Google adds links to the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine into its search results
TL;DR
- Users can now view archived versions of webpages directly from the search interface.
- This feature is available globally to users in 40 languages and can be accessed on the ‘about this page’ section.
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Google has added links to the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine in search results. Google claimed this addition is to enable users to access older versions of web pages.
Google Search Liaison on X said “We know many people, including those in the research community, value seeing previous versions of webpages when available. That’s why beginning today, we're adding links to the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine to our "About this result" panel, to give people quick context and make this helpful information easily accessible through Search.”
How users can access this feature
Users can access archived versions of webpages directly from the search interface by visiting the ‘about this page’ section.
They can enter their query into Google Search and click on the three dots next to the search result they are interested in. Next, they can select "More about this page," then click on "See previous versions on Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine" to view past versions.
This feature will be rolled out globally in 40 languages but won’t cover every webpage. Archived versions may not be available if a website blocks archiving or if a page doesn't meet content policies.