How to unarchive a WhatsApp chat on iPhone and Android
Archived chats sit in a row at the top of your chat list. One swipe or long press brings them back.
Photo by Dima Solomin on Unsplash
The fix
On iPhone
- 1
Open Chats and pull the list down.
- 2
Tap Archived.
- 3
Swipe left on the chat and tap Unarchive.
The fix
On Android
- 1
Tap Archived at the top of Chats.
- 2
Touch and hold the chat.
- 3
Tap the Unarchive icon at the top.
The fix
On WhatsApp Web or desktop
- 1
Click Archived above your chats.
- 2
Hover over the chat, click the arrow and choose Unarchive chat.
What archiving does in WhatsApp
Archiving moves a chat out of your main Chats list into a separate Archived folder. It does not delete messages, leave a group, block anyone or tell the other person. It is a tidy way to hide chats you do not need every day. By default, archived chats stay archived even when new messages arrive, so they are easy to forget.
Can't find the Archived folder?
The Archived row only shows when at least one chat is archived. On iPhone, it sits at the very top of Chats; if the list is scrolled down, pull it down to see the row. On Android, it is at the top of Chats as well, or at the bottom of the list on some older versions. If you still cannot find it, use the search bar at the top of Chats and type the person's name. Archived chats show up in search results, and you can open and unarchive them from there.
Unarchive a chat step by step on iPhone
- Open WhatsApp and tap Chats at the bottom.
- Tap Archived at the top of the list.
- Swipe left on the chat you want back.
- Tap Unarchive. The chat returns to your main list in date order.
To bring back several at once, tap Edit in the Archived list, select chats and tap Unarchive.
Unarchive a chat on Android
- Open WhatsApp and tap Archived at the top of Chats.
- Touch and hold the chat until it is selected. Tap more chats to select them too.
- Tap the Unarchive icon (a box with an up arrow) at the top of the screen.
Unarchive all chats at once
On Android, open WhatsApp and tap the three dots › Settings › Chats › Chat history › Unarchive all chats. On iPhone, the same option sits in Settings › Chats › Unarchive All Chats on many versions; if you do not see it, use Edit in the Archived folder and select them by hand.
Stop new messages staying archived
If you want archived chats to pop back into your main list when someone sends a new message, change this setting. Go to Settings › Chats and turn off Keep chats archived. From then on, a new message moves the chat back automatically. With the setting on, you will not get notifications for archived chats, which is why people often miss messages.
Unarchive groups, channels and communities
Groups work exactly like one-to-one chats: open Archived and unarchive them the same way. Archiving a group does not leave it, so you are still a member. Channels live in the Updates tab, not in Chats, and cannot be archived; you can mute or unfollow them instead. Communities show their announcement group in Chats, which can be archived like any group.
Unarchive on WhatsApp Web and desktop
On web.whatsapp.com or the desktop app, click Archived at the top of the chat list. Hover over a chat, click the small down arrow and choose Unarchive chat. Changes sync to your phone within a few seconds.
The chat is not in Archived or search
Then it was probably deleted, not archived. Deleted chats cannot be pulled back from inside WhatsApp, but you may restore them from a backup:
- On iPhone, WhatsApp backs up to iCloud. Check Settings › Chats › Chat Backup to see the date of the last backup.
- On Android, backups go to Google Drive or Google Account, with a local copy on some phones.
- To restore, you must delete and reinstall WhatsApp, verify your number and tap Restore. Messages received after the backup date will be lost, so think before you do it.
If backups are not working, see WhatsApp backup stuck. For deleted texts in the regular Messages app, read recover deleted texts on iPhone.
Archive vs mute vs lock
- Archive: hides the chat from the main list.
- Mute: keeps the chat in the list but silences notifications.
- Chat Lock: moves the chat to a Locked chats folder that needs Face ID, a fingerprint or a secret code.
If you want privacy, Chat Lock is stronger than archiving, since anyone using your phone can open Archived. Press and hold a chat (or open its info screen) and tap Lock chat.
Still not showing new messages?
If unarchived chats still do not notify you, check notification settings for WhatsApp on your phone and inside the chat. Our guide to WhatsApp notifications not working covers Focus modes, battery settings and muted chats.
Why chats seem to archive themselves
WhatsApp does not archive chats on its own. If chats keep moving to Archived, someone with access to your phone or a linked device archived them, or you swiped by accident. On iPhone, a short swipe left on a chat shows Archive, and a long swipe archives it right away. On Android, a swipe on a chat can be set to archive in Settings › Chats › Swipe actions on some versions. Check Linked devices in Settings too. A WhatsApp Web session on another computer can archive chats, and you should log out any session you do not recognize.
Hide the Archived row
If you like archiving but dislike the Archived row at the top, archive fewer chats or unarchive the ones you no longer need hidden. There is no setting to hide the row while chats are inside it. On Android, the row stays at the top of Chats; on iPhone it hides when you scroll down and appears again when you pull down.
Archived chats and backups
Archived chats are included in WhatsApp backups. When you move to a new phone and restore, they come back archived. If you switch between iPhone and Android, use WhatsApp's own transfer tool during setup, and archived chats travel with the rest. Our guides to moving from Android to iPhone and moving from iPhone to Android cover the full move.
Quick summary
Open Chats, tap Archived, then swipe left and tap Unarchive on iPhone, or press and hold and tap the Unarchive icon on Android. Turn off Keep chats archived if you want new messages to bring chats back by themselves.
Archive a chat again
To hide a chat again later, swipe left on it and tap Archive on iPhone, or press and hold it and tap the Archive icon on Android. On WhatsApp Web, hover over the chat, click the arrow and choose Archive chat. You can archive and unarchive as many times as you like, and nothing in the chat changes.
Pinned chats must be unpinned before you can archive them, and you can pin up to three chats at the top of your list.
Does the other person know you unarchived the chat?
No. Archiving and unarchiving only change how chats are sorted on your own phone. The other person gets no notice, and nothing changes on their side. Your messages, read receipts and last seen work exactly as before, whether the chat is in your main list or in the Archived folder.
If you manage WhatsApp Business, archived chats work the same way there, and the steps above apply without changes. Labels in WhatsApp Business are separate from archiving, so a labeled chat can still be archived or unarchived freely.
Archived chats and backups
Archived chats are included in WhatsApp's chat backup to iCloud or Google Drive like any other chat. If you restore WhatsApp on a new phone, they come back in the Archived folder. Archiving does not delete anything, so it is a safe way to tidy your chat list.
You can archive and unarchive as often as you like.
Frequently asked questions
I cannot see the Archived row. Where is it?
Scroll to the very top of Chats. On iPhone, pull the list down. If you have no archived chats, the row does not show.
Why do archived chats come back when they get a message?
Keep chats archived is off. Turn it on in Settings › Chats to keep them archived.
Where is the Archived folder in WhatsApp?
At the top of the Chats list. If you do not see it, scroll or pull down on the list. It only appears when at least one chat is archived.
Does archiving a chat delete it?
No. Archiving hides the chat from your main list. All messages and media stay, and the other person is not told.
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