WhatsApp allows users to archive chats that they don’t want showing up in the main chat list. Archived chats are hidden, but can be easily unarchived when needed. Here are the steps to unarchive a chat on WhatsApp:
Unarchiving an Individual Chat
1. Open WhatsApp and go to the Chats tab.
2. Tap on the menu icon in the top right corner (the 3 dots).
3. Select “Archived chats” from the menu.
4. This will open your list of archived chats. Tap on the chat you want to unarchive.
5. This will open the chat. Tap on “Unarchive” at the top of the screen.
6. The chat will now be unarchived and moved back to your main Chats list.
Unarchiving All Chats
You can also choose to unarchive all chats at once with just a few taps:
1. Open the Archived chats list as shown above.
2. Tap on the menu icon at the top right corner.
3. Select “Unarchive all chats” from the menu.
4. Confirm that you want to unarchive all chats.
5. All your archived chats will now be unarchived and visible in your main chat list.
Why Chats Get Archived
There are a few reasons why chats get automatically archived in WhatsApp:
- When you don’t open a chat for over 6 months, it gets archived.
- If you delete a chat, it will get archived instead of being permanently deleted.
- Chats with phone numbers not in your contacts list get archived after 24 hours.
Archived chats don’t send notifications and their media is cleared from your phone storage. This helps optimize your phone’s storage and prevents unimportant chats from cluttering up your inbox.
Permanently Deleting Archived Chats
If you want to permanently delete an archived chat instead of simply unarchiving it, here are the steps:
1. Go to Archived Chats and tap and hold on the chat you want to delete.
2. Select “Delete” from the menu.
3. Confirm that you want to delete the chat.
4. The chat will now be permanently deleted from your WhatsApp account.
Prevent Chats from Being Archived
You can prevent a chat from being automatically archived by WhatsApp by pinning it. Here’s how:
1. Open the chat you want to pin.
2. Tap on the contact’s name at the top.
3. Select “Pin chat” from the menu.
4. The chat will now remain at the top of your chat list and not get archived.
Conclusion
Archiving chats is a useful way to organize your WhatsApp inbox and reduce clutter. When you need to access an archived chat again, just go to the Archived chats list, select the chat, and tap Unarchive. You can also unarchive all chats at once. Remember archiving is not the same as deleting – arched chats can easily be retrieved.
To permanently remove a chat, delete it from the Archived chats list. Pinning important chats can prevent them from being automatically archived by WhatsApp.
Following these steps allows you to efficiently manage archiving and unarchiving chats on WhatsApp.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does archiving a chat delete it?
No, archiving a chat does not delete it. Archived chats are hidden from the main chat list, but are stored on your phone and can be unarchived at any time.
Can I recover a deleted chat on WhatsApp?
Unfortunately, you cannot recover a chat if you have deleted it permanently from WhatsApp. However, any chat you simply archive can be recovered from the Archived chats list.
Do my archived chats take up phone storage space?
Archived chats do not take up space on your phone. Media from archived chats is removed from your phone’s storage. The text content remains on your device but does not use meaningful storage space.
Will my archived chats be deleted after a certain time?
WhatsApp does not automatically delete archived chats after any duration. Archived chats will remain stored indefinitely unless you manually delete them or your account itself is deleted.
Can I find out when a chat was archived?
Unfortunately there is no feature on WhatsApp to see the exact date and time when a particular chat was archived. You only know it was archived at some point before you viewed it in Archived chats.
Tips for Managing Archived Chats
Here are some useful tips to efficiently utilize archiving on WhatsApp:
- Archive stale chats from people you haven’t contacted in a long time to reduce clutter.
- Remember archiving is not permanent – sensitive chats should be deleted instead.
- Pin important chats so they don’t get archived automatically after 6 months of inactivity.
- Search for archived media or info by unarchiving a chat whenever needed.
- Periodically review archived chats in case any need to be deleted or unarchived.
- Make use of WhatsApp’s storage manager to identify and clear large archived media.
