If you love keeping up with your favorite blogs, news sites, or podcasts, you’ve probably wished for an easier way to get updates without endlessly checking websites. That’s where an RSS feed comes in! RSS (Really Simple Syndication) allows you to subscribe to content and have it delivered straight to you—no manual refreshing required. But here’s the catch: finding an RSS feed URL isn’t always obvious. Many websites tuck it away, making it feel like a digital scavenger hunt. The good news? I’m about to show you how to locate the feed URL for any website in just minutes!
What is an RSS Feed?
An RSS feed is like a direct pipeline to a website’s latest content. Instead of visiting the site daily, an RSS aggregator or reader pulls updates automatically, so you never miss a post. It’s a game-changer for anyone who loves consuming content efficiently. Whether you’re following breaking news, niche blogs, or your favorite YouTuber’s latest uploads, an RSS feed URL is the secret ingredient that keeps everything flowing smoothly.
What Does an RSS Feed Look Like?
An RSS feed URL usually looks like a regular web address but with an XML file at the end. For example:
• https://example.com/category/news/feed/
Clicking on these URLs will typically open a page filled with code. It’s not meant for human eyes, but don’t worry—RSS readers make it digestible by converting it into a clean, readable format.
Read More: RSS Feed: What is it & How does it Work?
5 Simple Steps to Find an RSS Feed on Websites in Minutes
Finding an RSS feed URL might seem like a challenge, especially when websites don’t display them prominently. But don’t worry—you don’t need to be a tech wizard to uncover them! Whether you’re looking to follow your favorite blogs, news sites, or podcasts in an RSS reader, there are quick and simple ways to locate their RSS feeds. Some feeds are easy to spot, while others require a little digging. Below, we’ll walk you through five effortless methods to find an RSS feed on any website in just minutes!
Step 1. Check the Website’s Source Code
A website’s source code is the behind-the-scenes blueprint that tells your browser how to display a webpage. It contains all the HTML, CSS, and scripts that make up the site—including hidden RSS feed URLs if they exist.
How to find the RSS feed URL in the source code:
Right-click anywhere on the webpage and select View Page Source (or press Ctrl + U on Windows, Cmd + Option + U on Mac). This will open a page filled with raw code—don’t be intimidated! Simply press Ctrl + F (Windows) or Cmd + F (Mac) to open the search bar and type “RSS” or “feed”. If the website has an RSS feed, you’ll find a URL ending in .xml, /feed/, or /rss/. Copy this feed URL and paste it into your favorite RSS reader to start receiving updates.
Step 2. Look for the RSS Icon
The RSS icon is a small orange square with white radio waves. It used to be a common feature on websites, signaling that an RSS feed was available for subscription. While it’s less common today, some blogs, news sites, and podcast platforms still display it.
How to use the RSS icon to find a feed URL:
Look for the RSS feed icon in the website’s header, footer, or sidebar. Clicking on it will take you to the RSS feed URL, where you can copy the link and add it to your RSS aggregator or reader. If you don’t see the icon, don’t worry—some sites hide their RSS feeds, but they can still be found using other methods.
Step 3. Add /feed/ or /rss/ to the URL
Many websites, especially those built on WordPress, automatically generate RSS feeds at predictable locations. This means you can often find an RSS feed URL simply by adding common feed structures to the end of a website’s domain.
How to manually find an RSS feed URL:
Instead of searching through the website’s source code, try adding these to the end of the homepage URL:
• https://example.com/category/news/feed/
This trick works on a lot of blogs, news websites, and even some forums. If one variation doesn’t work, try another!
Step 4. Use a Browser Extension
An RSS browser extension is a small add-on for your web browser that automatically detects and displays available RSS feeds on any website you visit. This is a great tool if you frequently subscribe to RSS feeds and don’t want to manually search for feed URLs.
How to use an extension to find an RSS feed URL:
Install an extension like RSS Feed Reader or Find RSS Feeds from your browser’s extension store. Once installed, visit any website and click the extension’s icon—if an RSS feed is available, it will show you the feed URL instantly. Some extensions even allow you to subscribe to RSS feeds with a single click!
