WhatsApp has become one of the most popular messaging apps with over 2 billion users worldwide. One of the handy features of WhatsApp is the ability to archive chats that you don’t want cluttering up your main chat screen. When you archive a chat, it gets removed from the main chat list and goes into the Archived Chats folder. This clears up space and makes it easier to find your recent conversations.
What happens when you archive a chat on WhatsApp?
Archiving a chat on WhatsApp simply removes it from your main chat list. The archived chats do not get deleted, they are just tucked away in the Archived Chats folder. You can access them anytime by tapping on the Archived Chats folder. Some key things to note about archived WhatsApp chats:
- Archived chats will not send you any new notifications.
- If someone sends a message to an archived chat, the archive will not automatically unarchive.
- You can mute archived chats to disable notifications.
- Archived chats can still be searched.
- Calls and messages from archived chats are still end-to-end encrypted.
Are archived chats muted by default?
No, archiving a chat on WhatsApp does not mute notifications from that chat by default. When you archive a chat, you will stop receiving notifications for any new messages in that chat. But the chat is not muted.
This means if someone were to message you on an archived chat, you would not get notified about the new message. But if you open the archived chat, you will still see the new messages. There is no mute applied.
Muting is a separate action that you can take to disable notifications from a chat. Archiving alone does not mute or block notifications.
How to mute an archived chat on WhatsApp
If you want to mute an archived chat in addition to archiving, here are the steps to do it on Android and iOS:
On Android:
- Open the WhatsApp app and tap on the Archived chats folder.
- Tap and hold on the archived chat you want to mute.
- Tap on ‘Mute’ from the pop-up menu.
- Select the duration for which you want to mute the chat.
- The chat will now be archived as well as muted.
On iPhone:
- Open WhatsApp and go to the Archived chats folder.
- Swipe left on the chat you want to mute and tap on ‘More’.
- Tap on ‘Mute’ and select the mute duration.
- The chat will be archived and muted.
Once muted, you will not get any notifications from that archived chat for the duration that you select. This allows you to archive as well as mute conversations that you don’t need regular notifications from.
Does muting an archived chat unarchive it?
No, muting an already archived chat will not unarchive it. The chat will remain archived in the Archived Chats folder. Muting simply turns off notifications from the chat in addition to it being archived.
Unarchiving is a separate action that you will have to explicitly take if you want the chat back in your main chat list. Muting does not affect the archived status of the chat.
Can archived chats be unarchived?
Yes, WhatsApp gives you full control to archive and unarchive chats as needed. If you want to access an archived chat again, just follow these steps:
On Android:
- Open Archived chats folder.
- Tap and hold the chat you want to unarchive.
- Tap on ‘Unarchive’ in the pop-up menu.
- The chat will now show up in your Chats tab again.
On iPhone:
- Go to Archived chats.
- Swipe left on the chat to unarchive.
- Tap on ‘Unarchive’.
- The chat will be removed from Archive and shown in Chats.
Unarchiving brings the chat back into your main chats list and you will start getting notifications from incoming messages again.
Can you search archived chats on WhatsApp?
Yes, you can still search archived chats on WhatsApp using the search bar at the top. When you search for a term or phrase, it will look through your archived chats as well as regular chats.
So archiving does not prevent a chat from being searchable. This comes handy when you want to look up an old message or media from an archived conversation.
Do archived chats take up phone storage space?
Archived WhatsApp chats continue taking up your phone’s storage space even when archived. Archiving removes the chat from your main view but the messages, files, images etc. exchanged remain saved on your device.
So over time, keeping too many chats archived can eat into your phone’s storage capacity. It is best to periodically clean up old archived chats that you no longer need.
How to delete archived WhatsApp chats
To free up space, you can delete archived WhatsApp chats that you do not need anymore. Here is how to delete archived chats:
On Android
- Open Archived chats folder.
- Tap and hold the chat you want to delete.
- Tap on ‘Delete’ from the menu.
- Confirm deletion in the pop-up prompt.
On iPhone
- Go to Archived chats folder.
- Swipe left on the chat to delete.
- Tap on Delete to confirm.
The above will permanently delete the chat and all its contents from your phone’s storage. You can also delete archived media if you just want to delete large files and media.
Can you backup archived WhatsApp chats?
