Internet Archive Wayback Machine link replaces Google search cache

27 September 2024

Google search does away with its cache, an archived copy of an earlier version of a webpage, but now links to the Internet Archive’s (IA) Wayback Machine copy instead. Try it on your own website, assuming it’s indexed by Google that is. On the search result, click the “more about this page” button, which will take you to a page where you’ll see a Wayback Machine link.

You won’t see a copy of every website presently online, or that once was though, as Chris Freeland, writing on the IA blogs page, explains:

This collaboration with Google underscores the importance of web archiving and expands the reach of the Wayback Machine, making it even easier for users to access and explore archived content. However, the link to archived webpages will not be available in instances where the rights holder has opted out of having their site archived or if the webpage violates content policies.

The Google move seems like a much needed — maybe — shot in the arm — maybe — for the IA, which has been struggling of late.