Collaboration tools have revolutionized modern teamwork. And Slack leads the pack – its intuitive chat interface making group conversations feel as seamless as messaging a friend.
But as useful as channels are for topic-based discussions, they can get cluttered over time. This is where archiving comes in.
This guide will cover:
- What archiving does to a Slack channel
- Step-by-step instructions with visuals
- Impact on apps, members and channel contents
- Best practices for archive vs delete decisions
- Answers to frequently asked questions
By the end, you‘ll have expert-level knowledge for archiving channels to organize conversations as your team‘s needs evolve.
Rising Popularity of Slack
Slack’s growth has been astounding. Since launching in 2013, it has:
- Reached over 12+ million daily active users
- Added around 1 million new users every year
- Gets used by 65 Fortune 100 companies
With this expansion comes more teams and channels. The average user is in 10 channels, switching between them over 150 times per day.
It’s no wonder channels can suffer information overload and lose relevancy over time.
Why Archive Instead of Delete?
Archiving removes the clutter of inactive channels while retaining the historical conversations.
Deletion erases conversations permanently. For teams that may need to reference old discussions, archiving strikes the right balance.
Common scenarios where archiving makes more sense:
- Project wrap-ups: Archive channels when initiatives complete but keep transcripts accessible
- Policy changes: Reference previous policy announcements without confusing new employees with obsolete channels
- Downsizing: Archive channels related to eliminated roles while keeping transcripts per compliance needs
In essence, archiving removes distractions yet preserves important context.
Now let‘s get into exactly how archiving changes channel behaviors.
How Archiving Changes Channel Functionality
Archiving essentially locks a channel into a read-only state while closing off any new activity.
Here is a breakdown of how archiving impacts various channel capabilities:
| Channel Capability | Before Archiving | After Archiving |
|---|---|---|
| Posting messages | :white_check_mark: Allowed | :x: Blocked |
| Uploading files | :white_check_mark: Allowed | :x: Blocked |
| Searching conversations | :white_check_mark: Available | :white_check_mark: Still available |
| Accessing shared files | :white_check_mark: Links work | :white_check_mark: Links still work |
| Channel visibility | Appears in channel list | Removed from channel list |
| Integrations & apps | :white_check_mark: Enabled | :x: Disabled |
| Unarchiving | N/A | :white_check_mark: Can be reversed |
Some key behaviors to note:
- Visibility is limited but conversations remain intact. Members can still search archives.
- Associated apps get disabled – this can impact searchability in some tools.
- Contents get restored if channel is ever unarchived.
Now let‘s walk through how to archive channels across desktop and mobile apps.
Step-by-Step Guides to Archiving
Slack makes archiving straightforward across interfaces but the menus can vary slightly.
Here are visual guides to archiving channels on each platform:
Archiving on Desktop
As an example, we will archive the #general channel by:
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Clicking the channel name in the left pane:
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Choosing the Settings option:
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Scrolling down and clicking Archive Channel:
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Confirming we want to proceed with archiving:
And we have now successfully archived #general!
The channel disappears from the channel browser once archived. But we can still search archives or view via "Archived channels" filter.
Now let’s look at the steps for mobile…
Archiving on Android
Picking up where we left off, here is how to archive a channel in the Android app:
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Tap to open the channel from the channel list:
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Select the overflow menu next to channel name:
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Choose the Archive channel option:
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Confirm archiving in the pop-up message:
Just like desktop, the channel now disappears from the main channel list view once archived.
Finally, let‘s tackle archiving methods in iOS…
Archiving in iOS
iOS devices use a similar overall process:
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Open the channel from the channel browser:
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Tap horizontal ellipses to access "More Options":
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Choose Archive from the bottom:
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Confirm archiving in the prompt:
And that takes care of archiving channels across all major desktop and mobile platforms!
Now that we’ve covered the mechanics, let’s discuss the wider impact of archiving channels…
Implications of Archiving Channels
Beyond limiting visibility and postability, archiving has some nuanced ripple effects on channels worth noting:
External member removal: When public channels get archived, any guests or external partners added directly instead of via a channel invite link get removed.
App disablement: Associated apps installed in channels also get disabled on archiving to prevent any access security issues. For instance, a third-party payment app wouldn‘t want continued visibility if financial matters get discussed.
Archiving essentially seals data access since new messages get cut off. These provisions help secure existing conversations.
Best Practices for Channel Lifecycle Management
Archiving is powerful for preserving conversations of obsolete channels otherwise just collecting dust.
But other options like deleting or muting serve needs as well. How do you know when to use each tactic?
Here is a general decision tree to follow:
A few signatures of when each approach makes most sense:
Archive channels when:
- Reference value in message history
- External dependencies like integrations
- Compliance needs on retaining transcripts
Mute channels that are:
- Relevant but temporarily less active
- Creating distracting notifications
Delete channels in these cases:
- No integration dependencies exist
- Test/dummy channels with no real usage
- Channels created accidentally
The key is recognizing your long term intentions for resurrecting a channel’s conversations.
Archiving is ideal for removing short-term noise while preserving future access needs.
Common Questions About Archiving
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions around archiving channels:
Can anyone view an archived channel’s history?
It depends on if you had access to view the non-archived channel. For public channels, anyone in the workspace can view archives. For private channels, you must have been a member pre-archive.
What if archiving options don’t appear for me?
If settings seem unavailable, you may lack admin rights or have left the channel at some point removing your permissions. Contact a workspace admin who can restore member status.
Who can restore an archived channel?
Any member can choose to unarchive a channel through desktop and mobile clients, restoring full posting and visibility. However, admins do have overriding abilities.
Key Takeaways
Managing overflowing channels is tricky amidst rapidly evolving team priorities.
Archiving lets you remove short-term noise without sacrificing any historical context and conversations should teams need to reference them again in future.
To recap, archiving:
- Stops ability to post new messages or upload files
- Removes channel from main visibility but access to history still there
- Disables associated app integrations that may pose security risks
- Allows unarchiving to fully restore channel at any future point
So next time your channels start piling up, leverage archiving to preserve what matters without the continuous distractions!
Let me know if any other Slack channel questions come up!
