Wayback Snapshot Lookup
Page updated
The Wayback Snapshot Lookup will ask the public Wayback Machine whether it has saved a URL, and it will return the snapshot link and timestamp when one exists. It is coming soon.
A missing snapshot stays missing. The tool will not claim an archive it did not find.
Who it is for
Researchers who need to know whether the public Wayback Machine has saved a page, and when.
- Find the closest public snapshot to a date.
- List recent public captures of a URL.
- Check whether a removed public page still has an archive copy.
- Store the snapshot URL next to a citation.
Inputs
| Field | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| urls | array of URLs | Yes | Public page URLs to look up. |
| closest | string | No | Preferred capture date as YYYYMMDD. The closest public snapshot is returned when one exists. |
Example input
{
"urls": ["https://example.com"],
"closest": "20240101"
}Example output
[
{
"url": "https://example.com",
"available": true,
"timestamp": "20240115031200",
"snapshotUrl": "https://web.archive.org/web/20240115031200/https://example.com/"
}
]Price
Not published yet
Billing happens on Apify, not on this website. This tool is not for sale yet.
Limits
- This tool is not for sale yet.
- It reads the public Wayback Machine. If no snapshot exists, available is false.
- It returns snapshot locations. It does not rewrite or store a private copy on this website.
What it does not do
- It does not archive a page that the Internet Archive has excluded.
- It does not recover a site that was never public.
- It does not bypass an access restriction on the original site.
FAQ
Where do the snapshots come from?
The public Wayback Machine operated by the Internet Archive.
What if nothing was saved?
The record says available is false. The tool does not create a snapshot to fill the gap.
Does closest have to match an exact day?
No. It asks for the nearest public capture to that day.
Is the price set?
Not yet.
Can I look up many URLs?
That is the plan. Each URL is one lookup. The tool is not listed yet.
There is no listing button yet. This tool is still marked coming soon.