What Does Archive Mean on Instagram and How to Use It?

Are you one of those who are very particular about their Instagram feed? If so, archive posts might be a feature for you. It is the feature that helps you to remove unwanted posts from your account without actually removing them from your account. Confused? Don’t worry, I was also on the same page before I started using it. With so many things to know, let me help you understand what it is and how to archive your posts from your account.

What Does It Mean to Archive an Instagram Post?

Have you ever posted a picture that you don’t want others to see now but at the same time don’t want to delete it? In such a situation, archiving the post will help you a lot. You can remove a post from your account without actually deleting it. This feature was first introduced in mid-2017. It was introduced after testing it for several years. You can archive your stories and posts from your account and only you can see them. Isn’t it interesting? The best part is, that you can still see the comments and number of likes for that particular post.

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Importance of Archive Feature on Instagram

There was already a delete feature on Instagram, so why the Archive feature? Well, the answer lies in our choices. Sometimes, we post pictures that we really are not proud of. When you go through your grid, there may be some posts that do not fit there. You would want to remove them from your profile. Archiving them will hide the posts on the profile and you can see them anytime you want. 

So, you don’t delete the posts on Instagram. Thus, if you ever want them to get back on your profile, you can easily do that. Even not only could you get back the post but also the likes and comments will be back on the profile. Most people use this feature for the following reasons:

• Getting into a new relation
• Applying for a new job
• Hiding personal things from others

The reasons for professional accounts may be different. It may be due to heavy trolling or may be due to getting the new product. Whatever the reason may be, businesses and creators must know the consequences before archiving the post. The biggest problem that you may face as a business account is heavy trolling. There are people who took screenshots of negative comments on posts of professional accounts, Once you archive such posts, they are likely to share them all over social media. 

This will result in getting a negative impact on your brand. Thus, in such a case deleting the post will never help you. If you have archived the post and the wrong screenshots are being circulated you can always restore the posts back on the profile.

How to Archive Posts on Instagram?

If you have some posts that you want to hide from your account without deleting it, follow the instructions given below:

• Open the app and visit the profile page.
• Select the post you want to remove.
• Now tap on the three-dot menu present at the top of the post. 
• Select the Archive option and you are done. Your post is now removed without being deleted from your Instagram profile. 

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How to Archive Multiple Posts at Once?

Although, above I discussed the process to archive a single photo at a time. But what if you want to do it with multiple posts, don’t worry. Let’s have a look at the steps:

• Visit your profile and select the three-line menu present at the top of the screen.
• Tap on your activity and choose Photos and Videos.
• Choose the photo options.
• Click on the select option and select the posts you need to remove. 
• Tap on the Archive option and select it again to confirm. Your posts will be archived from your account. 

Where are My Archived Instagram Posts?

Wondering where the archived posts are gone? Follow the steps and get your posts back on your account:

• Open the app and visit your profile. Select the three-line menu present at the top of your profile. 
• Tap on the Archive option.
• If you want to see the archive stories, you can switch between the stories and posts present at the top of the screen. 

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How to Automatically Archive Instagram Stories?

Earlier you needed to archive the stories and posts manually. But with the advancement of Instagram features, you can now archive the stories automatically. You can archive them after 24 hours. To archive the stories, you can follow the instructions mentioned below: 

• Open your app and visit the profile. 
• There is a three-line menu at the top of the screen. Go to settings and tap on privacy.
• Select Story Option and click on Savce Story to archive. Below it, there will be a statement showing an automatic archive of the story. 

Can You Get Back the Photos You Archived Earlier?

If you are moody like me, I am sure at some point in time you would want those pictures back on your account. Dont worry. Instagram gives you the chance to get them back. Below are the steps to un-archive the Instagram posts:

• Open the app and click on the profile icon. 
• In the menu bar, tap the archive option. 
• There will be different options on the screen.
• Select the Posts Archive at the top of the page. If you want to get the stories back, you can change it by tapping on the top of the screen. 
• Choose the post you want back on your profile. There are three dots at the top right of the post. Tap on it and get a new list of menus. 
• Click on the Show on Profile tab to get it back on your profile. 

Your archive post will be back on your profile. Also, the number of likes and comments will also be present on the screen. 

Also, read What does Restrict Mean on Instagram? (Complete Guide)

Conclusion

Archive is a feature on Instagram that helps you remove the post from your grid without actually deleting it from your account. You can easily do that with all the stories and posts you have added to the account. Even if you have archived the post from your profile, you can still see the comments and the number of likes on that post. If you ever feel you want to get the post back, the archive feature can help you. On the contrary, this is not possible with the delete feature. Once deleted, you will have to upload it again, as there is no way to restore it.

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