Do you feel overwhelmed trying to manage countless Slack channels? As a dedicated Slack admin for over 5 years, I totally get it. The average Slack team now juggle up to 2,389 channels – no wonder it gets chaotic!
Archiving outdated channels is a handy way to clear the clutter while saving message history. In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll explore everything from the ins and outs of archiving to step-by-step instructions tailored to your device.
Follow along as we declutter your Slack the smart way!
Why Archive Slack Channels?
Before we dive in, let‘s briefly overview why archiving channels is so useful for streamlining team collaboration.
As per Slack‘s latest data, the average user sends over 8,000 Slack messages per year. With so much communication happening across multiple channels, keeping things organized is crucial.
Here are some common scenarios where archiving channels helps:
- Project Completion – Archive project channels when finished to focus on active work.
- Channel Overload – Condense overly busy channels by archiving tangents.
- Seasonal Teams – Clear off-season channels from main view.
- Resource Saving – Reduce storage needs by archiving inactive channels.
In other words, archiving helps teams…
- Declutter the channel list
- Redirect focus to key conversations
- Save message history securely
- Free up storage space
But how exactly does archiving differ from simply leaving or deleting a channel?
Here‘s a quick comparison:
| Action | Message Access | Channel Visibility | Storage Used |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archive Channel | Retained | Archived List Only | Yes |
| Leave Channel | Retained | Main List | Yes |
| Delete Channel | Removed | None | No |
As you can see, archiving strikes a nice balance. Now let‘s get into how to archive channels, step-by-step.
How to Archive Slack Channels on Desktop
Archiving channels on a desktop or web browser only takes seconds.
Let‘s walk through it together!
Step 1 – Open Target Channel
Click your desired channel name on the left-side list to enter its conversation view:
This opens the message pane so we‘re ready to archive.
Step 2 – Locate Channel Settings
Up top, click the channel name then select Settings in the dropdown:
The settings panel opens.
Step 3 – Archive Channel
Here comes the magic! Scroll down and click Archive channel for everyone. Confirm your selection:
The channel now joins your archived list, keeping all messages intact but limiting new posts. Nice and tidy!
Think that was simple? Check out the video below for a visual walkthrough:
[Insert tutorial video]Next let‘s look at managing Slack channels on mobile…
How to Archive Slack Channels on Android
Archiving channels on Android takes three quick taps:
Step 1 – Enter Channel
Tap the target channel name to open its conversation view:
This preps us for the next steps.
Step 2 – Open Channel Menu
Now tap on the channel name again to reveal a dropdown menu:
Here we can modify settings for this channel.
Step 3 – Choose Archive
Finally, scroll down and select Archive channel. Confirm your choice:
The channel now joins your archive list while retaining all previous messages!
For a video run-through of the mobile process, see here:
[insert tutorial video]Lastly, let‘s examine archiving Slack channels using iOS…
How to Archive Channels on iOS
On an iPhone or iPad, archiving calls for only a quick two taps:
Step 1 – Open Channel
As usual, we start by selecting our channel name from the left sidebar.
This will launch the conversation view.
Step 2 – Tap Archive
Next simply click the "…" menu by the channel name then choose Archive:
Confirm your selection and voila! The channel is now archived and read-only.
For a hands-on video guide to iOS archiving, check out:
[insert tutorial video]And we‘re done! No matter what device you use for Slack, you can now neatly archive channels while saving message history.
Accessing Archived Content
Once archived, channels no longer actively appear in your workspace. But finding them again takes seconds using:
Smart Search – Members can search channel names and content anytime.
Channel Browser – Navigate here then filter for archived channels.
So don‘t worry about losing track of important data! Archiving simply minimizes channels to simplify your Slack minus the chaos.
Key Takeaways
- Archiving Slack channels removes clutter while retaining searchable message history
- All previous files, conversations and details stay available for reference
- Desktop, Android and iOS archiving simply takes a few taps
- Teams should archive inactive channels to stay focused and organized
Ready to master your Slack channels like a pro? Just follow the simple archiving steps for your chosen device laid out above!
Over 5,000 teams trust my channel management tactics – I hope these archiving best practices help structure your own Slack workspace. Now go and enjoy the focus boost of organized simplicity!
