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Telegram archived chats: how to find, unhide and unarchive them
Archived chats are in the “Archived Chats” folder above your chat list. If you can't see it, it is usually hidden: on iPhone, pull the chat list down; on Android, pull down or look for it in the side menu. Archiving never deletes anything — the chat and all its messages are intact.
To bring a chat back, open the archive and swipe the chat (or long-press it) and choose Unarchive.
What archiving does — and doesn't
- Moves the chat out of the main list. Nothing is deleted, and the other person isn't notified.
- Unmuted chats come back on their own. When a new message arrives in an archived chat that is not muted, Telegram returns it to the main list. Muted chats stay archived.
- It is per account, on every device. Archive a chat on the phone and it is archived on desktop too.
How to find the archive
| Device | Where the archive is |
|---|---|
| iPhone | At the top of the chat list. If hidden, pull the list down to reveal it. |
| Android | At the top of the chat list; if collapsed, pull down. Some versions also move it to the side menu. |
| Desktop | At the top of the chat list, or in the folder sidebar / main menu, depending on the version. |
Searching for the person or group by name also works — search covers archived chats.
How to archive, unarchive and hide
- Archive: swipe the chat to the left (or long-press → Archive).
- Unarchive: open the archive, swipe the chat or long-press → Unarchive.
- Hide or pin the archive itself: swipe the archive folder left (or long-press it) to collapse it or move it to the menu; swipe or long-press again to bring it back.
- Undo: right after archiving, Telegram shows “Undo” for a few seconds.
Chats that archive themselves
Settings → Privacy and Security has an option to automatically archive and mute new chats from people who aren't in your contacts. If it's on, first messages from strangers go straight to the archive, which is why a new conversation can seem to have “disappeared”. Turn it off if you'd rather see them in the main list.
If the chat is not in the archive either, it may sit in a folder you don't have open, be waiting for sync after a reinstall, or have been deleted — by you or by the other person. Where Telegram chats go missing walks through each case, and someone deleted your chat covers the last one.
When a chat is gone for real
Archived chats always come back; deleted ones don't. If the other person deletes the chat for both, Telegram keeps no copy. If you want your own copy of a conversation that doesn't depend on that, a bot connected through Telegram's chatbot section (“Edit” → “Chatbots” in your profile; Premium not needed) saves the messages of the private chats you choose as they arrive.
Common questions
Where are archived chats in Telegram?
In the “Archived Chats” folder at the top of the chat list. If it is hidden, pull the chat list down; on some Android versions it is in the side menu.
Does archiving a Telegram chat delete it?
No. Archiving only moves the chat out of the main list; all messages stay and the other person isn't notified.
Why do archived chats come back in Telegram?
An archived chat that isn't muted returns to the main list when a new message arrives. Mute it before archiving to keep it in the archive.
Why did a new chat go straight to the archive?
The setting to automatically archive and mute new chats from non-contacts is on. It is in Settings → Privacy and Security.
Next
Where Telegram chats go missing — archive, folders, sync and the one real loss.
Telegram Clear History — what clearing a chat really removes.
Accidentally deleted a Telegram chat — what can be recovered.