Archive Messages in Facebook

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

By
Heinz Tschabitscher
Heinz Tschabitscher
Heinz Tschabitscher
Writer
  • University of Vienna
A former freelance contributor who has reviewed hundreds of email programs and services since 1997.
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Updated on February 19, 2021
Reviewed by
Jon Fisher
Jon Fisher headshot
Reviewed by Jon Fisher
  • Wichita Technical Institute
Jonathan Fisher is a CompTIA certified technologist with more than 6 years' experience writing for publications like TechNorms and Help Desk Geek.
lifewire's editorial guidelines

You may be more focused if the Facebook conversations you've read and handled don't linger in your message inbox. You can delete conversations. However, archiving messages hides them from your inbox until the next time you exchange messages with that person.

Archiving in Facebook Messenger moves a conversation to a separate folder to keep your inbox clean and organized.

Archive Facebook Conversations on Your Computer

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

  1. Select the Messenger icon in the upper-right corner of the Facebook screen.

    The Messenger icon

  2. Select See All in Messenger.

    If the message is open and displays at the bottom of Facebook, find the Open in Messenger option from the drop-down menu next to the user's profile image.

    The "See All in Messenger" command

  3. Select the three-dot menu that's visible when you hover the mouse pointer over the thread in the conversation you want to archive.

    The three-dot menu for a conversation in Messenger

  4. Choose Hide from the pop-up menu. The chosen conversation moves to your Hidden Chats folder.

    The Hide command for a conversation in Messenger

  5. To view the contents of the Hidden Chats folder, select the Settings gear at the top of the Messenger screen and choose Hidden Chats.

    "Hidden Chats" under the Settings menu in Messenger

If the conversation is unread, the sender's name appears in bold type in the Hidden Chats folder. If you previously viewed the conversation, the sender's name appears in regular type.

Archive 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. Open Messenger to the list of chat threads.

  2. On the conversation you want to archive, slide from right to left until you see a menu option.

  3. Select the three-lined menu.

  4. Tap Archive.

    The three-line menu and Archive commands in Messenger for iOS

Archive Using Facebook Messenger App for Android 

On Android mobile devices, tap and hold a conversation and choose Archive. If you don't see the conversation, go to the Chats tab from the bottom of the app, or use the back arrow in the upper-left corner of an open conversation.

Archiving a conversation in Messenger for Android

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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