---
title: "llms.txt: what it is and whether you need it"
slug: llms-txt-explained
cluster: ai-search
type: spoke
description: "An honest look at llms.txt: what the proposed file does, who supports it, what Google has said, and whether it's worth adding to a business website."
answer: "llms.txt is a proposed plain-text Markdown file at the root of a website that lists its most important pages for AI tools. It was proposed in 2024 and isn't an official standard. Google has said it doesn't use llms.txt for AI Overviews, and there's no clear evidence major assistants use it to choose sources. It's cheap and harmless to add, but it's no substitute for crawlable, clear pages."
published: 2026-11-05
updated: 2026-11-05
author: "About This Business editorial team"
takeaways:
  - "llms.txt is a proposed convention, not an official standard."
  - "Google says normal SEO is what matters for AI Overviews and that it doesn't use llms.txt."
  - "There's no clear evidence it increases citations in major assistants today."
  - "It's low effort and harmless, so add it if you like, but fix crawl access and content first."
imagePrompt: "A single neatly folded paper map tucked into the brass letterbox of a dark green wooden front door, warm evening light, a sense of a simple guide left for visitors, no legible text"
imageAlt: "A folded paper map tucked into the brass letterbox of a green front door"
faq:
  - q: "Is llms.txt like robots.txt?"
    a: "No. Robots.txt tells crawlers what they may access. llms.txt is a suggested reading guide listing a site's key pages. It doesn't grant or block access."
  - q: "Does About This Business publish an llms.txt?"
    a: "Yes. We publish one that lists our Knowledge Base and key pages, because it costs little. We don't claim it improves visibility."
  - q: "Should I add llms.txt before fixing robots.txt?"
    a: "No. Make sure AI search crawlers can reach your site first. Blocking them has a documented effect. llms.txt doesn't."
sources:
  - title: "llms.txt proposal"
    url: "https://llmstxt.org/"
  - title: "Google Search Central — AI features and your website"
    url: "https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/ai-features"
---

## What is llms.txt?

**llms.txt is a proposed file, written in Markdown and placed at `yourdomain/llms.txt`, that gives AI tools a short guide to a site's most important pages.** It was proposed in September 2024 by Jeremy Howard of Answer.AI. A typical file has the site's name, a one-line summary and lists of links with short descriptions. It's one idea within [How AI assistants decide what to say about your business](/knowledge/ai-search).

## Is llms.txt an official standard?

**No. It's a community proposal, and no major AI provider has committed to reading it when choosing sources.** Some AI companies publish their own llms.txt files for their documentation, but that's not the same as using other sites' files to rank or cite them.

## What has Google said about llms.txt?

**Google says normal SEO is what matters for AI Overviews and AI Mode, and that it doesn't use llms.txt.** Google's guidance for AI features says you don't need new machine-readable files, AI-specific text files or special markup to appear.

## Does llms.txt improve AI citations?

**There's no clear evidence that it does today.** Independent studies in 2025 and 2026 found modest adoption, roughly one site in ten in broad crawls, and no measurable lift in citations from the major assistants. Treat claims of big gains with caution.

## Should a business add one?

**It's optional. If you add one, do it after the things that matter.**

| Priority | Action | Documented effect |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Allow AI search crawlers. See [AI crawlers and robots.txt](/knowledge/ai-search/ai-crawlers-and-robots-txt) | Yes: blocking them removes or reduces visibility |
| 2 | Clear, crawlable, answer-first pages | Yes: Google's basic guidance |
| 3 | Accurate structured data. See [Structured data for AI search](/knowledge/ai-search/structured-data-for-ai-search) | Helps interpretation, must match the page |
| 4 | Consistent facts across the web. See [When AI gets your business wrong](/knowledge/ai-search/when-ai-gets-your-business-wrong) | Fewer conflicting answers |
| 5 | llms.txt | Not demonstrated |

## What should an llms.txt contain?

**A title, a one-line summary and links to your key pages, each with a short description.** For example:

```
# Your Business Name

> One-line description of what you do and where.

## Key pages
- [About us](https://yourdomain/about): who we are and how we started
- [Services](https://yourdomain/services): what we offer
- [Contact](https://yourdomain/contact): how to reach us
```

Keep it short, accurate and in step with your site. Like everything else, it should say the same as your other sources.

---

Part of **[How AI assistants decide what to say about your business](/knowledge/ai-search)**.