Do you feel like your chat list is constantly cluttered and overwhelming? Don't worry; we've got the perfect solution for you: archiving your chats.

With just a few simple steps, you can easily hide those pesky chats from your main chat list and store them in a separate "Archived" folder. Unlike deleting a chat, which permanently removes it from your chat list, archiving a conversation on WhatsApp hides it from your main chat list and stores it in a separate "Archived Chats" folder. This way, you can easily access the chat again by unarchiving it. 

Archiving spammy group chats help you stay focused, as you only get notifications if someone mentions or tags you in a message. If you wish to further improve your focus, try Cooby and give undivided attention to every chat that matters.

Get started with Cooby for free

How to archive WhatsApp chats on iPhone

Follow these steps to archive WhatsApp chats in an iOS device.

  1. Open the chat you want to archive.
  2. Swipe left on the chat.
  3. Tap on the "Archive" button.
  4. Your chat is now archived and out of sight.

The above steps will archive selected chats and groups. However, they might not remain archived if a new message arrives in such chats and groups. To keep them archived even after a new message comes in, follow these steps: 

  1. Open WhatsApp on your device. 
  2. Click on the three-dots menu from the top right corner of your screen. 
  3. Tap on Settings. 
  4. Select the Chats option to go to chats settings. 
  5. Turn the toggle on for Keep Chats Archived.

How to archive WhatsApp chats on an Android device

Archiving chats on WhatsApp is a great way to declutter your chat list and keep important conversations easily accessible. Here's how to do it:

  1. Open WhatsApp and go to the chat you want to archive.
  2. Tap and hold the chat until a menu appears.
  3. Tap the "Archive" option in the menu.

That's it! The above steps will move selected chats to the "Archived chats" section in the chats list.

How to find archived WhatsApp chats

After archiving WhatsApp chats on your device, you will see a tab named Archived on the device

If you've turned on the toggle for Keep Chats Archived, the archived tab will appear on the top of the Chats tab. However, if the toggle is turned off, the archived tab will appear at the bottom of your screen.

Let's see how to find archived chats in WhatsApp step-by-step: 

  1. Launch WhatsApp on your device. 
  2. From WhatsApp's Chats tab, find and tap Archived on the screen's top or bottom pane.
  3. You'll find the list of all archived chats.

When you go to the Archived tab, you will find a message on the top, saying, "These chats stay (un/)archived when new messages are received. Tap to change." You can click on the message to get directed to the Chats settings, where you can turn on or off the toggle for Keep Chats Archived

How to unarchive chats in WhatsApp

Follow the steps below to see and unarchive WhatsApp chats.

For Android:

  1. Open WhatsApp on your phone.
  2. Tap on the "Chats" tab located at the top of the screen.
  3. Scroll down to the top of your chat list.
  4. Tap on "Archived."
  5. Tap and hold the chat to see the unarchive option.
  6. Press "Unarchive" to move chats to your inbox.

For iOS (iPhone):

  1. Open WhatsApp on your phone.
  2. Tap on the "Chats" tab located at the bottom of the screen.
  3. Tap "Archived" on the top of your screen.
  4. Tap and hold the group or individual chat you want to unarchive.
  5. Tap "unarchive" to bring the chat back to your inbox.

Toward enhanced focus

Minimize WhatsApp's clutter by archiving chats and groups you hardly interact with. Stay focused on conversations that matter the most in your personal or professional life. Many WhatsApp users prefer using Cooby to organize their inboxes and maintain undivided attention while using the messaging platform.

Cooby empowers WhatsApp users with several capabilities, like starting a chat without saving numbers, setting reminders, and many more. 

Learn more about how Cooby supercharges WhatsApp for better efficiency and productivity.

"Cooby created a massive impact on our business. Our teams became more efficient and effective in managing clients on WhatsApp."

Pascal Lammers
Head of Digitization, Mission Mittelstand GmbH

About the author

Sagar Joshi
Content Marketing Manager at Cooby

Sagar Joshi strongly believes that content marketing is a way of helping people. It motivates him to write well-researched content pieces on sales, marketing, and customer experience. In his free time, you can find him reading a book, learning a new language, or playing badminton.

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