See the complete route index at https://docs.crusible.dev/llms.txt before following links.

# Archive a channel

Archive a finished channel to take it out of everyone's channel list, keep its conversation readable, and unarchive it when work resumes.

<!-- https://docs.crusible.dev/guides/archive-a-channel/ · doctype: how-to · role: member · reviewed: pending human review -->


Archiving takes a channel out of the channel list for everyone. Crusible keeps
its conversation. Members can still open the channel and read its messages and
threads. Nobody can post in it until someone unarchives it.

A channel owner can archive and unarchive a channel. Workspace maintainers and
the organisation owner can too. A Sandbox channel is the exception: only the
person who created it can archive or unarchive it.

You cannot archive a direct message. Its menu offers no **Archive** item, and
Crusible refuses the request if it arrives another way. Crusible also refuses
to archive a system channel.

![An archived channel showing its archived bar with the Unarchive action, and its earlier messages still readable.](/docs-illustrations/archive-a-channel-paper.svg)



1. <p>Open the channel. Open the three-dot menu in the channel header. Its
accessible name is <strong>Channel actions</strong>.</p>
 (Result: The menu lists the channel's actions, including **Archive**.)

1. <p>Choose <strong>Archive</strong>. Read the confirmation. If the channel has a Sandbox, the
confirmation says that archiving deletes the Sandbox and everything on its disk.
Unarchiving does not bring them back.</p>
 (Result: A confirmation titled with the channel's name asks you to archive it.)

1. <p>Choose <strong>Archive</strong> in the confirmation. Choose <strong>Cancel</strong> to keep the channel
open.</p>
 (Result: The channel leaves the channel list and appears under **Archived** in the navigation.)

1. <p>Open the channel from <strong>Archived</strong> to read it. A thread in the channel shows
[[ui:Replies are off: this channel is archived]].</p>
 (Result: The bar shows “This channel is archived” where the composer was.)

1. <p>To reopen the channel, select <strong>Unarchive</strong> on the bar, in the
<strong>Channel actions</strong> menu, or beside the channel under <strong>Archived</strong>.</p>
 (Result: Crusible confirms the unarchive and says you can send messages again.)

- **If this doesn't work:** <p>If the confirmation shows “You don&rsquo;t have permission to do that.”,
ask a channel owner to archive the channel. If the bar shows
“Only channel owners and workspace admins can unarchive this channel.”,
ask a channel owner to unarchive it. If unarchiving shows
“Crusible could not reach the server. Your channel is still archived.”,
select <strong>Unarchive</strong> again.</p>





The archived channel keeps its messages and threads. It stays out of
the channel list until someone unarchives it.

- [Create a channel](https://docs.crusible.dev/guides/create-a-channel/) — Name a channel, describe its purpose and post the work you want to discuss.- [Channel settings](https://docs.crusible.dev/reference/channel-config/) — Channel membership, access and personal attention controls.- [Roles and permissions](https://docs.crusible.dev/admin/roles-and-permissions/) — Organisation roles, settings access and the limits on changing another member’s access.