Robots.txt Generator

Build a robots.txt file to control how search engines and AI bots crawl your website.

Last reviewed: April 2026
Reviewed by , software engineer · last updated April 2026

New to this tool? Click here for instructions

Configuration
Generated robots.txt
Add user-agent blocks and rules, or select a preset above.

How to Use the Robots.txt Generator

To use the Robots.txt Generator, follow these steps:

1. Select a preset configuration or customize your own rules.

2. Add user-agent blocks and rules for specific crawlers.

3. Add Allow or Disallow rules for specific paths.

4. Add your sitemap URL for efficient discovery.

5. Copy or download the generated robots.txt file and upload it to your website's root directory.

  • Select a preset for quick setup
  • Customize user-agent blocks
  • Add Allow or Disallow rules
  • Add sitemap URL
  • Upload the generated robots.txt file

When to Use the Tool in Real Workflows

Use the Robots.txt Generator when you need to control how search engines and AI bots crawl your website. This includes:

1. Blocking specific pages or directories from being crawled.

2. Allowing certain pages to be crawled while blocking others.

3. Blocking AI training bots to protect your content.

4. Setting a crawl delay to reduce server load.

How It Works

The Robots.txt Generator works by allowing you to create a robots.txt file tailored to your needs. You can select a preset configuration or customize your own rules. The generator provides a user-friendly interface to add user-agent blocks, Allow and Disallow rules, and sitemap URLs. Once you've configured your rules, the generator will generate a robots.txt file that you can download and upload to your website's root directory.

Tips, Edge Cases, or Limitations

Here are some tips and considerations when using the Robots.txt Generator:

1. Always test your robots.txt file before deploying it to ensure it works as expected.

2. Be aware that robots.txt operates on an honor system and cannot physically block access.

3. Avoid blocking CSS and JavaScript files, as this can prevent search engines from rendering your pages properly.

4. For security purposes, use other methods like password protection or IP blocking.

5. Regularly review and update your robots.txt file as your website's needs change.

Frequently Asked Questions

A robots.txt file is a text file placed in the root directory of a website that provides instructions to web crawlers about which areas of the site they may or may not access.
Yes, you can block AI training bots like GPTBot and ChatGPT by adding specific rules in your robots.txt file.
No, robots.txt does not prevent pages from appearing in Google. It only controls how search engines crawl and index your website.
Place the robots.txt file in the root directory of your website, accessible at yourdomain.com/robots.txt.
The Sitemap directive in robots.txt helps search engines discover your content efficiently by providing a URL to your site's sitemap.

Quick reference

Robots.txt Generator Quick Reference
Directive Value Description Example
User-Agent * Applies to all web crawlers User-Agent: *
Disallow /private/ Blocks access to specified directory Disallow: /private/
Allow /public/ Permits access to specific path Allow: /public/
Sitemap https://example.com/sitemap.xml Specifies location of sitemap Sitemap: https://example.com/sitemap.xml
Crawl-Delay 10 Controls crawl frequency in seconds Crawl-Delay: 10
Robots.txt /robots.txt Standard file path for directives Robots.txt: /robots.txt