How to See Archived Messages on Messenger (Phone and Computer)

You tidied your Messenger inbox a few weeks ago, and now you need that one conversation back: the quote a supplier sent, the address a friend gave you, the thread with a client. Nothing is lost. Archiving only hides a chat, and Messenger's help pages explain how to find it again. Below are the steps for the phone app, messenger.com and Facebook on a computer, plus the bit that catches most people out.

What archived messages on Messenger really are

Messenger's help pages put it simply: archiving a chat hides it from your inbox until the next time you chat with that person. It isn't the same as deleting a chat, and you can view or unarchive archived chats anytime. So if a conversation has vanished, it's very likely archived, not gone.

That's different from deleting. On the Facebook version of the help page, deleting a chat is described as permanent, with no way to undelete it. If you're ever in doubt about which you did, check the archive before you assume the worst.

See archived messages on the Messenger phone app

The steps for iPhone and Android, according to Messenger's help pages, are short:

1. Open Messenger and tap Menu.
2. Tap Archive.
3. Scroll to find the conversation you want and tap it to read it.

Every archived conversation is listed there. The help page notes that opening a chat from the archive won't unarchive it, which is useful to know if you only want to read something and leave your inbox tidy.

Search for one archived chat in the Messenger app

If you've archived plenty of chats and don't fancy scrolling, use search instead. Messenger's help pages give these steps:

1. From Chats, tap Search at the top.
2. Type the person's name in the search bar.
3. Tap the person's name to open the conversation.

It's the quickest route if you remember who you were talking to. If you can't remember the person's name, the archive list is the better bet. And if you've never chatted with someone and want to start, my guide to finding someone on Messenger covers searching for new people.

See archived chats on messenger.com

On the website, Messenger's help pages describe it this way. In the left menu, click Archive. To find one conversation, click the search bar at the top, type the person's name and click the name to open the chat. It mirrors the phone app, just with clicks instead of taps.

See archived chats if you use Messenger inside Facebook

If you chat on facebook.com rather than the Messenger app, there's a separate help article, and the route is a little different. It says to do the following:

1. On Facebook, click Messenger in the left menu.
2. Next to Chats, at the top left, click Options.
3. Click Archived chats to see all of them.
4. To bring one back, hover over the chat, click Options, then click Unarchive chat.

The Facebook help page also says you can search for a specific archived or hidden chat. Wording can vary with the version of Facebook you're using, so if a label differs, look for Options next to Chats.

How to unarchive a Messenger chat

Here's the detail people miss. According to Messenger's help pages, you can unarchive a chat on Messenger by sending the person a new message. Opening a conversation will not unarchive it. On Facebook on a computer, there's also the Unarchive chat option described above.

The Facebook help page adds one more rule: if the same person sends you a new message, the archived chat reappears in your inbox and the new message is added to it. So if somebody replies to you, the thread comes back by itself.

Say a customer messages you a week after you tidied their thread away. You don't need to go digging. The old conversation simply comes back into your inbox with the new message in it, so your history with that person is still one tap away.

If you want the other direction, my guide to archiving chats on Messenger shows how to hide a chat in the first place.

Archived Messenger chat missing? Things to check

• Look in the right place. Archived chats live under Menu and then Archive on the phone, and under Archive in the left menu on messenger.com.
• Search by name. The search route also finds conversations that aren't in your inbox.
• Check you didn't delete it. Messenger's help pages say archiving isn't deleting, but a deleted chat's history is removed from your inbox.
• Check which place you chatted in. Messages in the Messenger app and in Facebook chat use different help pages, so try both routes.

If none of that finds it, use the report option in the Messenger Help Centre to tell Messenger about the problem. I wouldn't promise a deleted chat can come back, because Messenger's help pages say deleting is permanent on Facebook.

Using archive to keep a business inbox tidy

If you handle customer enquiries on Messenger, archiving is a decent way to clear finished conversations without losing them. A small routine helps: archive a chat once the enquiry is dealt with, and search by name when a customer comes back. Because a new message from the customer brings the chat back, you won't need to remember to unarchive anyone.

For the rest of the series, see the Facebook Help: 80 Guides to Pages, Groups, Ads, Stories and Fixes.

Frequently asked questions

How do I see archived messages on Messenger?

On the phone app, tap Menu, then Archive. On messenger.com, click Archive in the left menu.

How do I find one archived chat on Messenger?

From Chats, tap Search at the top, type the person's name and tap their name to open the conversation.

Does opening an archived chat unarchive it?

No. Messenger's help pages say opening a conversation will not unarchive it. Send the person a new message to unarchive it.

How do I see archived chats on Facebook?

Click Messenger, click Options next to Chats, then click Archived chats. Hover over a chat and click Options, then Unarchive chat to bring it back.

Is archiving the same as deleting a Messenger chat?

No. Archiving hides the chat until the next time you chat with that person, and you can view or unarchive it anytime.

What happens if someone messages me in an archived chat?

Facebook's help pages say the archived chat reappears in your inbox with the new message added.