- Archive or delete group chats you are no longer part of to organize your inbox.
- Archive customer service chats once your issue is resolved for a cleaner chat list.
Archiving Chats on WhatsApp Business
WhatsApp Business accounts have additional options for managing archived chats:
- Auto-archive inactive chats – Automatically archive chats with no activity after a set number of days.
- Chat archive settings – Configure after how many days of inactivity to auto-archive chats.
- Send autoreply to archived chats – Automatically send a custom message when you archive a chat.
These settings allow businesses on WhatsApp to efficiently manage interactions with customers at scale. Auto-archiving stale chats and setting up custom autoreplies helps streamline workflows.
Troubleshooting Archived Chats
Problem: Archived chats disappearing
If your archived WhatsApp chats are disappearing, here are some things to check:
- Accidentally deleted – You may have permanently deleted the chats instead of just archiving.
- Changed phones – Archived chats do not transfer over when changing phones.
- Reinstalled WhatsApp – Reinstalling the app causes archived chats to be lost.
- Chat backup failed – An unsuccessful backup restore can cause archived chats to disappear.
- Third-party app issues – Some corrupted third party apps may delete archived chats.
Unfortunately if the chats are already gone, there is no way to retrieve them. To avoid this issue, backup chats regularly and avoid deleting them.
Problem: Archived chats reappearing
If your archived chats keep unarchiving themselves, here are some troubleshooting tips:
- Chat was pinned – Pinned chats cannot stay archived.
- Default archive settings changed – Auto-unarchive may have been enabled.
- Chat was marked as important – Important chats override archive settings.
- New message came in chat – Any new message unarchives a chat.
- Syncing issue – Syncing the chat archive across devices may unarchive some.
Check your WhatsApp settings to disable any auto-unarchiving options. You can also unpin chats before archiving them to avoid this issue.
WhatsApp Archiving Related Information
Number of Archived Chats Allowed
WhatsApp does not impose any limit on the number of chats you can archive. You can archive as many chats as you want and access them anytime in the Archived chats list.
Maximum Time Limit for Archived Chat
There is no maximum time limit after which archived WhatsApp chats get deleted automatically. Archived chats remain saved in your account indefinitely unless you manually delete them.
Archived Chats Data Usage
Archived chats do not count towards your WhatsApp data usage. Media from archived chats is removed from your phone storage, so it does not consume any internet data.
Exporting Archived Chats
WhatsApp does not have a direct option to export archived chats. You can export all your WhatsApp chats using the Email chat history or Export chat options. The exported file will contain archived chats as well.
Location of Archived Chats
Archived WhatsApp chats are stored in your phone’s local database. The chat text remains while media is removed after archiving. You need to have the chats backed up to restore them if switching devices.
Archived Chats in Google Drive Backup
WhatsApp chat backups saved to Google Drive do contain your archived chats. If you restore your backup after reinstalling WhatsApp or getting a new phone, archived chats will return.
Archived Chats in iCloud Backup
For iOS users, WhatsApp backups in iCloud also include archived chats. Any iCloud backup you restore will bring back archived chats that were present at the time of the backup.
WhatsApp Archiving vs Backup
| Feature | Archiving | Backup |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Hide chats without deleting | Create copy of chats in external storage |
| Chats affected | Individual chats you select | All chats backed up |
| Location | On device storage | Google Drive / iCloud |
| Media stored | No, media removed | Yes, media included |
| Restoration | Simple unarchiving | Full restore from backup required |
In summary, archiving removes chats from the main view while backup creates a copy of chats and media in external storage. Both help preserve your chat history but in different ways.
Conclusion
Archiving chats is a handy organization tool WhatsApp provides its billion+ users worldwide. By learning how to properly archive and unarchive chats, you can reduce inbox clutter and keep only active conversations in view.
Make sure to backup your chats regularly as archived chats cannot be retrieved if lost. Avoid permanent chat deletions unless truly needed. With the proper archiving habits, you can strike the perfect balance between chat accessibility and inbox clutter.