By Hridoy Ahmed | Last updated: October 2026 | 7 min read
Short answer: To set up Bing Webmaster Tools, sign in, add your site by importing it from Google Search Console or by verifying it yourself, then submit your XML sitemap. To add IndexNow, create a key, host the key file on your site and send Bing your new and updated URLs, or let a plugin such as Rank Math do it for you. IndexNow tells participating search engines about changes. It does not guarantee indexing or rankings.
In this guide
- Why set up Bing Webmaster Tools
- Set up Bing Webmaster Tools
- Submit your sitemap
- What IndexNow is and how to add it
- What to check each month
- FAQ
Why set up Bing Webmaster Tools
Google gets most of the attention, but Bing is still a search engine with its own index. Some other search tools also use Bing data. Bing Webmaster Tools is free. It shows how Bing crawls and indexes your site, which queries bring impressions and which pages have problems. You also get a second view of your site health besides Google Search Console.
Set up Bing Webmaster Tools
- Sign in. Open Bing Webmaster Tools and sign in with a Microsoft or Google account.
- Add your site. Choose to import your site from Google Search Console, which saves time, or add the site URL manually.
- Verify ownership. If you add the site manually, Bing offers three methods: an XML file you upload to your site, a meta tag in your site’s head or a CNAME record in your DNS. The meta tag is the easiest on WordPress.
- Add the meta tag in WordPress. In Rank Math, open General Settings, then Webmaster Tools, and paste the Bing verification code. Save and return to Bing to click Verify.
Verification can take a moment. If it fails, clear your site cache and try again.
Submit your sitemap
- In Bing Webmaster Tools, open Sitemaps.
- Click Submit sitemap.
- Enter your sitemap URL. With Rank Math, it is usually
https://yourdomain.com/sitemap_index.xml. - Check the status later. Bing lists the number of URLs it found.
New to sitemaps? Read my guide on how to create an XML sitemap.
What IndexNow is and how to add it
IndexNow is an open protocol. You send a short message to a participating search engine when a URL is added, updated or deleted. The engine can then decide to crawl it sooner. Bing and a few other engines support it. As far as I know, Google does not use IndexNow, so keep using sitemaps and Search Console for Google.
Option 1: Use a plugin
Rank Math includes an Instant Indexing module that supports IndexNow. Turn it on under Rank Math’s modules, and it creates the key file and sends URLs when you publish or update a page. Microsoft also offers an IndexNow plugin for WordPress. Choose one tool, not both, to avoid duplicate pings.
Option 2: Do it by hand
- Create a key. It is a string of letters, numbers or dashes, between 8 and 128 characters long.
- Save the key in a text file named after the key, for example
yourkey.txt, and upload it to your site’s root folder. The file contains only the key. - Send a request to the IndexNow endpoint with your URL and key, or use the bulk submit option for many URLs.
Submit real changes only. Do not ping the same URLs again and again, and do not submit pages that return errors or that you block from indexing.
What to check each month
- The Sitemaps report for errors.
- The Search Performance report for queries and pages.
- Crawl and indexing issues in URL Inspection.
- Security or manual action notices.
Do not expect Bing to send as much traffic as Google. The point is clean data and clean indexing on a second search engine. For a full check of your site, see my technical SEO checklist for WordPress, or have me review it through my technical SEO service.
FAQ
Is Bing Webmaster Tools free?
Yes. It costs nothing to use.
Do I need Bing Webmaster Tools if I already use Google Search Console?
You do not need it, but it helps. It shows how Bing sees your site, and setup takes only a few minutes.
Does IndexNow make Bing index my pages faster?
It tells Bing about changes quickly, so Bing can crawl sooner. Indexing still depends on page quality and Bing’s decisions.
Does Google support IndexNow?
As far as I know, no. Use your sitemap and Google Search Console for Google.
Does IndexNow improve rankings?
No. It speeds up discovery, not ranking.
Want your indexing set up right? I check sitemaps, robots rules and indexing on both search engines. See my technical SEO service.
About the author: Hridoy Ahmed is an SEO specialist and WordPress security expert based in Dhaka, Bangladesh. He has 8+ years of experience and works with clients worldwide.