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<title>Search engine cache</title>

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<span id="openzim-page-title" class="mw-page-title-main"><span class="mw-page-title-main">Search engine cache</span></span>

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</style><div class="thumb tmulti tright"><div class="thumbinner multiimageinner" style="width:204px;max-width:204px"><div class="trow"><div class="tsingle" style="width:202px;max-width:202px"><div class="thumbimage"><span typeof="mw:File"></span></div></div></div><div class="trow"><div class="tsingle" style="width:202px;max-width:202px"><div class="thumbimage"><span typeof="mw:File"></span></div></div></div><div class="trow"><div class="tsingle" style="width:202px;max-width:202px"><div class="thumbimage"><span typeof="mw:File"></span></div></div></div><div class="trow" style="display:flex"><div class="thumbcaption">The link for the cached version of a web page in search results from Google (top), Bing (middle) and Yandex (bottom)</div></div></div></div>

<p>A <b>search engine cache</b> is a <a href="Cache_(computing)" title="Cache (computing)">cache</a> of <a href="Web_page" title="Web page">web pages</a> that shows the page as it was when it was indexed by a <a href="Web_crawler" title="Web crawler">web crawler</a>. Cached versions of web pages can be used to view the contents of a page when the live version <a href="Downtime" title="Downtime">cannot be reached</a>, has been altered or <a href="File_deletion" title="File deletion">taken down</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-journalismhandbook_1-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-journalismhandbook-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>

</p><p>A web crawler collects the contents of a web page, which is then indexed by a <a href="Search_engine" title="Search engine">web search engine</a>. The search engine might make the copy accessible to users. Web crawlers that obey restrictions in <a href="Robots.txt" title="Robots.txt">robots.txt</a><sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> or <a href="Meta_element" title="Meta element">meta tags</a><sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> by the site webmaster may not make a cached copy available to search engine users if instructed not to.

</p><p>Search engine caches can be used for <a href="Forensic_science" title="Forensic science">crime investigation</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> <a href="Legal_proceeding" title="Legal proceeding">legal proceedings</a><sup id="cite_ref-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and <a href="Journalism" title="Journalism">journalism</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-pressgazette_6-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-pressgazette-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-journalismhandbook_1-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-journalismhandbook-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> They may not be fully protected by the usual laws that protect technology providers from copyright infringement claims.<sup id="cite_ref-eubelius_7-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-eubelius-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>

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<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Google_Cache">Google Cache</h2></div>

<p>Google retired its web caching service in 2024.<sup id="cite_ref-Verge_8-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Verge-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The service was designed for websites that might show up in a Google search result, but are temporarily offline. As a "<a href="Cache_(computing)" title="Cache (computing)">cache</a>", it was not designed for archival purposes, the cache had expiration. Google said the Internet as of 2024 is much more reliable than it was "way back" in earlier days, and therefore its cache service is no longer an important service to maintain.<sup id="cite_ref-Verge_8-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Verge-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>

</p><p>Google pointed to the <a href="Wayback_Machine" title="Wayback Machine">Wayback Machine</a> as a better alternative, and suggested Google might work with them in the future.<sup id="cite_ref-Verge_8-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Verge-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> In September 2024, Google and the <a href="Internet_Archive" title="Internet Archive">Internet Archive</a> announced a collaboration providing links to the Wayback Machine from within <a href="Google_Search" title="Google Search">Google Search</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-9" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-9"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>

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<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Bing_Search"><a href="Microsoft_Bing" title="Microsoft Bing">Bing Search</a></h2></div>

<p><a href="Microsoft_Bing" title="Microsoft Bing">Bing Search</a>, following Google Cache's lead, also retired its web caching service in late 2024. Microsoft explained, "the internet has evolved for better reliability, and many pages aren't optimized for cache viewing."<sup id="cite_ref-Bing_10-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Bing-10"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>10<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-11" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>

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<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Yahoo!_Search"><a href="Yahoo!_Search" class="mw-redirect" title="Yahoo! Search">Yahoo! Search</a></h2></div>

<p>Yahoo! Search began offering a cache service in May 2011.<sup id="cite_ref-12" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-12"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>12<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> After Google Cache was eliminated in early 2024, <i><a href="PC_Mag" class="mw-redirect" title="PC Mag">PC Mag</a></i> reported that alternative sites Bing and Yahoo! Search were still available for caching. It noted that as long as Bing cache worked, Yahoo! Search would also, since Microsoft (Bing) is the crawling service for Yahoo. Bing cache ceased working late in 2024, and Yahoo Cache buttons are no longer available. There was no official announcement from Yahoo about the cache service being eliminated.<sup id="cite_ref-13" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-13"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>

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<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2></div>

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</style><cite id="CITEREFWilfried_Ruetten2012" class="citation book cs1">Wilfried Ruetten (2012). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=SY_TZhsBSDAC&pg=PA135"><i>The Data Journalism Handbook</i></a>. O'Reilly Media, Inc. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>9781449330064</bdi>. <q>When a page becomes controversial, the publishers may take it down or alter it without acknowledgment. If you suspect you're running into the problem, the first place to turn is Google's cache of the page as it was when it did its last crawl.</q></cite></span>

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<li id="cite_note-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-2">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://developers.google.com/search/reference/robots_meta_tag">"Robots meta tag, data-nosnippet, and X-Robots-Tag specifications"</a>. <q>noarchive: Do not show a cached link in search results.</q></cite></span>

