How to File a DMCA Takedown on Internet Archive
The Internet Archive preserves a staggering amount of the web, which is usually a public good, until your paywalled course, book, music, or leaked files end up in a public collection, or the Wayback Machine keeps serving a page you fought to have taken down. The Archive accepts copyright complaints by email rather than a web form, and its designated contact is [email protected].
Before you start
- The exact URLs you want removed, item pages look like archive.org/details/[identifier], while Wayback captures look like web.archive.org/web/[timestamp]/[your-url].
- Proof of ownership, where the original was published, purchase pages, registration numbers, or the original files.
- Your contact details, full name, email, and a mailing address.
- Patience. The Archive is a nonprofit library, not a trust-and-safety department at a tech giant.
Step 1: Identify exactly what you are reporting
The Archive hosts two distinct things. Uploaded items, books, audio, video, software, live at archive.org/details/ URLs and were placed there by users. Wayback Machine captures are snapshots of other websites and live at web.archive.org URLs. Collect every URL in both categories, because a takedown only covers what you list.
Step 2: Gather your ownership evidence
Reviewers at the Archive lean cautious, so make ownership easy to confirm. Link to the official store page, your website, or your catalog listing, and note dates. If you are an agent or attorney filing for the rights holder, say so and be ready to show authorization.
Step 3: Draft a complete DMCA notice
Write a single email containing all the statutory elements, identification of the copyrighted work, the exact infringing URLs, your name, address, and email, a statement of good-faith belief that the use is unauthorized, a statement under penalty of perjury that the information is accurate and you are the owner or authorized to act for them, and your typed signature. Missing elements are the most common reason notices stall.
Step 4: Email the notice to [email protected]
Send it to [email protected] with a clear subject line such as "DMCA takedown notice, [your work title]". The Archive's rights page at help.archive.org/help/rights/ also lists a postal option, Internet Archive Copyright Agent, 300 Funston Ave., San Francisco, CA 94118, if you need a paper trail.
Step 5: Keep records and follow up
Save your sent email and any replies. If two weeks pass silently, send a polite follow-up referencing your original message. Escalation options are limited here, the Archive hosts its own infrastructure, so a clean, complete, professional notice is genuinely your best lever.
Step 6: Request Wayback exclusions for your own site
If the problem is old captures of your own website, pages with leaked content, personal information, or material you have since removed, ask for exclusion of those captures or the whole domain in the same email, and explain that you own the site.
What happens after you file
Valid complaints result in items being taken down or captures being excluded, and you will typically get an email confirming the outcome. If an uploader files a counter-notice, the Archive may restore the material after 10 to 14 days unless you show you have filed a court action. Content removed from the Archive often still circulates elsewhere, so pair this takedown with search de-indexing and checks of the usual file hosts, or let a service like Rulta run that monitoring and file the follow-ups for you.
This guide is educational information, not legal advice.
Need the notice text?Generate a complete DMCA notice for Internet Archive — free, one minute
Exhibit A — official takedown formhttps://help.archive.org/help/rights/
Frequently asked questions
Is there a takedown web form for archive.org?
No. The Internet Archive handles copyright complaints by email. Its rights page lists the copyright agent contact as [email protected], along with a postal address at 300 Funston Ave., San Francisco, CA 94118.
Can I get Wayback Machine captures of my own website removed?
Yes. Site owners can email [email protected] and request exclusion of their site's captures. Explain that you own the site and identify the domain or specific capture URLs.
How long does the Internet Archive take to respond?
It is a nonprofit library with a small team, so expect longer waits than at commercial platforms, days to a few weeks is normal. Follow up politely if you hear nothing after two weeks.
What happens if the uploader files a counter-notice?
The Archive's rights page says that after receiving a valid counter-notice it may wait 10 to 14 days before restoring the material, giving you time to show you have filed a court action.
What should my email include?
The standard DMCA elements, identification of your work, the exact archive.org or web.archive.org URLs, your contact details, a good-faith statement, an accuracy statement under penalty of perjury, and your signature.