A Practical Guide to the new Digitalarkivet viewer

The new Digitalarkivet interface, despite being modern in design, can still support that same approach as we used in the older version. This article provides a practical guide to the new Digitalarkivet viewer for anyone ready to learn how to navigate it.

This guide walks through each function in the viewer, not as a list of features, but as tools in a working researcher’s hands. You might want to start by reading my article Digitalarkivet’s New Service for Scanned Church Books: What’s Changing and How We Can Adapt

If needed you can hover the mouse over this picture to enlarge it.

General navigation

You move inside the picture in the source by clicking the left mouse button and drag the picture. You can also move the picture by using the arrow keys on your keyboard. Both zooming in and out can be done with the scroller wheel on the mouse.

Top toolbar (1–6)

1. Copy page information

Copies a ready-made reference for the current page to your clipboard. Click the button, then paste (Ctrl/Cmd+V) into your notes, document, or genealogy software. The copied text typically includes:

• Archive reference
• Source title
• Page/image number
• A direct link to the page

This is the result:

2. Search within source
Searches inside the current source (if indexed).
Use this to quickly jump to names or entries without scrolling manually.

3. Transcribed events/persons on this page
Displays any indexed or transcribed information linked to the current page—typically names, dates, and event types (births, baptisms, marriages, etc.).

4. Open table of content in new window 
Opens the image in a separate window to give you an overview of the content of this source.

5. “Bilder” (Images tab)
Shows the scanned pages (what you’re currently viewing).
This is the default for original sources.

6. “Innhold” (Content tab)
Switches to the table of content for this source. This is the same information that is displayed

Right-side vertical tools (7–13)

7. Fullscreen mode
Expands the viewer to fill your screen. Ideal when working on small handwriting details. In full screen mode, this button changes to a X, which brings you back to this view.

8. Download image
Downloads the current page as a file. Lets you choose image format and file size.
Perfect for saving documentation or adding to your genealogy archive.

9. Settings (gear icon)
General user settings: Remember zoom, Remember position, Remember rotation, Hide overview map.
If you are new to Digitalarkivet, my best advice is to check the box for “Remember zoom” and to “Hide overview map”

10. Rotate image
Rotates the page.
Useful when reading something written on a different alignment or  scans are sideways.

11. Reset
A quick way to reset to full page view of the source. (Not to be confused with resetting browser window).

12. Zoom in (+)
Zooms closer into the image.
Essential for reading fine handwriting or marginal notes.

13. Zoom out (–)
Zooms out for broader context.
Helpful when you want to see the full page layout again.

Bottom navigation (14–16)

14. Previous page (arrow left)
Moves to the previous image.
Use when browsing sequentially through a book.

15. Next page (arrow right)
Moves forward to the next image.
Your main tool when reading through records chronologically.

16. Page number field (“Side”)
Jump directly to a specific page number.
Very efficient when you have a reference like “page 335”.

Middle control

17. Resize divider (between panels)
Drag this to adjust the width of the left info panel vs. the image.
If you need more space for the document, slide it left. This is not that useful in my opinion. I think it is more convenient to change to full screen mode with button no. 7

Left panel (18–19)

18. “Søketreff” (Search results)
Returns you to the list of results from your search.
At the time of this writing, this is a little  confusing, because this now brings us to the new search interface, and not even to the results I initially searched for. I suppose that this is because the Digitalarkivet is in a transition phase and that this will line up as things are brought over to the new system

19.

• Kildeinformasjon (Source information)
  Shows archival details: archive, reference, time period, etc.
  Crucial for citations and serious genealogy work—this is where you confirm you’re using the correct source.
• Links to
  • Permanent photo ID
  • Link for page view
  • Source-specific search that are available for this source. Similar to options under button no. 2
• Restrictions
  Information about the accessibility of the source. (e.g. newer sources are blocked due to privacy)
• Technical Information
  This states the exact name and the dimensions of the picture file we are looking at.

Closing Reflection

The Digitalarkivet interface may take a little getting used to, but it does what it is meant to do. It gives you access to the page as it stands, along with practical tools for navigation and documentation.

If you have questions or comments, feel free to leave a comment below or get in touch through the contact page. This interface is new to me as well, so I may not have all the answers—but we can still work things out together.