- Archive chats on Messenger from a computer
- Archive chats on Messenger from your phone
- Where archived Messenger chats go and how to find them
- How to unarchive a Messenger chat
- Messenger archive versus delete: which should you use?
- Using Messenger archive to keep a small-business inbox calm
- If you can't archive a Messenger chat or can't find an archived one
- Frequently asked questions
To archive chats on Messenger on a computer, hover over the chat under Chats, click Options and choose Archive chat. On a phone, open the chat's options in your list and choose Archive. Archiving hides the chat from your inbox without deleting it, and it returns when you next chat with that person.
A busy Messenger inbox is hard to use. Old order chats, group threads that went quiet and conversations you're finished with all sit between you and the people you need to reply to. Archiving is Messenger's tidy-up button, and it's one I'd point any small-business owner or page admin towards before they reach for delete. Below are the steps from Messenger's help centre, where your archived chats go, how to get one back and what archiving does and doesn't change. Menus vary by app version, so if a label looks different on your phone, update the app first.
Archive chats on Messenger from a computer
The desktop route is the one Messenger's help centre spells out most clearly. It says archiving hides a conversation from your inbox until the next time you chat with that person.
- Open Messenger on the web or in the desktop app.
- Under Chats, hover over the conversation you want to tidy away.
- Click Options (the three dots).
- Click Archive chat.
The chat disappears from your list straight away. Nothing is deleted. The whole conversation is still stored and you can open it again whenever you like.
Archive chats on Messenger from your phone
On the Messenger app for iPhone and Android, the archive option sits in the options for a chat in your list. According to the help centre, you reach the options for a chat by pressing and holding it, or by swiping it, depending on your device. Pick Archive from the choices that appear. Because the menu wording changes between app versions, look for the word Archive rather than a particular icon.
If you can't see Archive at all, check that Messenger is up to date. My guide to updating Messenger on your phone covers that, and it solves a surprising number of missing-option problems.
Where archived Messenger chats go and how to find them
Archived chats don't vanish into the void. Messenger keeps them in a separate folder:
- On a computer: click Archive in the left-hand menu.
- On a phone: tap Menu, then tap Archive.
- Not sure which chat you hid? Search for the person's name in Messenger. Searching is often quicker than scrolling through the folder.
If you're trying to track down a person you can't find in your inbox at all, my walkthrough of how to find someone on Messenger is the better place to start.
How to unarchive a Messenger chat
There are two routes in the help centre. The first is to go to your Archive folder, hover over the chat, click Options and choose Unarchive chat. On a phone, the help centre says you can open the Archive folder from Menu and swipe the conversation or press and hold it to see the option.
The second route needs no folder at all. Search for the person on Messenger and send them a new message. The chat comes back into your inbox as soon as the conversation picks up again, and a new message from them does the same job.
One exception is worth knowing. Messenger's help centre says you can't unarchive a chat that was archived as part of upgrading it to end-to-end encryption. If an old chat seems stuck in that state, the help centre suggests starting a fresh conversation.
Messenger archive versus delete: which should you use?
People mix these up, and it matters because one of them can't be undone. Here's the difference as the help centre describes it:
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| Archive a Messenger chat | Delete a Messenger chat | |
|---|---|---|
| History | Kept in the Archive folder | Removed from your account |
| Can you get it back? | Yes, unarchive it or message the person again | No |
| Does the other person see a notice? | Not described in Messenger help | Not described in Messenger help |
| Best for | Tidying a busy inbox | Conversations you never need to see again |
My rule of thumb: archive anything that might matter later, such as a customer's delivery details or a supplier's quote, and only delete something you're certain you'll never want to refer back to.
Using Messenger archive to keep a small-business inbox calm
If you handle customer messages through Messenger, a few habits make the inbox easier to live with:
- Archive a chat once the job is finished, so your inbox only shows live conversations.
- Archive group chats from old projects instead of leaving them to ping you.
- If a chat is noisy but not finished, mute it rather than archive it. I explain how in my guide to muting someone on Messenger.
- Check the Archive folder now and then. A customer who messages again lands the old chat back in your inbox, so you'll want to know what was said last.
If you can't archive a Messenger chat or can't find an archived one
If archiving isn't working, work through these in order. First, update Messenger and restart the app. Second, try the same chat on a computer, because the desktop menu is the one the help centre describes in most detail. Third, make sure it's a chat you're trying to archive and not a message request, which you'll need to accept or remove first. If a chat has gone missing and it isn't in the Archive folder, search for the person's name before you assume it was deleted.
Archiving is a hiding tool, not a security tool. Anyone who can open your Messenger can open the Archive folder too, so don't treat it as a place to keep private conversations safe.
Frequently asked questions
How do I archive a chat on Messenger?
On a computer, hover over the chat under Chats, click Options and choose Archive chat. On a phone, open the options for the chat in your list and choose Archive. Menus vary by app version.
Does archiving a Messenger chat delete it?
No. Messenger's help centre says archiving hides the conversation from your inbox but keeps it, whereas deleting removes it.
Does the other person know I've archived their chat?
Messenger's help pages don't describe any notification being sent to them. Archiving only changes what you see in your own inbox.
How do I see my archived chats on Messenger?
On a computer, click Archive in the left menu. On a phone, tap Menu and then Archive.
Will an archived chat come back on its own?
Yes, according to the help centre, an archived conversation returns to your inbox the next time you chat with that person.
Can I unarchive a chat that was archived during an encryption upgrade?
The help centre says no. In that case, start a new conversation with the person.
