What is the Add-On and why should I use it?

Our Proxy Mode toggle button is a Firefox Add-On that greatly simplifies the process of connecting to our proxy in order to browse archived websites in Proxy Mode.

Please note: the Proxy Mode toggle is supported for Firefox versions 57-70, but full functionality is limited in Firefox versions 71 and onward.  However, you can enable proxy mode manually via your browser: https://support.archive-it.org/hc/en-us/articles/208002206-Access-to-your-archives-in-Proxy-Mode-

<< Note: Do not use the manual instructions specific to the web browsers on this page to set up proxy mode in addition to using the Add-on – the methods are mutually exclusive.

How to do it

**Please note that we have updated the Proxy Mode Toggle to be compatible with Firefox Quantum.  This requires a new installation following the below steps.** 

1. Download our Proxy Mode Toggle Add-on directly from Firefox here: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/archive-it-wayback-proxy/
   
   
2. Once the plug-in is installed, you should have an Archive-It logo button in your address bar.
   

   

3. Replay a site through the Wayback Machine (any page, including the Wayback calendar page, on the wayback.archive-it.org host).
     
4. Click the Archive-It Proxy Mode Toggle in your Firefox browser address bar. You will notice that the site will reload, and the address bar will turn green. This means that you are now viewing the site in Proxy Mode. Notice that you are no longer connected to the live web. 
   
   
   
5. The Proxy toggle remembers settings per tab, meaning you can use proxy mode in one tab and continue to browse the live web in another.  
    
6. You may notice differences between the archived site in Proxy Mode and regular archive/Wayback mode, hosted on the live web. If so, consider performing quality assurance (QA) while still in Proxy Mode, especially if there are elements of the archived page that are not playing back in the regular Wayback view.

Further information

If you have questions about installing or using our Firefox Add-On for browsing sites in Proxy Mode, please contact Archive-It's Web Archivists.