Find an archived version of a web page
Use the original URL and a dated capture, then state what the archive did and did not preserve.
Follow the method ↓
The answer in 30 seconds
An archive capture can show part of a page at a previous time. It may miss images, scripts, linked pages or changes between captures, and its capture date is not automatically the original publication date.
Enter the original URL in the Wayback Machine, select a relevant dated capture, inspect the visible content and save both the archived and original URLs with a note about missing material.
Examples to adapt
Compare a capture before and after the suspected edit, then note gaps in capture dates.
Search the exact former URL rather than only the website home page.
Record the capture date and the page's own stated publication date separately.
Follow the method
- 1Recover the URL
Find the most precise original address available in a citation, bookmark or search result.
- 2Choose a capture
Search the archive and select a date relevant to the question.
- 3Inspect completeness
Check the text, images and linked documents needed for your claim.
- 4Document limits
Save archive and original URLs, capture date and any missing or uncertain elements.
A checklist to keep
Use these checks to record what you found. The grid supports a decision; it does not make one for you.
| Check | What to examine | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Original URL | Is it precise enough? | Find |
| Capture | What date was recorded? | Choose |
| Text | Is the relevant passage visible? | Inspect |
| Missing | What media or links are absent? | Note |
| Citation | Are both URLs and dates kept? | Record |
Free, no sign-up. UTF-8 text with semicolon-separated columns.
What to check
Absence from the archive does not prove a page never existed.
A capture date does not establish when its text was first published.
Dynamic elements may be missing or behave differently in a capture.
Common questions
Can I use an archive as proof of today's policy?
No. Check the current official source for a present-day requirement.
Why do links inside a capture fail?
Linked pages or scripts may not have been archived with the page you opened.
Sources and documentation
Documentation consulted on . Examples are illustrative; interfaces and results may change.