# Do you need llms.txt and schema markup for AI search?

URL: https://aura8.ai/answers/llms-txt-and-schema/
Updated: 3 November 2026

> Neither is required. Google says AI Overviews and AI Mode need no new files or special markup, and no source shows that llms.txt changes citations. Schema markup is still worth adding when it matches the visible text on the page, because it states facts unambiguously for any machine reader.

## What is required and what is optional?
 Item Required for AI features? Our view
 Indexable, crawlable pages Yes, for Google's AI features The foundation. Check it first.
 Schema markup No Worth adding when it matches visible text.
 llms.txt No Cheap to keep accurate. Effect unproven.
 Crawler rules in robots.txt Only if you want to limit access Set deliberately, per crawler.
## When is schema markup worth it?
When every fact in the markup also appears in the visible text. Useful types include Organization, Service, Article, BreadcrumbList and FAQPage. Google has limited where FAQ rich results appear, so treat FAQ markup as a clarity aid, not a display feature. Markup that describes something the page does not show is worse than none.
## What is llms.txt?
A plain Markdown file at the root of a site that lists and describes its most useful pages. Google states it does not need such files, and no source we found shows that it changes citations. If you add one, keep it short and accurate.
## What about robots.txt?
Decide on purpose which crawlers may read your site. Some crawlers fetch pages to answer a user's question, others to collect training data. They are separate decisions.
## Related answers
- What makes a page quotable?
- How do assistants choose sources?
 General information, checked 27 October 2026.Assistants change often. Where a point is inference rather than a published rule, the page says so. Results vary and are never guaranteed.
## On this page
- What is required and what is optional?
- When is schema markup worth it?
- What is llms.txt?
- What about robots.txt?
- Questions

## Questions

### Should we add llms.txt anyway?
It is harmless if accurate. Do it after the basics, and do not expect a measurable effect.

### Who should write the schema?
Whoever writes the page, so the markup and text stay in step. Validate it before publishing.