Overview
While we continuously investigate and implement improvements, some websites are not created in a way that is "archive-friendly" and can be difficult to collect or replay in their entirety. These difficulties affect all web crawlers, not just Archive-It's. When selecting seed URLs and reviewing your archived content, please keep these limitations in mind. For more information on what makes sites archive-friendly, see the Library of Congress's Creating Preservable Websites.
About
Every browser is designed differently. This means that Wayback pages replay differently in various browsers. It also means your browser can sometimes affect access to your Archive-It account.
If you’re having trouble with one browser, test the page in another to see if you can replicate the issue. We recommend using Firefox or Chrome over other browsers.
This article will provide some further troubleshooting steps you can take for browser issues.
Troubleshooting
There are a few factors that can affect browsers' performance, including:
Browsing data and cookies
Excess browsing data and cookies in your browser's cache can affect Wayback pages' replay or access to your Archive-It account.
Solution
Clear your cache often to resolve performance issues. To clear your cache, follow the link for your browser:
Then try reloading the Wayback page or your Archive-It account.
You can also clear specific hosts from your cache, if you want to keep other sites logged in on other tabs in your browser. For example, clear:
- wayback.archive-it.org host if loading a Wayback page.
- partner.archive-it.org host if accessing your Archive-It account (you'll need to login again).
Alternatively, you can use a private browsing window if you don't want to clear your cache. The private browsing windows can often be opened from the browsers' File menus.
Browser extensions
Privacy extensions can cause unexpected replay results in Wayback. They can disable style-sheet formatting or result in blank pages. Examples from the past include Privacy Badger, HTTPS Everywhere, and LastPass. Other extensions may also interfere in these or other ways.
Solution
Disable your browser extensions by following the instructions for your browser:
Then try reloading your Wayback page or Archive-It account.
Out of date browsers
Outdated browser software can cause problems with Wayback replay and Archive-It account access.
Check to see if your browser is up to date by checking the About section listed under the browser name in the top menu. Compare your version number with https://updatemybrowser.org.
Solution
If your browser isn't on the most recent version, update it by following the instructions:
Outcome
Clearing your cache, disabling extensions, or updating your browser should help resolve many issues loading Wayback pages or accessing your Archive-It account. Once you've reloaded the page, if there is no noticeable improvement, please submit a support ticket.
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