Receiving a new message in an archived chat is a common occurrence for many messaging app users. When this happens, it can bring up questions around whether the chat will remain archived or become unarchived. There are a few key factors that determine if an archived chat stays archived when getting a new message.
How Archiving Chats Works
First, it’s helpful to understand the basics of how archiving chats works in messaging apps. When you archive a chat, it removes the conversation from your main chat list or inbox. The chat itself is not deleted, but rather hidden from view. Archived chats are typically accessible in a separate archived chats list or archive folder.
Archiving a chat serves to tidy up your messaging interface by removing old or inactive conversations you don’t need regular access to, but still want to keep around. It declutters your chat list without permanently deleting conversations.
Receiving New Messages in Archived Chats
Despite a chat being archived, it is still possible for new incoming messages to come into the conversation. For example, an old friend or coworker may text you out of the blue in a chat you archived long ago. Or automated messages may be sent to an archived chat.
When this happens, the behavior varies across different messaging platforms in terms of whether the chat will remain archived or become unarchived.
Unarchiving on New Messages
Some messaging apps will automatically unarchive a chat when a new message comes in. This means the archived conversation will move back to your main chat list as an active, unarchived chat when receiving a new incoming message.
Messaging platforms that follow this behavior include WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Telegram, and Skype. The rationale is that a new message indicates the chat is now active again and deserves a place back in your main inbox.
Remaining Archived on New Messages
Alternatively, other messaging apps will keep a chat archived even when new messages arrive. The new messages will still be accessible in the archived conversation, but the chat itself remains archived and does not move back to the main chat list.
Apps like Signal, iMessage, and Microsoft Teams take this approach. The idea is to prevent unwanted conversations from reappearing in your inbox unless you manually unarchive them.
Implications of New Messages in Archived Chats
The way messaging platforms handle new messages in archived chats has several implications:
- On apps that unarchive, you may experience old chats reappearing in your inbox unexpectedly when new messages come in.
- You will need to re-archive chats on some apps after receiving new messages if you want to keep them archived.
- On apps that keep chats archived, you will need to check your archive folder for new incoming messages.
- Back-and-forth messaging is disrupted on platforms that require manually unarchiving to respond.
- Notification settings and behaviors may differ for archived chats receiving new messages.
The table below summarizes how popular messaging apps handle new messages in archived chats:
| Messaging App | Behavior with New Messages in Archived Chats |
|---|---|
| Unarchives | |
| Facebook Messenger | Unarchives |
| Telegram | Unarchives |
| Skype | Unarchives |
| Signal | Remains archived |
| iMessage | Remains archived |
| Microsoft Teams | Remains archived |
Archived Chat Backups
The behavior also applies to archived chat backups and synced archive histories across devices. If a new message arrives in an archived chat, it may become unarchived across your linked devices depending on the platform.
For example, if you archive a WhatsApp chat on your phone, but then receive a new message in that chat on your desktop, it will typically unarchive on both devices. The synced archive status overrides the individual device statuses.
Preventing Unwanted Unarchiving
If you want an archived chat to remain archived regardless of new messages on a platform like WhatsApp, there are some steps you can take:
- Mute notifications for the archived chat so new messages do not trigger a notification.
- Ignore and do not respond to any new messages received in the chat.
- After receiving a new message, immediately re-archive the chat.
- Block the contact who is messaging the archived chat.
- Delete the chat to prevent any new messages (you will lose the history).
However, the only foolproof way is to switch to a messaging app that keeps chats archived by default when receiving new messages.
Business and Support Chats
For business accounts and support chats, the best practice is to avoid archiving conversations that you still need access to for managing ongoing customer relationships and issues.
Use archiving for conversations that have been completely inactive for a long period and unlikely to require further support. Set up automated away messages for customers messaging archived chats.
User Preference and Control
Ultimately, there are reasonable arguments on both sides of whether archiving should stick when new messages arrive or not. It comes down to personal preference and expectations.
Giving users control over the behavior for each chat or app is ideal. Some platforms allow toggling a “Keep chat archived when receiving new messages” setting per chat or in the app settings. Empowering users with preferences is the best way forward.
Conclusion
To wrap up, whether archived chats remain archived or become unarchived upon receiving new messages depends on the messaging app and user settings. Understanding this behavior prepares you to manage expectations and handle new messages in archived chats effectively.
Key takeaways include:
- Apps like WhatsApp unarchive chats when new messages arrive, while Signal and iMessage keep chats archived.
- Unarchiving can cause unwanted conversations to reappear in your inbox.
- Check your archive folder for new messages if chats remain archived.
- You can manually re-archive chats after new messages to keep them archived.
- Preferences and settings for archiving behavior vary across platforms.
Knowing how your messaging apps handle archived chat backups with new messages helps you organize your inbox and keep archived conversations tidy. Archiving is a useful messaging management tool when configured thoughtfully.