XML Sitemap + IndexNow – 403 Error on TXT File (Fix Guide)

Some OpenCart users may face a 403 Forbidden error when accessing the verification .txt file used by IndexNow or search engine validation.

This usually happens due to restrictive rules inside the .htaccess file that block direct access to .txt files.

This guide explains the issue and the exact fix.

Why This Happens

Many OpenCart installations use security rules in .htaccess to block access to sensitive files like:

• .tpl
• .ini
• .log
• .txt

While this improves security, it may also block the IndexNow key verification file, which must be publicly accessible.

When search engines try to verify the key file, they receive:

403 Forbidden

As a result, IndexNow submission may fail.

How to Fix the 403 Error

Step 1: Open Your .htaccess File

Locate the .htaccess file in your OpenCart root directory.

Usually found in:

/public_html/.htaccess

Step 2: Find the FilesMatch Rule

Look for a block similar to this:

<FilesMatch "(?i)((\.tpl|\.ini|\.log|\.txt))">
 Order deny,allow
 Deny from all
</FilesMatch>

This rule blocks all .txt files.

Step 3: Replace It With the Updated Rule

Update the rule to allow the IndexNow verification file:

<FilesMatch "(?i)((\.tpl|\.ini|\.log|(?<!robots)(?<!ca74f80fa534bbeefa9b7a97990998d4)\.txt))">
 Order deny,allow
 Deny from all
</FilesMatch>

Important Notes

• Replace ca74f80fa534bbeefa9b7a97990998d4 with your actual IndexNow key filename (without .txt).
• Do not remove protection for other .txt files.
• Keep robots.txt publicly accessible.

Example

If your IndexNow file is:

abc123xyz.txt

Then your rule should be:

<FilesMatch "(?i)((\.tpl|\.ini|\.log|(?<!robots)(?<!abc123xyz)\.txt))">
 Order deny,allow
 Deny from all
</FilesMatch>

After Updating

1. Save the .htaccess file.
2. Clear your OpenCart cache.
3. Try accessing the TXT file in your browser:

https://yourdomain.com/yourkey.txt

If it loads without 403, the issue is resolved.

When This Fix Is Required

Apply this fix only if:

• Your IndexNow submission fails
• The TXT file returns 403 error
• Your server uses strict .htaccess security rules