How to view archived chats on WhatsApp

Whatsapp is one of the most popular messaging apps in the world. Thanks to its ease of use and numerous features, users can communicate with friends and family around the world without any additional cost.

However, it can sometimes happen that important chats are accidentally archived on Whatsapp, making it difficult to access them again. In this article, we will show you how to view archived chats on Whatsapp on both Android and iOS.

How does chat archiving work on Whatsapp?

Before diving into the details of how to view archived chats on Whatsapp, it's important to understand how chat archiving works within the app.

When you archive a chat, it is hidden from the main screen of the app but remains saved on your device. This means you can access your archived chats at any time simply by searching for them or deselecting the "Hide Archived Chats" option from the app settings.

  • Note: Archiving a chat does not delete it from your device. If you want to permanently delete a chat, you will need to select the "Delete Chat" option.

What is chat archiving on WhatsApp?

WhatsApp is one of the most popular messaging applications in the world, with over 2 billion monthly active users. With so many conversations happening, it can be easy to lose track of important ones or feel overwhelmed by the amount of messages received every day.

To help users better manage their chats, WhatsApp introduced the feature of chat archiving. This option allows users to hide less important conversations from the main screen of the app without having to delete them permanently.

When you archive a chat on WhatsApp, it is moved to a separate section called "Archived Chats". These chats will not be displayed on the main screen of the app, but will still be accessible when needed. This way, users can keep their main screen clean and organized, focusing only on the chats that are truly important to them.

In addition, when you receive a new message from an archived chat, it will automatically reappear on the main screen of WhatsApp. This means that users will never miss an important message even if they have decided to archive the conversation previously.

  • Example: Let's say you have a work group on WhatsApp where you regularly discuss projects and deadlines with your colleagues. However, during the weekend, you don't need to receive notifications from this group. Instead of deleting the chat or turning off notifications every time you want to "disconnect", you can simply archive the chat and resume it when you're ready to get back to work.

All in all, archiving chats on WhatsApp is a great option for better managing less important conversations without having to delete them permanently. With this feature, users can keep their main screen clean and organized, focusing only on the chats that are truly important to them.

How to access archived chats

If you have archived a chat on WhatsApp and want to access it again, here's how:

Step 1: Scroll to the bottom of the chat screen

To access your archived chats, you need to scroll to the bottom of the chat screen. Here you will find the "Archived Chats" section. Tap this section to view all the chats that you have archived.

Step 2: Select the chat you want to restore

After tapping the "Archived Chats" section, you will see all the chats that you have archived. Scroll up or down to find the chat you want to restore and tap it to open it.

Step 3: Restore the chat

After opening the archived chat, you will see a banner at the top with the "Restore Chat" option. Tap this banner to restore the chat in your main chat screen.

Alternatively, you can also long-press on the archived chat and select "Restore" from the pop-up menu.

  • Important note: Once a chat is restored, it will be moved back to its original position on your chat screen and will no longer be present in the "Archived Chats" section.

Now you know how to access your archived chats on WhatsApp and restore an archived chat. This feature is useful if you accidentally archived a chat or simply want to bring it back to your main chat screen.

How to restore an archived chat

After learning how to view archived chats on WhatsApp, you may want to restore a conversation that was previously archived. Here are the steps to follow:

  1. Open WhatsApp and scroll down to find the "Archived Chats" section.
  2. Find the chat you want to restore and swipe right on it.
  3. Tap "Restore" to bring the chat back to your active conversations list.

If you prefer, you can also restore the chat directly from the main WhatsApp screen:

  1. Open WhatsApp and go to the main screen with all your chats.
  2. Scroll down to find the "Archived Chats" section.
  3. Find the chat you want to restore and long-press on it.
  4. Tap "Restore" to bring the chat back to your active conversations list.

Remember that when you restore an archived chat, it will be visible again in your main WhatsApp screen along with other active conversations. Additionally, if you had set custom notifications for that specific chat, they will be automatically re-enabled.

Now you know how to restore an archived chat on WhatsApp. All that's left is to try it out and see how it works!

Tips for managing chats on WhatsApp

WhatsApp has become an indispensable communication tool in daily life. However, with the large volume of messages we receive every day, it can become difficult to keep track of all conversations. Here are some useful tips for managing chats on WhatsApp:

1. Use the "Archive" function

The "Archive" function allows you to temporarily hide a chat without permanently deleting it. This way, you can keep your chat list clean and organized.

2. Label important chats

You can label important chats so that you can easily find them when you need them. To do this, press and hold the chat you want to label and select the "Label" option. You can choose from predefined labels or create your own custom label.

3. Use pinned messages

Pinned messages allow you to highlight an important message at the top of the chat. To pin a message, press and hold the message you want to pin and select the "Pin" option.

4. Organize chats into folders

You can organize your chats into folders to keep them separate based on their nature. For example, you can create a folder for work chats and one for personal chats. To do this, press and hold the chat you want to move and select the "Move to folder" option.

5. Use voice messages

Voice messages are a great option when you don't have time or feel like writing a long message. They can also be used when you're on the go or unable to type.

6. Set up notifications

You can set up notifications so that you only receive important ones. For example, you can choose to receive notifications only from chats labeled as important or from chats with pinned messages.

  • Remember to regularly archive chats to keep your list clean and organized;
  • Label important chats to easily find them;
  • Pin important messages at the top of the chat;
  • Organize your chats into folders;
  • Use voice messages when you don't have time or feel like writing;
  • Set up notifications to only receive important ones.

In summary, managing chats on WhatsApp can become easy if you follow some simple tips. Using the "Archive" function, labeling important chats, pinning essential messages, organizing chats into folders, using voice messages, and setting up notifications are just some of the things you can do to keep track of all your conversations.

Ruggero Lecce - Consulente senior di personal branding in Italia

Michael Anderson - Software Engineer

My name is Michael Anderson, and I work as a computer engineer in Midland, Texas.

My passion is sharing my knowledge in various areas, and my purpose is to make education accessible to everyone. I believe it is essential to explain complex concepts in a simple and interesting way.

With GlobalHowTo, I aim to motivate and enrich the minds of those who want to learn.