Archive Messages in Facebook

Archived messages are out of sight, out of mind — until you need them

by
Heinz Tschabitscher
Heinz Tschabitscher
Writer
A former freelance contributor who has reviewed hundreds of email programs and services since 1997.
our editorial process
Heinz Tschabitscher
Updated on April 14, 2020

Chances are you will be more focused if Facebook conversations you have read and handled do not linger in your message inbox. Of course, you can delete conversations, but archiving them hides them from your inbox until the next time you exchange messages with that person.

Archiving is particularly easy in Facebook Messages. It moves a conversation to a separate folder to keep your inbox clean and you organized.

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Archiving Facebook Conversations on Your Computer

In a computer browser, you archive Facebook conversations on the Messenger screen. There are a couple of ways to get there.

  • Select the Messages icon in the top-right corner of your Facebook screen. At the bottom of the window that opens and displays recent message conversations, press See All in Messenger, or...
  • Select the Options Gear at the top of an individual open conversation, and choose Open in Messenger.

After you have the Messenger screen open, you're just a couple of clicks away from archiving a conversation. In the Messages screen:

  1. Select the Settings Gear next to the conversation you want to archive.

  2. Choose Archive from the popup menu.

The chosen conversation is moved to your Archived Threads folder. To view the contents of the Archived Threads folder, select the Settings Gear at the top of the Messenger screen, and choose Archived Threads from the popup menu. If the conversation is unread, the sender's name appears in bold type in the Archived Threads folder. If you previously viewed the conversation, the sender's name appears in regular type.

Archiving Using Facebook Messenger App for iOS

On mobile devices, the iOS Messenger app is separate from the Facebook app. Both are free downloads for your iPhone or iPad. To archive a conversation in the Messenger app for iOS devices:

  1. Tap the Messenger app on the Home screen.

  2. Tap the Home icon at the bottom of the screen to display the conversations.

  3. Scroll through the conversation list to find the one you want to delete.

  4. Lightly tap and hold the conversation. Do not use Force Touch.

  5. Select More in the screen that opens.

  6. Tap Archive.

Archiving Using Facebook Messenger App for Android 

On Android mobile devices:

  1. Open the Messenger app.

  2. Tap the Home icon to see your conversations.

  3. Press and hold on the conversation you want to archive.

  4. Tap Archive.

To find an archived conversation, enter the individual's name in the search bar at the top of the Messenger app screen. 

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