How to Archive a Slack Channel (and Bring It Back)

Finished projects leave a trail of Slack channels behind them. Nobody posts in them any more, but they still sit in the list and make it harder to find the live ones. Archiving is the tidy answer: the channel closes, and the history isn't thrown away.

The catch is that archiving and deleting sound similar and behave very differently. Slack's help centre explains both on one page, so I've used that article for everything below, and I'll point out where it goes quiet.

Archiving a Slack channel is not the same as deleting it

Start with the difference, because it decides which button you want. According to Slack, archived channels are closed to new activity, but the message history is retained and, on higher plans, searchable. Deleted channels are permanently removed from a workspace, message history included.

	Archive	Delete
New messages	Closed to new activity	Channel is gone
Message history	Retained	Permanently removed
Can it be reversed?	Yes, by unarchiving on desktop	No, Slack calls it permanent
Who can do it	Most members, except guests	Owners and Admins on some plans

If there's any chance you'll need the conversation again, such as a client's decisions or a supplier's quote, archive. Delete is for the rare case where you're sure.

Archiving a Slack channel on desktop

Slack's steps for the computer are:

1. Open the channel you want to archive.
2. Click the channel name at the top.
3. Choose Settings.
4. Select Archive channel for everyone.
5. Confirm the choice.

Notice the words 'for everyone'. Archiving isn't something you do just for yourself. It closes the channel for the whole workspace.

Archiving a Slack channel on the phone app

On mobile, Slack describes a shorter route:

1. Tap the channel name at the top of the channel.
2. Tap Archive channel. You may need to scroll down to find it.
3. Tap Archive to confirm.

If you can't see the option, scroll further down the screen before you assume it's missing.

Who is allowed to archive a Slack channel

By default, all members except guests can archive channels they belong to. Workspace Owners can restrict this, and channel managers can always archive the channels they've been assigned to manage. Slack also says neither archiving nor deleting applies to the general channel or the all-company channel.

So if the archive option isn't showing for you, you're probably a guest, a restriction has been set, or the channel is one of those special ones. Ask a workspace owner, who can see the settings.

Bringing an archived Slack channel back

People worry about archiving because it feels final. It isn't. Slack's desktop steps for unarchiving are:

1. Go to Home, then Directories, then Channels.
2. Filter by archived channels and find the one you want.
3. Open it and click the channel name.
4. Choose Settings.
5. Click Unarchive this channel.

Slack says the channel and its members are restored. One more detail: if you want to reuse an archived channel's name for a new channel, you have to unarchive the old one and rename it first.

Archiving Slack channels that were built from a template

Slack mentions one special case. When you archive a channel that came from a template, canvases and lists in it stay accessible, but workflows are unpublished. If a channel has automations running, check them before you archive so nothing you rely on switches off without you noticing.

Deleting a Slack channel instead

Deleting is covered on the same Slack page, but I'd treat it with care. Slack says that on some plans only Workspace Owners and Workspace Admins can delete. On desktop you open the channel, click the name, choose Settings, then Delete channel, confirm that you want to permanently delete it and click Delete Channel. Slack's article gives no mobile steps for deleting.

Removing a whole workspace rather than one channel is a different and much bigger job. The same caution applies on other platforms too, and deleting a Discord server is another place where permanent really does mean permanent.

A simple habit for archiving Slack channels in a small business

The best tip I can give is to decide when a channel ends before it starts. When you create a project channel, write the end condition in the first message, such as 'archive when the project is signed off'. Then you don't need a big tidy-up later.

For more on how project work gets organised in a remote setting, see what a remote project manager's job involves day to day.

If you can't archive a Slack channel

1. Check whether it's the general or all-company channel. Slack says archiving doesn't apply to those.
2. Check whether you're a guest. By default guests can't archive channels.
3. Ask a Workspace Owner whether archiving has been restricted to certain roles.
4. Ask whether a channel manager is responsible for that channel, as managers can always archive the channels they manage.

Frequently asked questions

How do I archive a Slack channel?

On desktop, open the channel, click the channel name, choose Settings, select Archive channel for everyone and confirm. On mobile, tap the channel name, tap Archive channel and tap Archive.

What happens when you archive a Slack channel?

Slack says archived channels are closed to new activity, but the message history is retained, and searchable on higher plans.

Can I unarchive a Slack channel?

Yes. On desktop, go to Home, Directories, Channels, find the archived channel, open its Settings and click Unarchive this channel. The channel and its members are restored.

Who can archive a Slack channel?

By default all members except guests can archive channels they belong to. Workspace Owners can restrict this, and channel managers can archive the channels they manage.

Is archiving the same as deleting a Slack channel?

No. Deleted channels are permanently removed, message history included. Archiving keeps the history and can be reversed.