llms.txt: what it is, how to write one and whether it works
llms.txt is a proposed Markdown file at the root of your site that gives AI tools a short map of your most useful pages. It's cheap to add and harmless, but it's not a ranking factor: Google says you don't need special AI files to appear in its AI features. Here's the format, the evidence and when it's worth doing anyway.
By Nouman Sabir, AI search & SEO specialist
Updated · 4 min read
The short answer
- llms.txt was proposed by Jeremy Howard in September 2024 as a Markdown file at /llms.txt that summarizes a site and links to its key pages for AI tools.
- Google says there are no additional requirements or special optimizations needed to appear in AI Overviews or AI Mode, and that you don't need new machine-readable or AI text files.
- Google staff have said publicly that Google Search doesn't use llms.txt. No major AI company has confirmed using it for ranking or citations.
- Add one if it takes you ten minutes; don't expect it to change visibility. Clear pages, consistent business details and mentions on trusted sites do that.
What llms.txt is
The idea is simple: web pages are full of navigation, scripts and ads, and AI tools have limited room to read. A short Markdown file can point them straight to the pages that matter, with a one-line note on each. The proposal defines the format:
- 1An H1 with the site or project name (the only required part)
- 2A short summary in a blockquote
- 3Optional paragraphs with more detail
- 4H2 sections, each a list of links in the form name: notes
- 5An optional section named "Optional" for links that can be skipped
Search interest is high for a technical topic: about 5,400 monthly searches for "llms txt" (DataForSEO, October 2026).
What Google and AI companies have said
The same page goes further: you don't need to create new machine-readable files, AI text files or markup to appear in these features. Google staff have also said in public talks and posts that Google Search doesn't use llms.txt; Search Engine Land reported Gary Illyes saying at a 2025 Search Central Deep Dive event in Asia Pacific that Google won't crawl or use llms.txt files.
Outside Google, adoption is mostly by developer tools and documentation sites that let coding assistants read their docs. I haven't seen a major AI search product confirm that it uses llms.txt to decide what to cite. Treat claims that it boosts AI visibility as unproven.
An example for a local business
llms.txt example
# Acme Plumbing > Licensed residential and commercial plumbers serving Austin and Travis County since 2009. ## Services - [Emergency plumbing](https://acmeplumbing.com/emergency-plumbing/): 24/7 repairs for burst pipes, leaks and no hot water - [Water heater installation](https://acmeplumbing.com/water-heaters/): tank and tankless installs with upfront pricing ## Service areas - [Austin](https://acmeplumbing.com/austin/) - [Round Rock](https://acmeplumbing.com/round-rock/) ## About - [Reviews and case studies](https://acmeplumbing.com/reviews/) - [Contact](https://acmeplumbing.com/contact/)
The llms.txt generator runs in your browser. Keep the file short and link only to pages you'd want an assistant to quote.
What actually gets you cited by AI
- Pages that answer the question directly in the first lines, with specifics like prices, timelines and service areas
- Consistent business facts across your site, Business Profile, schema and directories
- Mentions on trusted sites in your industry and area
- Crawl access for the AI search bots you want; the robots.txt generator has an AI search preset
- Being indexed by Google and Bing, since AI answers often draw on search results
My guides on getting recommended by ChatGPT and GEO vs SEO cover these in detail.
Frequently asked questions
What is llms.txt?
A proposed Markdown file at the root of a website that summarizes the site and links to its most useful pages, so AI tools can find them easily.
Does Google use llms.txt?
Google's documentation says no special AI files are needed to appear in AI Overviews or AI Mode, and Google staff have said Search doesn't use llms.txt.
Does llms.txt help with ChatGPT?
There's no public confirmation that ChatGPT uses it to choose what to cite. Clear pages and mentions on trusted sites have a clearer effect.
Can llms.txt hurt my site?
No evidence suggests it does. It's a plain text file that search engines can ignore.
Where does llms.txt go?
At the root of your domain, so it opens at yoursite.com/llms.txt, in the same place as robots.txt.
Sources
- The /llms.txt file, llmstxt.org
- AI features and your website, Google Search Central
- Google says normal SEO works for ranking in AI Overviews and llms.txt won't be used, Search Engine Land
Written by Nouman Sabir
Nouman Sabir is an AI search and local SEO specialist with 5+ years of hands-on work across 100+ websites, from contractors and law firms to SaaS and Shopify stores. He is Top Rated on Upwork with a 100% Job Success Score and 44 client reviews. Everything here comes from client work he has done or data he pulled himself.
