What you get
- First snapshot — the earliest archived copy, a good indicator of how long a site has existed.
- Latest snapshot — the most recent capture.
- Snapshots by year — how often the archive captured the site each year, with links to browse each year's calendar.
Why the Google cache link disappeared
Google removed the "Cached" link from results in 2024 and shut down the cache: operator, saying pages load reliably enough today. For SEOs and researchers, the Wayback Machine is now the standard way to see what a page used to contain.
Uses for SEO and research
- Domain due diligence — before buying a domain, check whether it hosted spam, adult content or a different business.
- Recovering lost content — restore an article or page that was deleted.
- Diagnosing traffic drops — compare page content before and after a ranking change.
- Competitor history — see how a competitor's messaging, pricing or design evolved.
- Fixing broken links — see what a dead external page used to say, then find a replacement.
Tips
Not every page is archived — the Internet Archive prioritises popular pages. You can request a capture yourself at web.archive.org/save. Combine with the Domain Age Checker for registration history and the Whois Lookup for current ownership.
Frequently asked questions
How can I see an old version of a website?
Enter the domain to see its first and latest Wayback Machine snapshots and a yearly list of captures you can browse.
What happened to Google cache?
Google retired the cached page links and the cache: operator in 2024. The Wayback Machine is the best alternative.
Why is a site not in the Wayback Machine?
The archive has not captured it yet, or the owner excluded it. You can request a capture at web.archive.org/save.
Does the first snapshot equal the domain's age?
Not exactly. It shows when the archive first saved the site, which can be later than registration. Use the Domain Age Checker for registration dates.