How to Archive and Unarchive a Post on Instagram
Archiving hides a post from your profile without deleting it. Only you can see it, its likes and comments stay with it, and nobody is notified (Instagram, PostPlanify). You can put it back on your profile whenever you want.
How to archive a post, Reel or carousel
- Open the post on your profile.
- Tap the three dots.
- Tap Archive (Instagram Help).
A carousel is archived as one post, not slide by slide, and a Reel is archived the same way as a photo (PostPlanify).
Archive several posts at once
- Go to your profile and tap the menu (three lines, top right).
- Tap Your activity, then Photos and videos (some versions say Posts).
- Tap Select, choose the posts and tap Archive.
Instagram’s help center has a page for archiving multiple posts at once (Instagram Help), and these steps match groovyPost and PostPlanify. Unarchiving still works one post at a time.
Where to find your archive
Go to your profile, tap the menu (three lines) and tap Archive (Check Off Your List). The menu at the top of the archive switches between posts, Stories and Live (own.page).
How to unarchive a post
- Open your archive and tap the post.
- Tap the three dots.
- Tap Show on profile (Instagram Help).
The post goes back to its original spot in your grid, by its original date, not to the top (PostPlanify). To delete it instead, tap Delete.
Archive, delete and Recently deleted
- Archive keeps the post with no time limit, visible only to you.
- Delete moves posts, Reels and videos to Recently deleted for 30 days, and deleted Stories for 24 hours. Restoring or deleting from there early asks you to confirm it’s you (Instagram).
- Stories are saved to your archive automatically only if Save to archive is on in your Story settings (quso.ai).
Removing a Story you already posted? See how to delete an Instagram Story. To keep old Stories off your profile, see how to hide Highlights on Instagram.
On a computer
On instagram.com you can archive a single post, but you can’t open your archive or unarchive a post from a browser. Use the app for that (PostPlanify). Guides from 2022 say the website had no archive option at all, so what you see may depend on your account.
FAQ
Do my followers know when I archive a post?
No. Nobody is notified when you archive a post or bring it back.
Do I lose likes and comments?
No. They stay with the post and return when you tap Show on profile.
How long do archived posts stay in the archive?
Until you restore or delete them. Only deleted posts disappear after 30 days.
Can I archive my Stories?
Yes. Turn on Save to archive in your Story settings and every Story is kept there after it expires.