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<li id="cite_note-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-3">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/79812">"Special tags that Google understands - Search Console Help"</a>. <q>noarchive - Don't show a Cached link for a page in search results.</q></cite></span>

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<li id="cite_note-4"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-4">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite id="CITEREFTodd_G._Shipley,_Art_Bowker2013" class="citation book cs1">Todd G. Shipley, Art Bowker (2013). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=yXCtAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA273"><i>Investigating Internet Crimes: An Introduction to Solving Crimes in Cyberspace</i></a>. Newnes. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>9780124079298</bdi>. <q>For the investigator this can be a valuable piece of information. Depending on when Google crawled the site, the last page may contain information different from the current page. Documenting and capturing Google's cached page of a webpage can therefore be important step to ensure this time snapshot is preserved.</q></cite></span>

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<li id="cite_note-5"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-5">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite id="CITEREFSteven_Mark_Levy2011" class="citation book cs1">Steven Mark Levy (2011). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=--yJucUOpCMC&pg=SA16-PA26"><i>Regulation of Securities: SEC Answer Book</i></a>. Aspen Publishers Online. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>9781454805434</bdi>. <q>The World Wide Web is not as ephemeral as one might think. An increasing number of older web pages are available online through such services as the Wayback Machine, Yahoo Cache, or Bing Cache. Some plaintiffs' lawyers and corporate gadflies use these services as a matter of routine.</q></cite></span>

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<li id="cite_note-pressgazette-6"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-pressgazette_6-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite id="CITEREFCleland_Thom2014" class="citation web cs1">Cleland Thom (2014-10-23). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.pressgazette.co.uk/googles-caches-and-com-search-engine-provide-right-to-be-forgotten-solutions/">"Google's caches and .com search engine provide 'right to be forgotten' solutions"</a>. <i><a href="Press_Gazette" title="Press Gazette">Press Gazette</a></i>. <q>Journalists can also access delisted content via the Google cache.</q></cite></span>

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<li id="cite_note-eubelius-7"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-eubelius_7-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite id="CITEREFHerman_De_Bauw,_Valerie_Vandenweghe2011" class="citation web cs1">Herman De Bauw, Valerie Vandenweghe (June 2011). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150426180521/www.eubelius.com/en/spotlight/brussels-court-appeal-upholds-judgment-against-google-news-and-google-cache">"Brussels Court of Appeal upholds judgment against Google News and Google Cache"</a>. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.eubelius.com/en/spotlight/brussels-court-appeal-upholds-judgment-against-google-news-and-google-cache">the original</a> on 2015-04-26. <q>For the cache function, the Court rejected the exception of a "technically necessary copy". This exception exempts temporary reproduction which is a necessary part of a technical process applied by an intermediary for transmission in a network between third parties. According to the Court, the cache copy that Google stores on its server is not technically necessary for efficient transmission.</q></cite></span>

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<li id="cite_note-Verge-8"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-Verge_8-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Verge_8-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-Verge_8-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.theverge.com/2024/2/2/24058985/google-search-cache-feature-discontinued">"Google Search's cache links are officially being retired"</a>. 2 February 2024.</cite></span>

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<li id="cite_note-9"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-9">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite id="CITEREFFreeland2024" class="citation web cs1">Freeland, Chris (September 11, 2024). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://blog.archive.org/2024/09/11/new-feature-alert-access-archived-webpages-directly-through-google-search/">"New Feature Alert: Access Archived Webpages Directly Through Google Search"</a>. <i><a href="The_Internet_Archive" class="mw-redirect" title="The Internet Archive">The Internet Archive</a></i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2024-09-11</span></span>.</cite></span>

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<li id="cite_note-Bing-10"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-Bing_10-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite id="CITEREFSchwartz2024" class="citation web cs1">Schwartz, Barry (December 11, 2024). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://searchengineland.com/bing-officially-removes-cache-link-from-search-results-449220">"Bing officially removes cache link from search results"</a>. <i>Search Engine Land</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2024-12-20</span></span>.</cite></span>

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<li id="cite_note-11"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-11">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite id="CITEREFBhavsar2024" class="citation web cs1">Bhavsar, Sagar Naresh (September 12, 2024). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.neowin.net/news/microsoft-follows-googles-footsteps-removes-cache-links-from-bing-search-results/">"Microsoft follows Google's footsteps, removes cache links from Bing search results"</a>. <i><a href="Neowin" title="Neowin">Neowin</a></i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2025-01-14</span></span>.</cite></span>

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<li id="cite_note-12"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-12">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20110501121717/http://blog.searchenginewatch.com/050918-143500">"Yahoo Cache Now Offers Direct Links to Wayback Machine"</a>. <i>Search Engine Watch</i>. September 18, 2005. Archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://blog.searchenginewatch.com/050918-143500">the original</a> on 2011-05-01<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2025-05-20</span></span>.</cite></span>

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<li id="cite_note-13"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-13">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://tech.yahoo.com/general/articles/google-cache-gone-view-archived-190441488.html">"Google Cache Is Gone: How to View Archived Versions of a Website"</a>. <i><a href="PC_Mag" class="mw-redirect" title="PC Mag">PC Mag</a></i>. September 17, 2024<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2025-06-20</span></span>.</cite></span>

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