WhatsApp’s archive feature allows you to organize your chats by removing old or unimportant conversations from your main chat list. Archived chats are hidden from view in your main chat list, but are still accessible if you need to view them again later.
What happens when you archive a chat?
When you archive a chat in WhatsApp, the following happens:
- The chat is removed from your main chat list and hidden from view.
- A small “Archived” tag appears next to the contact’s name if you search for them.
- You can still find and access archived chats by tapping on “Archived chats” at the top of your chat list.
- New messages from an archived chat will not show up in your main chat screen or give notifications.
- If an archived chat has new messages, the chat will appear bolded under “Archived chats.”
Archiving a chat does not delete any messages – it simply organizes your messages and removes old chats from view. Your entire chat history remains intact and can be accessed anytime.
How to tell if a chat is archived
There are a few easy ways to check if a WhatsApp chat has been archived:
- Look for the “Archived” tag – If you search for a contact, you’ll see the word “Archived” in grey next to their name if the chat has been archived.
- Check “Archived chats” – Open the “Archived chats” tab at the top of your chat list. If you see the chat under this tab, it’s been archived.
- Notice its absence – If a frequently used chat is missing from your main chat list, it may have been archived.
- No notifications – You will not get notifications from an archived chat.
If you’re unsure about a specific chat, you can always open “Archived chats” and look for it there.
How to view archived chats
Viewing your archived WhatsApp chats is easy:
- Open WhatsApp and tap on the “Archived chats” tab at the top of the chat list.
- This will show you a list of all your archived chats.
- Tap on any archived chat to open it and view the messages.
- You can scroll through, read, and send messages in the archived chat as normal.
- Once you’re done, just tap back to return to your archived chats list.
Your archived chats will remain archived even after viewing them. To unarchive a chat, tap and hold on it, then select “Unarchive chat.”
Why chats get archived
There are a few common reasons your WhatsApp chats may get archived automatically or manually:
- You archived them – You can archive chats you don’t frequently use or don’t need regular notifications from.
- Old chats – WhatsApp may archive older chats that have been inactive for a while.
- Too many chats – If you have over 100 chats, WhatsApp will start auto-archiving older chats to declutter your list.
- Large chats – Group chats with over 10,000 messages may get auto-archived.
- Spam/stranger chats – WhatsApp sometimes detects spam or chats with strangers and archives them.
You may also accidentally archive a chat by swiping it left or tapping the archive icon. If you’re unsure why a chat was archived, try unarchiving it first.
Unarchiving Chats
It’s easy to unarchive WhatsApp chats when you need them again:
- Open your “Archived chats” tab.
- Tap and hold on the chat you want to unarchive.
- Select “Unarchive chat” from the pop-up menu.
- The chat will be removed from your archived list and added back to your main chat list.
Unarchiving a chat also unmutes it, so you’ll get notifications from the chat again. You can re-archive chats at any time if needed.
Permanently deleting archived chats
If you no longer need an archived chat, you can permanently delete it:
- Open the “Archived chats” tab and tap on the chat.
- Tap on the contact name at the top of the chat screen.
- Tap “Delete chat” > “Delete chat” again to confirm.
This will permanently erase the chat and its message history. There is no way to recover deleted chats.
Alternatively, you can:
- Tap and hold the archived chat and choose “Delete chat.”
- From the chat list, swipe left on the archived chat and tap “Delete.”
Be careful when deleting chats, as the process can’t be undone!
Clearing all archived chats
You can delete all your archived WhatsApp chats at once with these steps:
- Go to WhatsApp Settings > Chats > Archived chats.
- Tap “Clear all chats.”
- Confirm that you want to delete all archived chats.
This will permanently erase the message history for all your archived conversations. Your Archived chats list will be empty after this.
Turning off auto-archive
WhatsApp’s auto-archive feature can occasionally archive chats you want to keep unarchived. Follow these steps to turn it off:
- Go to WhatsApp Settings > Chats.
- Tap “Keep chats archived.”
- Toggle the switch off next to “Archive unused chats.”
With auto-archive disabled, your chats will stay unarchived until you manually archive them. You can toggle auto-archive back on at any time.
Conclusion
Archiving chats in WhatsApp is a handy way to organize your messages and reduce clutter in your main chat screen. Remember:
- Archived chats have an “Archived” tag and appear under the Archived tab.
- You can view, unarchive or delete archived chats anytime.
- Turn off auto-archive if WhatsApp is archiving chats you want unarchived.
- Deleted archived chats are gone forever, so archive only when needed.
With its archive feature, WhatsApp gives you more control over managing your conversations – helping you keep your messaging experience focused and productive.