Feed Help & Guides
Browse explanatory guides for RSS, Atom, podcast feeds, and OPML, then open the validator when you are ready to check a live feed or file.
Choose a feed validation guide
Learn about the format or symptom, then continue to the validator Fix a broken RSS feed Route URL, redirect, XML, and stale-feed symptoms
RSS feed validator Validate broken feeds and diagnose the first problem
Atom feed validator Validate Atom feeds and diagnose stale update problems
Podcast feed validator Validate podcast feeds and diagnose ingestion problems
OPML validator and import checker Check OPML before importing into a reader
RSS feeds and XML/URL failures
Validate RSS and route missing URLs, redirects, and parsing errors RSS Feed Validator Validate broken feeds and diagnose the first problem
How to Fix a Broken RSS Feed Broad endpoint, XML, redirect, and update troubleshooting
RSS Feed 404 Not Found Restore or redirect a missing feed URL
RSS Feed Redirect Loop Trace and remove conflicting redirects
RSS Feed Invalid XML Error Fix parsing failures and malformed markup
Atom feeds
Validate Atom structure and troubleshoot feeds that stop updatingPodcast feeds
Check enclosures, metadata, GUIDs, XML, and platform ingestionOPML and reader migrations
Export, validate, import, and troubleshoot feed subscription lists OPML Validator and Import Checker Validate OPML structure and common import blockers
Export OPML from Feedly Back up or migrate Feedly subscriptions
Export OPML from Inoreader Create an Inoreader OPML backup
Import OPML into Inoreader Reader-specific OPML import help
Import OPML Move feed subscriptions between readers
OPML Import Errors Fix broken OPML files and missing feeds
OPML Workflow Guide Export, check, import, then validate feeds
OPML vs RSS Understand subscription lists vs content feeds
What Is an OPML File? Plain-English OPML format explanation
Publishing and feed reliability
Keep feeds available, valid, discoverable, and consistently updated Best Practices for Reliable Feed Publishing Prevent endpoint, redirect, XML, caching, and update failures
RSS SEO: Faster Indexing and Better Discoverability A concise feed discovery and crawl checklist
RSS for Content Sites: Crawl and Indexing Guide Long-form publishing, discovery, and crawl guidance
Getting started
Tip
You can run ordinary validation without an account. Start with the validator or the broad task page that best matches the feed or OPML file.
The basics
- What is CorrectFeed? It validates and fixes RSS and Atom feeds so readers, aggregators, and crawlers can parse them reliably.
- What formats matter most? RSS 2.0 and Atom 1.0 are the main targets, with podcast and OPML workflows covered where they intersect with feed reliability.
- Do I need an account? Not for ordinary validation. Accounts support purchases, downloads, saved features, billing, and API access.
Popular how-tos
- Check the feed URL directly: Open it in a browser and confirm it returns XML instead of HTML, a login page, or an error.
- Watch redirects carefully: Multiple redirects, redirect loops, or redirecting to the homepage commonly break feed readers.
- Validate after changes: Small template or CMS edits can introduce malformed XML, bad dates, or duplicate IDs.
- Use OPML for migrations: Export OPML from one reader, import into another, and verify folders/outlines survived the move.
- Podcast feeds need extra care: Enclosures, MIME types, and episode metadata need to be consistent for Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Troubleshooting
Common failure modes explained404s and missing feeds
If the old feed URL moved or vanished, many readers will keep polling the stale URL until you update it or provide a clean redirect.
Invalid XML
Unescaped characters, malformed tags, broken CDATA, or template fragments leaking into the feed can make readers reject it entirely.
Readers not seeing new posts
Incorrect pubDate/updated handling, caching, or duplicate GUID/ID values can make a feed look unchanged even when content was added.
Podcast-specific issues
Broken enclosure URLs, wrong MIME types, missing episode metadata, or platform-specific namespace issues commonly trigger Apple or Spotify validation errors.
Privacy and feed handling
Handle feed URLs carefully
Private feed URLs can act like credentials. Avoid sharing them publicly, strip tokens before posting examples, and use the privacy policy for authoritative processing and retention information.
Private feeds
If a feed URL contains a token, treat it like a password. Rotate it if it leaks.
Privacy policy
Review current processing, logging, retention, analytics, and data-request information on the privacy page.
Website support
For account, billing, privacy, or product-use questions, go to CorrectFeed Support.
CorrectFeed website and account support
Product availability, billing, access, status, and direct support- Current state
- CorrectFeed currently provides guest validation, paid one-time repairs, subscriptions, accounts, and API access.
- Account and billing
- Use CorrectFeed Support for sign-in, plans, credits, invoices, receipts, and billing-portal routing.
- Service and contact
- Check service status or use the direct contact form.