Yes, archived WhatsApp chats can also be backed up to Google Drive or iCloud along with your regular chats. WhatsApp takes daily backups that include your archived chats as well.
So even if you delete an archived chat, you can restore it later from a backup as long as the backup was taken before you deleted the chat.
Backups give you a way to retrieve old archived chats even after you delete them from your phone’s storage.
Conclusion
To summarize:
- Archiving a WhatsApp chat just removes it from your main chat list.
- Archived chats are not muted by default.
- You can mute archived chats separately if needed.
- Muting does not unarchive a chat.
- Archived chats can be unarchived back into main chat list.
- Archived chats remain searchable.
- Archived chats continue occupying phone storage space.
- You can delete archived chats to free up space.
- Archived chats also get backed up like regular chats.
Overall, archiving gives you a neat way to organize your WhatsApp chats by removing less important conversations from the main view. Just be mindful of the storage space occupied by archived chats and clean them up when needed.
Archived chats give you more control over your WhatsApp inbox without actually deleting conversations. Use archiving and muting together to manage notifications and organize your WhatsApp chats like a pro!
I hope this detailed overview helps explain how archiving works in WhatsApp. Let me know if you have any other questions!
| Archived Chat Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Notifications | You will not get notifications for new messages in archived chats. |
| Mute | You can mute archived chats separately to disable notifications. |
| Unarchiving | Archived chats can be unarchived back to main chat list. |
| Search | Archived chats remain searchable on WhatsApp. |
| Storage | Archived chats continue occupying phone storage space. |
| Backups | Archived chats get included in WhatsApp backups. |
Why do people archive chats on WhatsApp?
Here are some common reasons why WhatsApp users archive chats:
- To clear up the main chat list and remove old or unimportant conversations from the view.
- To reduce clutter and make recent chats easier to access.
- To mute conversations that you don’t need regular notifications from.
- To organize chats when you have too many – archive some while keeping others active.
- To temporarily remove chats that you don’t use frequently but might need later.
- To keep work, personal, family chats separate by archiving some categories.
In essence, archiving helps declutter your inbox and manage notifications from chats you find less relevant. It serves as a way to organize and manage your WhatsApp conversations.
How archived chats are different from deleted chats
| Feature | Archived Chats | Deleted Chats |
|---|---|---|
| Visibility | Remain accessible in Archived folder | Permanently deleted and inaccessible |
| Storage | Still occupy phone storage | Removed from phone storage |
| Notifications | Notifications muted | No notifications |
| Recovery | Can be unarchived | Can only be recovered from backup |
In short, archived chats can be retrieved easily while deleted chats are gone forever unless you have a previously saved backup.
Tips for managing archived WhatsApp chats
Here are some tips to effectively use WhatsApp archived chats:
- Review archived chats every few weeks and unarchive ones you need.
- Mute less important archived chats to disable notifications.
- Search archived chats to find old messages when needed.
- Delete large groups & media from archived chats to free up space.
- Back up your chats including archives in case you ever need to restore.
- Unarchive inactive chats if you haven’t messaged in a long time.
- Name your archived chat folders for easy identification.
Following these tips will help you stay on top of your archived chats and prevent losing track of important conversations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I recover a chat after archiving on WhatsApp?
Yes, archived chats can easily be recovered. Just go to Archived Chats, tap and hold the chat, and choose ‘Unarchive’. This will restore the chat to your main chat list.
Do my archived chats take up storage space on my phone?
Yes, archived WhatsApp chats continue occupying storage space on your phone even when archived. The media and files exchanged remain stored.
Can I find my archived chats when I search in WhatsApp?
Yes, WhatsApp search looks through archived chats in addition to your regular chats. So you can still find old messages from archived chats.
Is there any limit to how long I can keep a chat archived on WhatsApp?
No, there is no limit to how long a chat can remain archived in WhatsApp. You can keep chats archived indefinitely.
Will my archived chats backup to Google Drive or iCloud?
Yes, WhatsApp takes regular backups that include your archived chats. So archived chats also get backed up.
Conclusion
To wrap up, archiving chats on WhatsApp is a handy way to organize your conversations by removing clutter from the main chat screen. Archived chats remain accessible, can be muted, searched, and backed up if needed. Be mindful of the storage space occupied by archived chats and clean them up when required. Use archiving as a tool to declutter your WhatsApp inbox and manage notifications from less important chats.