC (GSC is short for Google Search Console) and Add your site manually. Click Import on the Google Search Console option.
Bing Webmaster Tools, September 2026
3
Bing explains what it's about to do. Click Continue. Google then opens a permission screen. Sign in with the Google account you used for Search Console, and approve the request. (The button says Continue or Allow, depending on your account.)
4
You'll see a list of your Search Console sites. Check the box next to your site, then click Import.
5
That's it. Your site shows up in Bing Webmaster Tools already verified, and Bing brings over the sitemap you submitted to Google. To double-check, click Sitemaps in the left sidebar. Your sitemap should be listed there. If it isn't, follow steps 7 through 10 of the manual path below to add it.
If you only have a minute, this is the path. Microsoft built this shortcut specifically because almost everyone does Google first. They're not making you redo the work. Click, click, done.
The manual path: set up Bing from scratch
If you haven't done Search Console yet, or you'd rather start with Bing first, here's the manual flow. Same install pattern as Search Console: you copy a meta tag, send it to me, I install it, you click Verify.
1
Go to bing.com/webmasters and click Sign In.
2
On the same screen shown in step 2 of the fast path, use the Add your site manually box on the right. Type your site's address exactly as it shows in your browser's address bar, starting with https://. Most sites I build don't use "www," so yours probably looks like https://yoursite.com. Click Add. Bing saves your site right away and marks it "Not verified" until you finish the next few steps.
3
Bing shows three ways to verify, with "XML File" open first. Click HTML Meta Tag to open it. That's the one I recommend, for the same reasons as Search Console: I install it, and you don't have to touch any code.
Bing Webmaster Tools, September 2026
4
You'll see a line of code that starts with:
<meta name="msvalidate.01" content="...
Click Copy next to it to copy the whole line. Leave this page open.
5
Email the code to matt@ideajarwebdesign.com. I'll add it to your site and reply when it's installed (usually within a few hours).
6
After I confirm it's installed, return to Bing Webmaster Tools and click Verify (inside the HTML Meta Tag section).
7
Once verified, click Sitemaps in the left sidebar.
8
Click the Submit sitemap button near the top right. A small box pops up.
9
Type your full sitemap address, not just the filename. It's your site address with /sitemap.xml on the end, like https://yoursite.com/sitemap.xml. Use the same www-or-not address you entered in step 2.
Bing Webmaster Tools, September 2026
10
Click Submit. Your sitemap appears in the list, usually as Processing at first and then Success. From here, it works like Search Console: Bing keeps crawling on its own, and you don't need to resubmit unless we add brand new pages.
Same install pattern as Search Console: the meta tag is your code, your site, your part of the puzzle. I drop it in, you verify. Bing asks that the tag stay on your site even after you're verified. No problem there: I leave it in place.
Common questions
Why bother with Bing if Google handles most searches?
A few reasons. Bing's results also show up in Yahoo, DuckDuckGo, and Microsoft Copilot, and Bing is one of the search providers ChatGPT search works with. So one submission reaches more people than the Bing name alone suggests. Bing Webmaster Tools also has a newer AI Performance report that shows when Microsoft Copilot cites your pages. The effort is tiny: about three minutes if you import from Google.
I already submitted to Google Search Console. Do I need to do this separately?
Yes. Google and Bing keep separate indexes that don't share data. The good news is Bing has a one-click import that brings over your Google verification and sitemap, so you're not redoing work. Use the fast path above.
What's the difference between Bing Webmaster Tools and Google Search Console?
They do the same job for different search engines. Both let you submit sitemaps, spot crawl errors, see which searches bring up your site, and ask for specific pages to be crawled. Bing's tools are arguably easier to use; Google's data is broader. You want both.
How long until I show up in Bing search results?
Usually somewhere between a few days and a few weeks for a new site. Once Bing starts showing your site, you'll see it in the Search Performance report in Bing Webmaster Tools.
Is the import safe? What's it actually accessing?
Google's permission screen will say Bing can view your Search Console data and see your email address. Bing says it uses that access to copy your list of verified sites and the sitemaps you submitted, and to check back now and then so your verification stays current and new sitemaps come over. Bing says it doesn't import your site's analytics data, and the access is view-only, so it can't change anything in Search Console. You can remove the connection anytime at myaccount.google.com/linkedapps: find Bing Webmaster Tools, click See details, then Remove access. If you do, Bing will ask you to verify your site another way.
I don't see my site after importing.
Refresh Bing Webmaster Tools. Sometimes the import takes a minute to show up. If your site was grayed out in the import list with a note saying "This site can't be added," skip the import and use the manual path above instead. If it still doesn't appear, text me and we'll sort it out.
Bing says my sitemap has errors after importing.
This is rare but happens if the import grabbed an old sitemap address. Go to Sitemaps in the sidebar, remove the broken entry, and submit it again with the full address, like https://yoursite.com/sitemap.xml.
Do I need to resubmit my sitemap when I add new pages?
No. Bing rechecks your sitemap on its own. If I add brand-new pages later, they'll be in your sitemap automatically, and Bing picks them up on a later crawl.
I'm not seeing any Bing traffic in Google Analytics.
Google Analytics counts Bing visits as organic search, listed as "bing / organic." If you're not seeing any, it most likely means you don't have Bing visitors yet. Give it a few weeks. New small business sites often take a while to start getting Bing traffic.
Should I also submit to other search engines like DuckDuckGo or Yandex?
DuckDuckGo gets most of its regular search results from Bing, so submitting to Bing covers DuckDuckGo too. The same goes for Yahoo. Yandex (Russia) and Baidu (China) have their own webmaster tools, but they're only worth setting up if you're targeting those markets. For US-based small businesses, Google plus Bing covers nearly everyone.
What's "IndexNow"? Bing keeps mentioning it.
IndexNow is a faster way to tell Bing (and a few other search engines) about new or updated pages. Instead of waiting for the next crawl, your site can ping them the moment something changes. Worth knowing about, but not necessary for most small business sites. If you want it turned on, text me and I'll set it up.
Once you're done here, the companion piece is the Google Search Console guide: same idea, different search engine. Doing both (Google's full setup plus Bing's fast path) takes about 15 minutes total.
Stuck? Reply to my email or text 650-246-9863. I'd rather help than have you stuck.
matt@ideajarwebdesign.com · ideajarwebdesign.com · Bay Area, CA
