The transformation of the modern world under the influence of rapidly developing digital technologies has led to a significant change in the mechanism for fixing information about criminal activity in the surrounding reality. The investigation of virtually every criminal case currently includes the search, seizure and study of electronic traces. In this regard, the article describes a number of ways and features of working with electronic traces in criminal cases. In the course of the study, scientific publications on criminalistics and computer science, criminal case materials were studied, and author's own experience in the investigative activities was used. The author gives the definition of electronic traces, indicates their sources, importance in investigating crimes, the possibility of information and analytical studies of large amounts of information. The above findings and recommendations set forth in the article can serve as a scientific basis for further research on the use of electronic traces in criminalistics and crime investigation.