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llms.txt Explained: What It Is and Should You Add One?

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llms.txt Explained: What It Is and Should You Add One?
Quick answerllms.txt is a proposed plain-text (Markdown) file, placed at yoursite.com/llms.txt, that lists your most important pages for AI tools. It was proposed in September 2024. Google says Search does not use it and that you need no special AI files to appear in its AI features, and no major AI provider has confirmed using it. It is cheap and harmless, but do not expect it to boost rankings or AI citations.

Many SEO plugins and agencies now flag a “missing llms.txt” as a site problem. Before you spend time on it, here is what the file is, what Google and others have actually said, and the few cases where it is worth having. Last checked: October 2026.

What Is llms.txt?

llms.txt is a proposal by Jeremy Howard of Answer.AI, published on 3 September 2024 and described at llmstxt.org. The idea: a language model can only read so much at once, and a normal web page is full of menus, scripts and ads. A short Markdown file that points to clean versions of your key pages could help an AI tool find the useful parts quickly. It is meant for tools that fetch a site while answering a question, such as coding assistants reading documentation.

The file is not a standard, and it is not a ranking signal. It sits alongside two older files that do have real support:

Comparison table of robots.txt, sitemap.xml and llms.txt showing the purpose and level of support of each
Only llms.txt is a proposal without confirmed support from the big platforms.

What Do Google and the AI Companies Say?

  • Google’s documentation for AI Overviews and AI Mode says you do not need to create new machine-readable files, AI text files or markup to appear in those features. It points to normal SEO fundamentals instead. See how to appear in Google AI Overviews.
  • Google’s John Mueller has said publicly that none of the AI services have said they use llms.txt, and compared it to the old keywords meta tag. When asked whether a copy of the file on a Google developer site was an endorsement, he said no. Search Engine Roundtable reported the exchange.
  • Server-log checks published by site owners and analysts have generally found very few requests for the file from AI crawlers. These are third-party analyses rather than company statements, so treat the exact numbers with caution.
  • Some vendors claim certain AI tools read the file. We could not find an official statement from a major provider confirming this, so we do not rely on it.

Is llms.txt Worth Adding to Your Site?

It depends on what your site is.

  • Documentation, APIs and developer products: yes, it is reasonable. This is the case the proposal was written for, because coding assistants and agents fetch these pages while working.
  • Blogs, local businesses and shops: optional. It takes under an hour and does no harm, but it will not replace the things that matter: indexable pages, helpful content, clear authorship and good internal links.
  • Anyone selling it as a ranking fix: be sceptical. Our own site publishes one because it costs almost nothing, but we do not expect it to change our rankings or AI citations.

How to Create an llms.txt File

Five steps to create an llms.txt file: pick key pages, write a summary, group the links, save the file, test and update
Keep the file short and accurate. A long list of every page defeats the purpose.

The format in the proposal is simple Markdown: a title, a short summary in a quote block, then headings with a list of links, each with a one-line note. A small example:

# Example Company

> Example Company sells handmade candles and explains how to choose and care for them.

## Guides
- [How to choose a candle](https://example.com/choose-a-candle/): Types of wax and scent strength explained
- [Candle care](https://example.com/candle-care/): Trimming wicks and burning safely

## Products
- [All candles](https://example.com/shop/): Current range and prices

Upload it so that it loads at https://yoursite.com/llms.txt as plain text. On WordPress, some SEO plugins can generate it, or you can add it as a static file. Do not use it to hide or block anything: access control still belongs in robots.txt.

What to Spend Your Time on Instead

If your goal is to be found in Google and cited in AI answers, the evidence points to the unglamorous basics: pages that are crawlable and indexed, a direct answer near the top, clear authorship and sources, original images, and accurate structured data. Our guide to Google SEO, GEO and AEO explains how these fit together, and our guide to AI-generated content covers what to avoid.

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. What is llms.txt?

    llms.txt is a proposed Markdown file at the root of a website that lists key pages with short notes, intended to help AI tools understand the site. It was proposed by Jeremy Howard of Answer.AI in September 2024.

Does Google use llms.txt?

Google has said that Search does not use it and that you do not need new AI text files to appear in its AI features. Google’s John Mueller has said no AI service has stated it uses the file.

  • Will llms.txt improve my rankings or AI citations?

    There is no confirmed evidence that it does. Focus on indexable, helpful pages with clear authorship and sources.

  • Is llms.txt the same as robots.txt?

    No. robots.txt controls which parts of a site crawlers may access and is widely supported. llms.txt is a proposed guide to your key content and does not control access.

  • Can llms.txt hurt my site?

    It is unlikely to cause harm if it is accurate. Keep it short, make sure the links work and do not put anything private in it, because the file is public.

  • Who should add an llms.txt file?

    It makes most sense for documentation, API and developer sites, where AI coding tools fetch pages. For blogs and local businesses it is optional.

    Sources

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