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Pages on the Internet do not last forever.
Some disappear overnight without warning. At other times, you're just curious about how the servers go down or maybe what your website looks like ten years ago.
So how can you access this information again?
You need a web cache viewer.
It is a tool to help you recover backups or snapshots of websites.
In this guide, we'll go through the absolute best web cache viewer tools to help you turn around an opportunity to discover missing data or spy on competitors.
What is a web cache viewer?
Web Cache Viewer lets you view an older version or snapshot of any website, called a cache page. A cached page is a snapshot of raw HTML and page content.
For EX, when Google index your site, it takes a screen capture of what it resembles at that point and lists it.
There are many tools for viewing an archived page, such as Google's cache feature on search results and websites such as a Wayback machine dedicated to preserving Internet history.
When to use a web cache viewer?
A web cache viewer is a valuable tool to keep in your back pocket. Here are a few times that you can use this handy tool.
The website is no longer available
Need to get information from a Pesky 404 error page? Web Cache Viewer can help you view the last archived version before going offline.
The page you want to view has changed
If a website undergoes major changes, you can use the cached version to transform what the site looked like. This is especially helpful for competitor analysis. For example, if a competitor suddenly leaves your site behind in the search results, you can see older versions of their site to see what they've changed.
Improve your SEO
Not seeing the SEO results you want? Did you know that page caching can improve your site's speed by reducing server load time by up to 80 percent? Viewing the cached version shows what Google sees when it crawls your page. If your website is not cached, it can increase your page load time and severely affect your bounce rate.
See quick page
On the off chance that the website page is a slow or unresponsive, cached version to see a preview of the webpage the last time Google listed the page. Although the cached page does not always contain up-to-date information, it can help you save time.
Check when Google last indexed the page
It's helpful to know the last time Google bots successfully visited your page, especially if you're editing your site.
Looking at the cached version, you can see that the page is not responding, how it is being cached, and you need to un-do if there is anything to do.
Web cache viewer tools and tricks
It looks like an admin nightmare when looking at cached versions, many tools make the process easier, simpler, and faster.
1. Use the Chrome extension
Not using Chrome extension? You are missing
Google's Chrome extensions are programs that you can install on your browser to change functionality.
For example, you can add extensions that:
- You block ads from displaying on any site you visit.
- Pin any picture to your Pinterest board.
- Any D.A. of any website.
- A Quick access to any of your passwords through Password Manager.
The Web Cache Viewer Chrome extension makes it easy for you to see a snapshot of the page you're visiting. This is useful if you have a 404 error and want to go back to the old version to view the information.
Wayback Machine Vs. Google Cache on Chrome extension
The Web Cache Viewer extension will:
Let's see Google Cache or Wayback machine versions.
Wayback Machine Wisely redirects you to the archive page instead of taking you to the archive selection screen on the website.
Which option should you use? Wayback Machine or Google Cache?
From that tool comes down to what results you want.
For example, if you want to check if Google is caching your site, or you need to view the last cached page of a site, Google Cache is the best option for you.
However, if you want to turn the wheel of time and find out the past of a website, you have to use a Wayback machine.
2. Use Google search to find cached pages
Each time Google crawls a web page, it makes a backup, which turns out to be important for Google's cache.
Step by step instructions to get a cached link with Google search
Step 1: Do a Google search on your PC for the page you need to discover.
Step 2: When the indexed lists load, click on the down arrow close to the site URL and select "Cached".
Step 3: Then you can see "full form," or "view source".
Keep in mind that you will not be able to navigate to other pages on the site. If you do, it will take you to the live form. You can likewise get to the live page by tapping the "Current Page" link at the top of the page.
3. Utilize the address bar in Chrome to discover cached pages
Struggling to find the page you want through search results? If you have a Chrome browser, you can use the address bar to get a cached version of any URL.
4. Use the Archive Today web cache viewer
Would you like to be able to travel back in time? Well, you can archive. Today.
Website is a time capsule for the internet. It takes a snapshot of the page and stores it permanently even if the original disappears.
This site saves text and graphics and gives you a link to an incredible record of a web page.
Just catch?
You need to submit web pages manually and only view entries that have been previously saved.
How to get a cache page with the archive.today
Step 1: Go to the archive. Scroll up and down today "I want to find the archive for the saved snapshot."
Step 2: Enter the URL you need to look at.
Step 3: A new page will load, and you'll see snapshots listing the oldest to the newest. Click on what you want to see.
A secure, editable version of the page will load. You have the alternative to download the compressed file, share the link and view the page or screen capture.
5. Use the web cache viewer of the Wayback machine's desktop
Internet archives run a Wayback machine. It is profitable to build a digital library of Internet history.
You can see more than 553 billion cached web pages, text, video, audio, software, and images.
How to view a page cached by a Wayback machine
Step 1: Archive.ro. And enter the URL or keyword you want to see in the Wayback Machine search bar.
Step 2: The search result page will load. Click the URL of the page you need to view.
Step 3: Use the calendar lander at the top of the page to see what the website looks like over a period of time.
Don't want to log in to a Wayback machine every time you want to view a cached page? Download the Chrome extension.
If your site isn't on a Wayback Machine, you can manually submit your URL, and it will automatically create a snapshot for you. This is useful if you want to track how your site has evolved over the years.
6. Use the cached page web cache viewer
Cachedpage.com is a website that integrates some of the tools I mentioned earlier.
Once you enter the URL of the page you want to view, you have three options to choose from:
- Google Web Cache
- Internet Archive
- Website
Select the one you want to use, and the cached page will redirect you to those related sites.
It does no caching by itself, so this site is only useful if you want to save time between caching tools.
Conclusion
As you can see, Web Cache Viewer is an important SEO and marketing tool to keep in your online arsenal. It can help you quickly find information that has been removed from the Internet, see how your site has changed over the years, and if Google is not indexing your site properly. When a lot of tools are available, keep that in mind.