Wayback Machine icon

Wayback Machine

The Internet Archive's official extension to see how a page changed over time, save pages and find archived copies.

Reviewed by Xplorekit's independent developer · Last checked · How we choose

Add to Chrome Open source (AGPL-3.0) · Chrome Web Store · Internet Archive · Source on GitHub

Why it's a strong pick

This is the Internet Archive's own extension, and its code is public on GitHub under AGPL-3.0. The listing and the repository both show version 3.4.8, updated 16 March 2026, and the manifest is Manifest V3. The trade-off: it checks the pages you visit against the archive, so read the data notes before you turn features on.

What it does

The extension lets you see how a page changed over time, save a page to the Wayback Machine, and find an archived copy when a page is gone. Open the toolbar icon to see saved versions: oldest, newest and a calendar overview. The icon shows a snapshot count. On a 404 or other error page, it offers an archived copy.

Key features

  • Save Page Now. Save a page to the archive, with optional auto-save of new pages and bookmarks.
  • Saved versions. Jump to the oldest or newest copy, or open the calendar overview.
  • Error page help. For 404, 4xx and 5xx errors, it offers an archived copy.
  • Fact-checker notices. Contextual notices from fact-checkers appear on some pages.
  • Annotations and sharing. Hypothes.is annotations and shareable archived links.
  • Site tools. A site map and word cloud of a site.

Who it's for

It suits researchers, journalists and editors who check dead links and page history. It also helps anyone who finds a broken link and wants the old page. If you want a private copy of a page saved on your own computer instead, see SingleFile or ArchiveWeb.page.

Does the Wayback Machine extension need an account?

Not for most features. The Chrome Web Store listing says "most features work without an account, and some must be enabled in Settings". The repository README adds that it works while logged out, and that logging in gives extra options. You do not need to sign up to look up old copies of a page.

What data does the Wayback Machine extension collect?

The developer discloses on the Chrome Web Store that it collects personally identifiable information, authentication information, web history and website content. In practice, it sends the page address to look up saved copies. Turn on Private Mode, which the listing says prevents automatic sending of data, if you do not want the pages you visit checked.

What permissions does it ask for?

The repository manifest lists activeTab, cookies, contextMenus, notifications, storage, scripting and webRequest. It has access to archive.org, hypothes.is and all sites. Bookmarks is optional. The manifest is Manifest V3. Chrome shows the current list when you install, so read it then.

FAQ

Is it open source? Yes, under AGPL-3.0, per the repository's licence file.

Is it made by the Internet Archive? Yes. The Chrome Web Store listing calls it the Internet Archive's official extension, and the source is in the Internet Archive's GitHub organization.

Does it cost anything? The developer shows no price on the listing, and the repository shows no paid tier.

Good to know

Some features stay off until you enable them in Settings, so open the settings after you install. Private Mode stops the automatic sending of data. Turn it on if you do not want the addresses you visit checked. A saved copy lives on the Internet Archive's servers, not on your computer.

Other web clippers and archivers to compare

Wayback Machine is one of 5 picks in our web clippers and archivers guide:

Official sources

This is a third-party extension, not built or maintained by Xplorekit. We link to the official Chrome Web Store listing — install and permissions are entirely between you and the extension's own publisher.