In a significant step forward for digital preservation, Google Search is now making it easier than ever to access the past. Starting on 11 September 2024, users everywhere can view archived versions of webpages directly through Google Search, with a simple link to the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine.
Google announced its intention to deactivate its cache functionality at the beginning of 2024. According to Search Liaison Danny Sullivan, writing on X in February:
"Yes, it's been removed. I know, it's sad. I'm sad too. It's one of our oldest features. But it was meant for helping people access pages when way back, you often couldn't depend on a page loading. These days, things have greatly improved. So, it was decided to retire it."
He then floated the idea of adding links to the Internet Archive, saying it would be "a nice fit—allowing people to easily see how a page change over time."
Now that idea has become a reality.
In a blog post, Chris Freeland, Director of Library Services at Internet Archive. explained that after you do a Google search, click on the three dots to access the "About this Result" panel. Then select “More About This Page” to reveal a link to the Wayback Machine page for that website. Through this direct link, you’ll be able to view previous versions of a webpage, offering a snapshot of how it appeared at different points in time.
Introducing an alternative to the now defunct Google cache function demonstrates the Internet Archive's commitment to preservation. Numerous reasons exist for why websites disappear from the internet. Capturing them as snapshots in time before they are gone is an important mission for the Wayback Machine. This collaboration with Google underscores the importance of web archiving and expands the reach of the Wayback Machine. Freeland notes that the link to archived webpages will not be available if rights holders opt out of having their sites archived or if the webpage violates content policies.
For more information about the Wayback Machine and how you can explore the web’s history, visit https://web.archive.org/.