Step 5. Try an RSS Discovery Tool
An RSS discovery tool is an online service that scans a website’s content and extracts its RSS feed URL automatically. These tools are especially useful for websites that don’t display their RSS feeds publicly.
How to find an RSS feed with a discovery tool:
Visit a tool like FetchRSS, FiveFilters, or RSS.app, enter the website’s main URL, and let the tool scan the page. If an RSS feed exists, it will generate the feed URL for you. Some of these tools even allow you to embed RSS feeds on your website or create custom feeds for specific content types, making them a great option for bloggers and marketers.
With these five simple tricks, you’ll never struggle to find an RSS feed URL again!
Read More: RSS News Feed: What is it and How to Create One For Your Website!
About elink’s RSS Feed Reader!
If you’re looking for a seamless way to manage your RSS feeds, elink.io, the smartest content curation platform has you covered. You can embed RSS feeds on your website, turn them into stunning newsletters, or curate content for your social media. Whether you’re a blogger, marketer, or news junkie, elink makes handling RSS feeds ridiculously simple.
elink is the perfect end-to-end solution to follow and read articles and when you’re ready to bundle and share content with your world!
Follow Any Publication
Keeping up with your favorite blogs, news websites, and industry updates can be overwhelming when you have to visit multiple sites daily. With an RSS feed reader, you can follow any publication that offers an RSS feed URL and get all their latest updates in one place. Whether it’s tech news, fashion blogs, or niche business insights, subscribing to an RSS feed ensures you never miss a post. Just add the feed URL to your reader, and you’ll receive fresh content as soon as it’s published—no manual searching required!
Search & Filter
When you’re subscribed to multiple RSS feeds, the volume of content can quickly become overwhelming. That’s where search and filter tools come in! With advanced filtering options, you can search articles by keywords, source names, or categories to quickly find the content that matters most to you. Need only AI-related articles from a tech blog? Want to filter out repetitive news? Smart filtering helps you curate and refine your feed, ensuring you’re always reading relevant, high-quality content.
Bundle & Create Content
Why just consume content when you can curate and share it? With tools that allow you to bundle content from RSS feeds, you can organize multiple sources into a single collection. Whether you’re creating a newsletter, blog roundup, or content hub, you can easily embed RSS feeds and showcase the latest updates from various sources. This is especially useful for marketers, bloggers, and businesses looking to keep their audience engaged with fresh, relevant content.
Automate Content
Manually posting updates can be time-consuming, but with content automation, you can let technology do the work! By scheduling and connecting content sources, you can automatically publish articles, social media posts, or website updates from your favorite RSS feeds. Whether you’re running a news website, a company blog, or a curated content page, automation ensures your audience always has fresh material without requiring constant effort from you. Simply set up your feeds, choose your posting schedule, and let the automation handle the rest!
Read More: 7 Best RSS Feed Generator and Creator Tools You Must Try!
Wrapping Up
Finding an RSS feed URL doesn’t have to be a headache. With these quick tricks, you can locate a feed URL for almost any website in minutes. Once you have it, plug it into your favorite RSS aggregator, and let the content come to you! No more bookmarking, no more endless scrolling—just a steady stream of updates tailored to your interests.
FAQs
1. Why can’t I find an RSS feed on some websites?
Some websites don’t offer an RSS feed because they prefer visitors to engage directly. However, you can often generate one using third-party tools.
2. How do I use an RSS feed once I have the URL?
Paste the RSS feed URL into an RSS reader or an RSS aggregator to start receiving updates automatically.
3. Can I embed an RSS feed on my website?
Yes! A tool like elink let you embed RSS feeds into your blog or website to display live updates from other sources.
4. Do social media sites have RSS feeds?
Most platforms like Twitter and Instagram have phased out native RSS feeds, but third-party services can generate them for you.
5. What’s the best RSS reader for beginners?
elink.io, Feedly, and Inoreader are great choices for managing your RSS feeds in a user-friendly way.
Now go forth and take control of your content consumption—happy RSS hunting!
Further Reads:
Top 8 RSS Reader Apps for News Enthusiasts!
How to add RSS News Feed to Blogger Site?
RSS to Email: Create Automated Email Newsletters Using RSS!
Read RSS Feeds in 9 Different Ways!
Squarespace RSS Feed: How to Create it?
