Archiving is an article action a Knowledge manager runs against the live version of an article in Lightning Experience. You need the Manage Articles permission, and the action is final for that version until someone restores it.
- Open the article in the Knowledge list view
Go to the Knowledge tab or app, switch to a list view such as Published Articles, and open the article you want to retire. Confirm you are on the current Online version.
- Choose the Archive action
From the article actions menu, select Archive. Lightning shows a confirmation because archiving removes the version from search and every reader-facing surface right away.
- Decide between immediate and scheduled
Archive now to retire it instantly, or use the API archiveScheduleDate to set a future archive date for content with a known expiry. Scheduling avoids manual follow-up on time-bound articles.
- Verify and record the reason
Reload the list view filtered by Archived to confirm the article moved. Note the archive reason in a custom field so future managers know why the content left circulation.
Required to run the Archive action and to view archived content afterward; granted via profile or permission set.
Auto-enabled in Lightning Knowledge permission sets; lets a user read archived articles without necessarily editing drafts.
Optional date passed through the Knowledge REST API to archive the primary version automatically on a future day.
Still applies to archived articles, so users only see retired content in the categories their settings permit.
- Approval processes and workflow rules do not apply to the archive action; approvals only gate the later republish.
- Archived articles do not go to the Recycle Bin and have no automatic purge, so cleanup is always a deliberate delete.
- Silent archiving erodes author trust; warn the content owner before the archive lands, especially with auto-archive automation.
- If data categories or layouts changed after archiving, a restored article may need manual fixes before it republishes cleanly.