Archive Tasks in ClickUp

Archiving tasks in ClickUp is a safe way to remove completed or outdated work from your active views without permanently deleting important data. This guide explains what archiving does, how to archive and unarchive tasks, and how archived work behaves across views and filters.

What Archiving Does in ClickUp

Before archiving, it is important to understand exactly what happens to a task when you archive it in ClickUp.

• The task and any attached subtasks are removed from most active views.
• The task is not deleted, so you can restore it later.
• Comments, attachments, and task history remain preserved.
• Archived tasks can still appear in certain filtered views and reports, depending on your settings.

Archiving is ideal when you want to keep your workspace clean while maintaining a full activity history for reference or reporting.

Requirements for Archiving in ClickUp

To archive a task in ClickUp, you must have the correct permissions for the Space, Folder, or List where the task is located.

• Members and admins with edit permissions can archive tasks.
• Guests may be restricted from archiving, depending on workspace settings.
• Custom roles may have different archiving permissions controlled by workspace admins.

If you do not see the archive option, contact your workspace owner or admin and request the necessary privileges.

How to Archive a Task in ClickUp

You can archive tasks from several places in the ClickUp interface. The options may look slightly different depending on the view you are using, but the steps follow the same pattern.

Archive a Task from the Task View in ClickUp

When you open an individual task, you can archive it directly from the task view.

1. Open the task you want to archive.
2. Click the ellipsis (three dots) menu in the top right corner of the task window.
3. Select Archive from the dropdown menu.
4. Confirm if prompted to archive the task and its subtasks.

Once archived, the task will no longer appear in your default active views but can be unarchived at any time.

Archive from List, Board, or Other Views in ClickUp

You can also archive tasks directly from List, Board, or other views without fully opening each task.

1. Navigate to the List, Board, or view that contains the task.
2. Locate the task you want to archive.
3. Hover over the task row or card to display the quick options menu.
4. Click the ellipsis (three dots) icon associated with the task.
5. Select Archive.

This method is useful when archiving multiple tasks one by one while reviewing your workflow.

Bulk Archive Multiple Tasks in ClickUp

If you need to clean up a large number of items, you can bulk archive tasks in ClickUp from supported views.

1. Open a List or other view that shows the tasks you want to archive.
2. Use the checkboxes to select multiple tasks.
3. Open the bulk actions toolbar that appears once tasks are selected.
4. Click More or the ellipsis button in the bulk toolbar.
5. Select Archive.
6. Confirm to archive all selected tasks and their subtasks.

Bulk archiving is especially helpful at the end of a sprint or project when you want to archive completed work in one action.

How Archived Tasks Behave in ClickUp

Archived tasks behave differently from both active and deleted tasks in ClickUp. Knowing where they appear and how they interact with filters prevents confusion later.

Where Archived Tasks Are Hidden

By default, archived tasks are removed from active views to keep your workspace organized.

• They do not appear in standard List or Board views without special filters.
• They are not included in everyday task counts for most team members.
• They are hidden from Home and many day-to-day planning screens.

Where Archived Tasks May Still Appear

Depending on your filters and reporting settings, archived tasks can still show up in specific places in ClickUp.

• Views that explicitly include archived items in their filters.
• Certain reports and dashboards that track historical work.
• Advanced searches when you choose to include archived tasks.

This behavior allows you to keep a complete historical record without cluttering your daily task views.

How to View Archived Tasks in ClickUp

You can find and review archived tasks whenever needed. This is useful for audits, reviews, or when you need to restore a task.

Use Filters to Show Archived Tasks

Many views in ClickUp let you reveal archived tasks with filters.

1. Open the relevant List or view.
2. Click the Filter menu.
3. Look for an option such as Include archived or a similar setting.
4. Enable this option to display archived tasks in the current view.

Once enabled, archived tasks will appear alongside active tasks, usually with a visual indicator that they are archived.

Search for Archived Tasks Across ClickUp

You can also search for archived tasks using the global search bar.

1. Click the global search field at the top of the workspace.
2. Type part of the task name, ID, or keyword.
3. Open advanced search or filters, if available.
4. Enable any option that includes archived items.
5. Review the matching archived tasks and open the one you need.

This approach is useful when you know the task name or context but are not sure which List or Folder it belongs to.

How to Unarchive a Task in ClickUp

If you archived a task by mistake or need to make it active again, you can unarchive it easily.

Unarchive from the Task View

1. Open the archived task from search results or a view that shows archived items.
2. Click the ellipsis (three dots) menu in the top right corner of the task.
3. Select Unarchive.

The task will return to its original List, Folder, or Space, and will be visible again in active views according to your filters.

Unarchive Multiple Tasks

If a whole group of items needs to be brought back into your workflow, you can unarchive multiple tasks using bulk actions in ClickUp.

1. Open a view that can display archived tasks and enable the archived filter.
2. Select the checkboxes next to each archived task you want to restore.
3. Use the bulk actions toolbar and click Unarchive, if available.
4. Confirm to unarchive all selected tasks.

This process reactivates the work and returns it to its previous locations and statuses.

Archiving vs Deleting Tasks in ClickUp

Choosing between archiving and deleting in ClickUp affects data retention and reporting.

• Archive: Keeps the task data, history, and attachments while hiding it from everyday views.
• Delete: Removes the task entirely after the trash retention period, which may impact reporting and historical records.

For most teams, archiving is the safer option when you might need to reference a task later, while deleting is reserved for duplicates or items created by mistake.

Best Practices for Task Archiving in ClickUp

Establishing clear archiving practices helps maintain a clean, reliable workspace.

• Archive completed tasks at the end of each sprint or milestone.
• Use bulk archive to keep Lists and Boards focused on current work.
• Train your team on how to view and unarchive tasks to prevent confusion.
• Avoid deleting tasks unless you are sure they are no longer needed.

Consistent habits make it easier to manage large projects without losing access to important history.

Additional Resources

For more detail on archiving behavior straight from the platform documentation, review the original help article at this ClickUp support page.

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