Archive and Restore Lists
Learn how to archive lists to organize your board and restore them when needed.
This guide explains how to archive lists in Trello to keep your boards organized without permanently deleting content. Archiving removes lists from active view while preserving all data for future access.
Understanding List Archiving
List archiving is a non-destructive way to organize your Trello boards by removing completed, outdated, or temporarily unused lists from view. Unlike deleting, archived lists can be restored at any time with all their cards and data intact.
When to Archive Lists
- Completed project phases: Remove lists representing finished project stages while preserving historical records
- Seasonal workflows: Archive lists used for specific time periods or campaigns
- Board reorganization: Simplify complex boards by removing less active lists temporarily
- Template preservation: Keep template lists for future use without cluttering active workflows
How to Archive a List
Follow these steps to archive any list on your Trello board:
Locate the list you want to archive and click the three horizontal dots (⋯) in the top-right corner of the list header. This opens the list options menu.
From the dropdown menu, click Archive this list. The list will immediately disappear from the board view and move to the archived items section.
The list has been successfully archived and is no longer visible on the active board. All cards within the archived list are also archived automatically.
When you archive a list, all cards within that list are automatically archived as well. This action affects the entire list and its contents as a single unit.
What Happens After Archiving
Once a list is archived:
- Visibility: The list disappears from the main board view but remains accessible through archived items
- Data preservation: All cards, comments, attachments, and metadata are preserved exactly as they were
- Board organization: The board becomes cleaner and more focused on active workflows
- Search accessibility: Archived lists and their cards remain searchable through Trello's search function
Restoring Archived Lists
To restore an archived list back to your board:
- Open the board menu by clicking Show menu (three dots) in the top-right corner of your board
- Select Archived items from the menu
- Navigate to the Lists tab to view all archived lists
- Find your archived list and click Send to board to restore it
Best Practices for List Archiving
- Archive strategically: Only archive lists when you're confident they won't be needed in the immediate future
- Document archive reasons: Add a comment or description to lists before archiving to explain why they were archived
- Regular maintenance: Periodically review archived items to determine if they can be permanently deleted
- Team communication: Inform team members before archiving shared lists to avoid confusion
While archived lists can be restored, consider the impact on team workflows before archiving active or frequently referenced lists. Team members may lose access to important information if they're not aware of the archiving action.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can archive individual cards by opening the card and selecting Archive from the Actions menu. This allows for more granular control over what content remains visible.
Archived lists do not count towards active board limits, but they do count towards your overall Trello storage and card limits depending on your subscription plan.
Archiving preserves all list data and allows restoration, while deleting permanently removes the list and all its contents. Always choose archiving unless you're certain the data will never be needed again.
Conclusion
List archiving is an essential feature for maintaining organized, efficient Trello boards. By understanding when and how to archive lists, you can keep your boards focused on active work while preserving important historical data. The ability to restore archived lists provides flexibility and peace of mind when reorganizing your workflows.
Try archiving a completed or unused list on your board to experience how this feature can streamline your project management process. Remember that archived content remains searchable and can be restored whenever needed.