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Bing IndexNow API Key Setup Guide
Setting up your IndexNow API key for Bing is a three-step process: generate the key, create the verification file, and submit your first URL. This guide covers each step with exact commands.
Step 1: Generate a Key
Use our free key generator or generate one programmatically. The key must be 8–128 alphanumeric characters.
# Generate a 32-character key (command line)
openssl rand -hex 16
# Example output:
d47a82bc1e9f4a3b8c2d5e6f7a8b9c0d
Step 2: Create and Host the Key File
Create a text file named {your-key}.txt in the root of your website. The file must contain exactly the key string nothing else.
# Create key file (Linux/Mac)
echo -n "d47a82bc1e9f4a3b8c2d5e6f7a8b9c0d" > d47a82bc1e9f4a3b8c2d5e6f7a8b9c0d.txt
# Verify it is accessible:
curl -I https://yourdomain.com/d47a82bc1e9f4a3b8c2d5e6f7a8b9c0d.txt
# Expected response:
HTTP/2 200
content-type: text/plain
Step 3: Submit Your First URL
# Test GET submission to Bing endpoint
curl "https://www.bing.com/indexnow?url=https%3A%2F%2Fyourdomain.com%2Fpage&key=d47a82bc1e9f4a3b8c2d5e6f7a8b9c0d"
# Expected response: 200 OK (empty body = success)
Bing Webmaster Tools Integration (Optional)
If you also use Bing Webmaster Tools, you can connect your IndexNow key there to get submission reports, crawl stats, and indexing status directly in BWT.
- 1Log in to Bing Webmaster Tools at https://www.bing.com/webmasters
- 2Select your website property (or add it if not already added)
- 3Navigate to Settings → IndexNow
- 4Enter your API key and the key file URL
- 5Click Verify Bing will fetch the key file to confirm ownership