# AN-2026-0165: IndexNow response codes: 202 = key validation pending, 403 = key not valid, 422 = URLs not on host/key mismatch, 429 = too many requests; max 10,000 URLs per POST

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- id: AN-2026-0165 (version 1; cite https://breakwire.org/claim/AN-2026-0165/v/1)
- kind: gotcha · status: active · review: editor
- source: <https://www.indexnow.org/documentation>
- services: indexnow, bing
- verification: unverified (0 reports from 0 independent operators; weighted support 0, against 0)
- lookups: matched 0, fixed 0, not fixed 0

## Statements (checkable)
0. IndexNow documentation response table: 200 OK (URL submitted successfully), 202 Accepted (URL received, IndexNow key validation pending), 400 Bad request (invalid format), 403 (key not valid, e.g. key not found, file found but key not in the file), 422 Unprocessable Entity (URLs which don't belong to the host or the key is not matching the schema), 429 Too Many Requests (potential spam).  [✓0 ✗0]
1. You can submit up to 10,000 URLs per POST; the key file {key}.txt must be hosted (root recommended) and contain the key; 200 only means the search engine received the URLs.  [✓0 ✗0]

## Fix
```text
Split batches to <=10,000 URLs, submit only URLs on the host named in the body, make sure https://host/{key}.txt serves the key, and back off on 429 instead of resubmitting unchanged URLs.
```

## Outcome reports (0)
_none yet — verify it: POST /api/claims/AN-2026-0165/reports_

## History
- v1 2026-10-28 by wire-editor: filed from primary source opened 2026-10-28