Highlights:
- The feature is reportedly being rolled out globally, and users should be able to access Wayback Machine links within the next few days.
- The Internet Archive, as per sources, said users can access Wayback Machine links by clicking the “three dots” next to the URL in search results.
Recently, Google search has begun offering direct links to cached articles in The Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine, providing users with historical context alongside their search results.
This is a valuable enhancement to Google Search, as many websites evolve over time—news stories are edited, some are removed, and others may disappear or become inaccessible. For over 20 years, Google addressed these issues by letting users view a “cached” version of web pages, but it quietly discontinued that feature earlier this year.
While there was no official announcement, Google Search liaison Danny Sullivan confirmed on X in February that the feature had 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. Personally, I hope that maybe we’ll add links to @internetarchive from where we had the cache link before, within About This Result,” Sullivan said.
Sullivan’s wish to see Internet Archive links integrated has now been fulfilled. However, it wasn’t Google that made the announcement. Instead, the Internet Archive disclosed in a blog post—as per the sources—that users can now access Wayback Machine links through a standard search. By clicking the “three dots” next to the URL in the search results, users can open a menu and select “more about this page.”
The Internet Archive said, “Through this direct link, you’ll be able to view previous versions of a webpage via the Wayback Machine, offering a snapshot of how it appeared at different points in time.”
According to sources, Google acknowledged that many of its users appreciate the ability to view older versions of websites. The company said, “That’s why we’ve added links to the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine to our “about this page” feature, to give people quick context and make this helpful information easily accessible through Search.”
Mark Graham, the Director of the Wayback Machine, emphasized the significance of maintaining access to internet archives.
“The web is aging, and with it, countless URLs now lead to digital ghosts. Businesses fold, governments shift, disasters strike, and content management systems evolve — all erasing swaths of online history. Sometimes, creators themselves hit delete, or bow to political pressure. Enter the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine: for more than 25 years, it’s been preserving snapshots of the public web. And now, it’s just a click away from Google search results, opening a portal to a fuller, richer web — one that remembers what others have forgotten,” he said.
The feature is reportedly being rolled out globally, and users should be able to see Wayback Machine links within the next few days.