How to Pin, Mute and Archive Telegram Chats

To pin, mute or archive a Telegram chat, press and hold it in your chat list on a phone, or right-click it on desktop, and choose the action you want. Pinning keeps a chat at the top, muting stops its notifications, and archiving moves it out of your main list. All three are reversible, and none of them tells the other people in the chat.

These three tools are the quickest way to calm a busy Telegram. This guide explains what each one does, how to use them together, and the small details that catch people out.

Pin, mute and archive at a glance

• Pin keeps a chat at the top of your list so it is always easy to reach.
• Mute silences notifications from a chat, for a set time or until you turn them back on.
• Archive moves a chat into a separate Archived Chats section, out of your main list.

They work for private chats, groups, channels and bots. You can combine them. For example, you can mute a group and archive it, or pin a channel you never want to miss.

How to pin a chat

Pinned chats stay above all other chats, even when newer messages arrive elsewhere.

On a phone

1. Open your chat list.
2. Press and hold the chat you want to pin.
3. Tap the pin icon or Pin in the menu.

On some phones you can also swipe a chat sideways to reveal a pin option.

On desktop

1. Right-click the chat in your list.
2. Choose Pin.

Reordering pinned chats

You can drag pinned chats to change their order. Press and hold one, then drag it up or down. There is a limit to how many chats you can pin, and Telegram Premium raises it. Check the app if you cannot pin another chat.

Pinned chats inside folders

Each folder has its own pinned chats. A chat pinned in your "Work" folder does not have to be pinned in "All chats". Read how to use Telegram folders to set those up.

Pinning chats is not pinning messages

Pinning a chat is personal and only affects your list. Pinning a message inside a group or channel is different: it shows the message at the top of that chat for everyone, if you are allowed to do it. Admins use pinned messages for rules and announcements. See how to write Telegram group rules.

How to mute a chat

Muting is the best answer to a group that is useful but noisy.

On a phone

1. Open the chat.
2. Tap its name at the top to open the info page.
3. Tap Mute or the bell icon.
4. Choose how long: for a few hours, a few days, or for good.

You can also press and hold a chat in your list and pick a mute option.

On desktop

1. Right-click the chat in your list, or open the chat's menu.
2. Choose the option to mute notifications and pick a duration.

What muting does and does not do

• You stop getting sounds and alerts from that chat.
• Messages still arrive. You can read them whenever you open the chat.
• The unread counter for a muted chat usually looks different, such as grey instead of coloured.
• Mentions and replies to you may still notify you, depending on your notification settings.
• The other people in the chat are not told that you muted it.

Fine-tuning notifications

Inside a chat's notification settings, you can often choose a custom sound, turn off message previews, or change other details. For broader control, open Settings and look at the notifications section. There you can set rules for private chats, groups and channels separately.

How to archive a chat

Archiving moves a chat into Archived Chats. It is useful for chats you want to keep but do not need to see every day.

On a phone

1. Press and hold the chat in your list.
2. Tap Archive.

On many phones, swiping a chat to the left also archives it.

On desktop

1. Right-click the chat.
2. Choose Archive.

Finding your archive

On phones, Archived Chats usually appears at the top of your chat list, sometimes hidden until you pull down. On desktop it appears in the chat list or the menu. You can open it any time and unarchive a chat in the same way you archived it.

What happens when an archived chat gets a new message

This is the detail people miss. In general:

• An archived chat that is not muted returns to your main list when a new message arrives.
• An archived chat that is muted stays in the archive.

Telegram has offered settings that change this behaviour, and the options can vary by version. If chats keep jumping back out of your archive, mute them as well, or check the archive settings in your app.

Archiving new chats from strangers

Telegram may offer a setting to automatically archive and mute new chats from people who are not in your contacts. It can help with spam. Look for it in your privacy settings. For more on spam protection, read how to spot Telegram scams.

Putting it together: a calm chat list

Here is one way to combine the three tools.

1. Pin the few chats you check daily, like family, your partner or your main work group.
2. Mute large groups and channels you like but do not need alerts from.
3. Archive chats you keep for reference but rarely open.
4. Leave chats you no longer want at all. Archiving is not leaving.
5. Review your list once a month and adjust.

If you follow many channels, keep a folder for them and mute it. You can browse new channels to add in categories without flooding your notifications.

Common mistakes

• Thinking archive means leaving. You are still a member of an archived group or channel.
• Archiving without muting. Unmuted archived chats come back with every new message.
• Muting forever and forgetting. You may miss something important. Check muted chats now and then.
• Pinning too many chats. If everything is pinned, nothing stands out.
• Confusing pinned chats with pinned messages. One affects your list, the other affects the whole group.

FAQ

Does the other person know if I mute or archive our chat?

No. Muting, archiving and pinning are private to your account. Nobody in the chat is told.

Can I still receive messages from an archived chat?

Yes. Messages still arrive. Depending on whether the chat is muted, it may stay in the archive or move back to your main list.

How do I unmute a chat?

Open the chat's info page and tap the bell or unmute option. On desktop, right-click the chat and choose to unmute.

Is there a limit to how many chats I can pin?

Yes. Telegram limits pinned chats, and Telegram Premium raises the limit. The exact number can change, so check in the app.

Does archiving a chat delete it?

No. Archiving only moves it. Your messages stay exactly as they were.

Will I still see mentions in a muted group?

Often yes, depending on your notification settings. Check the settings for mentions if you want them to come through.

Summary

Pin the chats you need most, mute the ones that are noisy, and archive the ones you rarely read. Press and hold on a phone, or right-click on desktop, to find each option. Remember that an unmuted archived chat returns when a new message arrives, and that archiving is not the same as leaving. A few minutes of setup gives you a chat list that shows what matters first.