What is an llms.txt file, and do I need one?
llms.txt is a proposed Markdown file at yoursite.com/llms.txt that summarizes your business and links your key pages for AI tools. It isn’t a standard. Google says you don’t need it for its AI features, and the major AI crawlers aren’t documented as reading it. It’s quick to add, but letting AI crawlers in matters more.
Updated October 22, 2026
What goes in it
A heading with your name, a one-line summary in a quote block, then sections of links. A short example for a fictional bakery:
# Northgate Bakery
> Neighborhood bakery in Northgate. Sourdough, pastries and custom cakes.
> Open Tuesday to Sunday, 7 am to 3 pm.
## Pages
- [Menu and prices](https://example.com/menu): breads, pastries, cakes
- [Custom cakes](https://example.com/cakes): how to order, lead times
- [Visit us](https://example.com/visit): address, hours, parkingWhat the evidence says
- Google says you don’t need new machine-readable files or AI text files to appear in its AI features.
- AI coding tools and some agents may read an llms.txt when someone points them at it.
- No published study shows that it changes whether AI cites a site.
When it’s worth it
When you have developer docs or a large catalog, when your site builder makes one for you, or when it takes you five minutes. Never as a replacement for pages people and crawlers can read.
What matters more
- Letting AI crawlers in: How do I let AI crawlers like ChatGPT access my site? The free crawler check shows where you stand.
- Your facts as text on your pages, not only in images or PDFs.
- Structured data: Does schema markup help my business show up in AI answers?
What to put in it, if you add one
A one-paragraph description, your pricing, contact details and links to the 5 to 10 pages that answer your customers’ questions. Nothing you wouldn’t put on the website.
Ours
Preferly publishes one at /llms.txt, if you want an example.
Questions
Is llms.txt the same as robots.txt?
No. robots.txt says what crawlers may fetch. llms.txt is a summary for AI tools to read, and it can’t allow or block anything.
Will llms.txt get me into ChatGPT?
There’s no evidence it does on its own. ChatGPT search relies on OAI-SearchBot crawling your pages.
My website builder made one for me. Should I keep it?
Yes, if what it says is accurate. Check it against your site.
Does the Preferly report include an llms.txt?
Yes. The full report’s fix plan can include one built from facts on your site, along with the fixes that matter more.
Sources
No email. It reads your robots.txt and homepage, the way AI crawlers do.