Facebook Messenger allows users to hide conversations from their main inbox view. This can be useful for decluttering your inbox or hiding conversations you don’t want others to see.
What does hiding a conversation do?
When you hide a conversation on Messenger:
- The conversation is removed from your main messages list and inbox search.
- You will no longer receive notifications for new messages in that conversation.
- The conversation remains accessible in your Archived list.
- You can still find the conversation by searching for the contact’s name.
- You can unhide the conversation at any time to move it back to your main inbox.
Hiding a conversation does not delete it or remove you from the conversation. You can still open it and send/receive messages as normal. The conversation simply becomes hidden from the main inbox view.
Does hiding a conversation notify the other person?
No, hiding a Messenger conversation does not notify the other participant(s) or indicate to them that you have hidden the chat. It simply removes the conversation from your view.
The other person will still see the conversation normally on their end and be able to send messages as usual. Hiding the chat only affects your view of the conversation.
Can the other person tell if you’ve hidden the conversation?
There is no indicator to the other participant that you’ve hidden a conversation. They will not get any kind of notification.
As far as they can tell, the conversation will appear normal on their end. They have no way of knowing you’ve hidden the chat on your account.
What if the other person sends me a new message?
If the other person sends you a new message in a hidden conversation, you will not get a notification for it. Since you’ve hidden the chat, it will not show up as a new unread message.
However, the new message will still be waiting for you in that conversation when you view your Archived chats. So the message is not lost, but you are not actively notified about it.
Can I find my hidden conversations?
Yes, your hidden conversations are still accessible and can be unhidden at any time:
- Open the Messenger app and tap on your profile photo in the top left
- Go to Archived Chats
- This section will display all conversations you have hidden
- Tap on any conversation here to open it and view messages
- Long press on a conversation and choose Unhide to move it back to your main inbox
So your hidden conversations are not deleted, just archived and removed from the main view. You can access them at any time in your Archived list.
Can I permanently delete a hidden conversation?
If you want to permanently delete a conversation you’ve hidden:
- Go to Archived Chats and open the conversation
- Tap the contact’s name at the top of the chat window
- Tap Delete Chat and confirm you want to delete
This will permanently erase the conversation and its messages from your account and your messaging history.
However, the other person will still have the conversation on their account if they have not also deleted it.
Should I delete or hide conversations?
It depends on your specific needs:
- Hiding keeps conversations accessible but out of your main inbox
- Deleting erases conversations completely but other users may still have the chat history
- Hiding can help declutter your inbox while still preserving conversations you may need later
- Deleting is best for getting rid of conversations you never need to access again
So in summary:
| Hide Conversation | Delete Conversation |
|---|---|
| Removes from main inbox view | Permanently erases conversation |
| Conversation remains accessible in Archives | Cannot be recovered after deleting |
| Other user is not notified | Other user may still have conversation history |
| Can unhide conversation later | Use when you want conversation gone forever |
What happens if I delete a contact?
Deleting a contact on Messenger does not automatically delete your conversations with that person. Your messaging history remains intact.
To completely erase all traces of conversations with a contact:
- Open each conversation with that contact
- Delete each conversation individually
- Then go to your contacts list and delete the contact
This will remove the contact and delete all chat history you’ve had with them. They will remain unaffected on their end.
Can I hide or delete group conversations?
Yes, you can hide or delete group conversations just like regular chats:
- Hide group chats to archive them out of your main inbox
- Delete the conversation completely if you want it gone from your account
- Other group members will remain unaffected
- Group admins can also delete groups to disband them entirely
So the same options apply. Hiding simply archives a group out of your inbox. Deleting erases it permanently from your account.
Conclusion
Hiding a conversation on Messenger removes it from your inbox view and mutes notifications, but keeps it accessible in your archives. The other user is unaware you’ve hidden the chat.
Deleting a conversation permanently erases it, but the other person may still have the conversation history. Hiding chats can help organize your inbox while preserving access. Deleting removes conversations entirely when needed.