Q&A for How to Use the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine

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Why can't I log into GoAnimate from November 2013 using the Wayback Machine?

Community Answer

You can't sign in to websites on the Wayback Machine because it only archives the front-facing architecture of web pages, not the back-end systems that manage user accounts.

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Question

When I archive a YouTube link and try to view the capture, it says, "An error occurred. Please try again later." The video is still available on YouTube. Did I use the wrong link?

Community Answer

When you save a page to the Wayback Machine, it saves the "face" of the web page, basically what you see when you visit a web page. It does not capture the internal workings of the site, so features like videos cannot be played.

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Question

Sometimes I can't access some details on websites, what could be the problem?

Community Answer

Some things may not have been archived or cannot be archived, as such you cannot view certain parts of a website, (i.e. flash content, sign in screens, etc).

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Question

Is it possible to watch a video someone deleted if it's not archived on the Wayback Machine?

Community Answer

No, it is not possible. It's only a screenshot of the site during whatever time you're looking at. However, if you know the name of the idea, you can google it and see if it shows up anywhere else.

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Question

How can I save a website with a past date, such as August 5th, 2016, using the Wayback Machine?

Aasim

Top Answerer

To save a past version of a website, navigate to the Wayback Machine, select the desired year, month, and day, and then view the archived version from that date.

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Question

How do I find my old YouTube channel from 2013?

Community Answer

You need to copy the link to your current YouTube channel, which can be done by going up to the search bar on the top of the web browser, pressing CTRL+A, then pressing CTRL+C, then bring it to the Wayback Machine, CTRL+V the link in the URL box, then select 2013.

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Question

How do I use the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine on a mobile web browser?

Community Answer

As long as the browser supports it, then it will be work the same way as outlined in the article.

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Question

How long will it take for my newly created website to start showing up on Wayback Machine?

Hawaiifunsun

Community Answer

Usually instantaneously, but if there are issues - it can be from a few hours to never.

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Question

How far back can I go?

COMPUTER COMMANDER

Community Answer

The oldest page archived was on May 12, 1996, and it was infoseek.com. So that's the furthest you can possibly go.

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Question

Can I see deleted YouTube videos or their names using the Wayback Machine?

Community Answer

You cannot view deleted YouTube videos on the Wayback Machine; it typically doesn't archive video content and may only display an error message or limited metadata.

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