Humans.txt File: What It Is and How to Add One (2026)

Does your domain host a humans.txt file? While robots.txt talks to search engine crawlers, humans.txt is a small plain-text file that credits the people behind a website. It was a popular trend in 2011, when Google added its own, and it is still a nice touch in 2026. Here is what humans.txt is, how to create one and where it fits alongside newer files like security.txt and llms.txt.

Quick answer: humans.txt is an optional plain-text file placed at the root of your site (yourdomain.com/humans.txt) that lists the team, thanks and technology behind the website. Create a .txt file using the suggested TEAM, THANKS and SITE sections, upload it to your root folder, and optionally link it in your page head with a rel=”author” link. It has no effect on SEO; it’s simply a way to credit people.

What is a humans.txt file?

The humanstxt.org initiative describes it as a way to know the people behind a website. It’s a simple TXT file that sits in the site root next to robots.txt and contains information about the writers, developers, designers and others who built the site. It can also include thank-you messages and details about the site’s technology. It’s a good opportunity to introduce your bloggers, developer, web designer, copywriter, webmaster or SEO expert.

How to create a humans.txt file (template)

There is no strict format, but humanstxt.org suggests sections like these:

/* TEAM */
Founder and editor: Your Name
Site: https://example.com
Location: City, Country

/* THANKS */
Name: Designer or contributor

/* SITE */
Last update: 2026/10/21
Language: English
Standards: HTML5, CSS3
Software: WordPress

Save it as humans.txt in plain text (UTF-8).

Where to upload humans.txt

Upload the file to your root domain so it opens at yourdomain.com/humans.txt. On most hosts that’s the public_html folder (or the folder containing your WordPress files), using your host’s file manager or FTP.

How to link to your humans.txt file

Linking is optional, but humanstxt.org suggests adding this line inside the HEAD section of your pages, with your own domain:

<link type="text/plain" rel="author" href="https://yourdomain.com/humans.txt" />

How to add humans.txt in WordPress

The simplest method is to upload a static humans.txt file to your WordPress root folder. In 2011 we suggested the Humans Dot Txt WordPress plugin, but it hasn’t been updated in years and hasn’t been tested with recent WordPress versions, so a static file is the safer choice today. To add the head link, use your theme’s header settings or a code snippets plugin.

Is humans.txt still popular?

It never became an official web standard, but it’s still used. Google has kept its own file at google.com/humans.txt, which simply says Google is built by a large team of engineers, designers, researchers, robots and others. Search engines don’t use humans.txt for rankings, so think of it as a friendly credits page rather than an SEO tool.

Other .txt files your site may need

• robots.txt: tells crawlers which pages they may visit. See how to add your sitemap to robots.txt and fix URLs blocked by robots.txt.
• security.txt: a standard (RFC 9116) that tells security researchers how to report vulnerabilities, placed at /.well-known/security.txt.
• llms.txt: a proposed Markdown file that gives AI tools a curated overview of your site’s content.

FAQ

Does humans.txt help SEO?

No. Search engines don’t use it as a ranking signal. It’s purely for crediting the people behind your site.

What is the difference between humans.txt and robots.txt?

robots.txt gives instructions to search engine crawlers, while humans.txt is written for people and lists who built and runs the site.

Where should the humans.txt file go?

In the root of your domain, so it opens at yourdomain.com/humans.txt.

Is humans.txt required?

No, it’s completely optional. Add it if you want to credit your team or contributors.