You can use Facebook's archive feature to hide messages in your inbox. Messages that have been archived will move to a hidden folder that you can still access at any time. But new messages coming from the same Facebook friends whose messages you have archived will reappear in your inbox so you can't rely on this feature to hide ongoing conversations.
Step
Method 1 of 2: On Computer
Step 1. Visit the main page of your Facebook message
Log in to your Facebook account. Visit facebook.com/messages to see your inbox. Another way you can get to the main message page is to click the Messages icon at the top of the page, then click View All in the menu that appears.
Step 2. Select a conversation
Click the conversation you want to archive from the list of conversations on the left.
Step 3. Click the icon that looks like a gear
This icon is located at the top center of the conversation bar.
Step 4. Select Archive
Clicking on the gear icon will bring up a menu you can choose from. Select Archive from the menu that appears to move the message to a hidden folder. If the same Facebook friend messages you again, the old messages you've hidden will be back in your inbox.
To find messages you've hidden, click the More button at the top of the conversation list. Click the Archive option in the menu that appears
Step 5. You can also archive messages in other ways
You can archive conversations without opening them. You just need to scroll through the list of conversations and hover over the conversation you want to hide. A small X will appear on the right edge of the conversation. Click that X to archive the conversation.
Step 6. Delete the message permanently
You can delete messages from your inbox permanently, even if they're still in your friend's inbox. If you're sure you want to delete the message, follow these steps:
- Select a conversation via the main message page.
- Click the Actions menu at the top of the screen. This menu has an icon that looks like a gear.
- Click the Delete message option on the menu that appears. Click the small box next to each message you want to delete. Click Delete at the bottom, then click Delete Message in the confirmation window that appears.
- To delete all conversations, select Delete Conversation on the Action menu.
Method 2 of 2: On Mobile Devices
Step 1. Hide Facebook messages via smartphone browser
Open any browser on your smartphone or tablet, then log into Facebook. Follow these steps to hide messages:
- Press the Message icon (this icon looks like a pair of speech bubbles).
- Drag the conversation you want to hide to the left.
- Touch Archive.
Step 2. Hide Facebook messages through normal mobile browsers
Follow these steps to hide messages on a phone that is not a smartphone but has a mobile browser:
- Log into Facebook.
- Open the conversation you want to hide.
- Select the Select action button.
- Select Archive.
- Select Apply.
Step 3. Using the Android app
If you have the Facebook Messenger app on your Android device, you can manage Facebook messages directly from that smartphone or tablet device. Open that app on the Android device to start hiding messages:
- Touch the icon that looks like a speech bubble.
- Press and hold the conversation you want to hide.
- Touch Archive.
Step 4. Hide Facebook messages via iOS device
You can apply this method on iPhone and iPad devices. Download the Facebook Messenger app first if you don't have one, then start hiding messages:
- Open the Facebook app.
- Tap the Messages icon at the bottom of the screen. This icon looks like a lightning bolt.
- Drag the conversation you want to hide to the left.
- Touch More.
- Touch Archive.
Tips
- If you want to save a conversation but don't want to risk someone reading it, you can take a screenshot of the conversation and then delete it permanently from your inbox. Save the screenshots you take well on your personal device.
- What you do can only affect your personal Facebook account. Facebook friends you're messaging with can still see the same messages in their inbox.
- To view messages from Pages you manage (such as a Facebook Page for a business or a specific group), log into Facebook on a computer or by downloading the Pages Manager app for your mobile device.
- In most cases, the option to delete messages permanently and the option to archive messages are on the same menu.
