What Does It Mean to Archive a Post on Instagram?

Archiving removes a post from Instagram without deleting it

By Robert Earl Wells III
Updated on July 14, 2022
Reviewed by
Ryan Perian
Ryan Perian headshot
Reviewed by Ryan Perian
  • Western Governors University
Ryan Perian is a certified IT specialist who holds numerous IT certifications and has 12+ years' experience working in the IT industry support and management positions.
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What to Know

  • On the post you want to archive: Three-dot menu at top > Archive.
  • On an Instagram story: Profile > Menu > Settings > Privacy > Story > Save story to archive.
  • To unarchive posts: Profile > Menu > Archive. Choose the post, tap the three dots > Show on Profile.

This article explains what it means to archive a post on Instagram and how to do it. Instructions apply to the Instagram app for iOS and Android.

How to Archive Posts on Instagram

Follow these steps to archive a post in the Instagram mobile app:

  1. Go to your profile and choose the post you want to archive.

  2. Tap the three-dot menu at the top of the post.

  3. Tap Archive.

    Picture of Colosseum, Three-dot menu, and Archive in Instagram app

What Does It Mean to Archive an Instagram Post?

When you archive an Instagram post, you remove it from public view without actually deleting it. It's possible to archive Instagram stories as well as posts. You can still view archived posts along with their likes and comments.

How to Archive Multiple Posts at Once


To archive multiple posts you’ve made at once:

  1. Go to your profile and tap the three-line menu at the top.

  2. Tap Your activity.

  3. Tap Photos and videos.

    Three-line menu, Your activity, and Photos and videos in the Instagram app

  4. Tap Posts.

  5. Tap Select, then choose the posts you want to archive.

  6. Tap Archive, then tap Archive again to confirm.

    Posts, Select, and Archive in Instagram app

Where Are My Archived Instagram Posts?

You can view your archived Instagram posts whenever you want.

  1. Go to your profile and tap the three-line menu at the top.

  2. Tap Archive.

  3. Tap Stories archive at the top of the screen to switch between your archived stories and posts.

    Three-line menu, Archive, and Stories Archive in Instagram app

How to Automatically Archive Instagram Stories

You must archive posts manually, but you can choose to automatically archive your Instagram stories after 24 hours.

  1. Go to your profile and tap the three-line menu at the top.

  2. Tap Settings.

  3. Tap Privacy.

    Three-line menu, Settings, and Privacy in Instagram

  4. Tap Story.

  5. Tap Save story to archive.

    Story and Save story to archive in Instagram app

Can You Unarchive Instagram Posts?

Follow these steps to unarchive a post so it reappears on your profile for everyone to see:

  1. Go to your profile and tap the three-line menu at the top.

  2. Tap Archive.

  3. Choose the post you want to unarchive.

    Tap Stories archive at the top to switch between archived stories and posts.

    Three-line menu, Archive, and picture of Colosseum

  4. Tap the three-dot menu at the top of the post.

  5. Tap Show on Profile.

    Three-dot menu and Show on Profile in Instagram app

Can Others See Archived Posts on Instagram?

No. Archived posts can only be seen by the original author. If you want to share an archived post publically, you have to unarchive it.

FAQ
  • How long do posts stay archived on Instagram?

    Archived Instagram posts are stored indefinitely until you delete them. They never automatically expire.

  • Can others see archived posts on Instagram?

    Only the original author can view archived Instagram posts. To share an archived post, you have to unarchive it.

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