---
title: Archived Items
category: Archive
tags: archive, restore, cleanup, recovery, organisation
contextKey: archive.overview
micro: Recover or permanently remove planning items that were archived.
quickTitle: What is the Archive?
quickSummary: The Archive holds hidden projects and planning items so you can restore useful material or permanently remove items you no longer need.
screenshot:
---

# Overview

The Archive gathers items that have been hidden from active project views. Archived items are not gone immediately. They are kept aside so you can recover them if you change your mind.

This is useful in writing because plans evolve. A character may be cut, a scene may be removed, or a scenario may be set aside, only to become useful later. Archiving gives you a softer alternative to deletion.

The Archive also helps keep active lists cleaner. If something is no longer part of the current draft, it can be archived without losing the history of the idea.

# When Should I Use This?

Use the Archive when you want to review hidden work, restore something that should be active again, or permanently delete material you are sure you no longer need.

It is especially useful after big restructuring passes, when several scenes, assets, locations or threads may have been moved out of the active draft.

# How To Use It

Use the filters to narrow the list by project or item type. Restore returns an item to active lists where that makes sense. Delete Forever permanently removes it and should be used carefully.

If you are unsure, restore the item or leave it archived rather than deleting it.

# Example

You archive a subplot thread during a tighter second draft. Later, you realise a clue from that subplot solves a continuity problem. Open the Archive, filter to plot threads, and restore it.

# Writer Tip

Archive is a thinking space, not a bin. Let ideas rest there until you know whether they are truly gone or just waiting for the right draft.

# Common Mistakes

- Using Delete Forever when Archive would be enough.
- Forgetting to filter by project when many projects are present.
- Restoring old material without checking whether it still fits the current draft.
- Treating archived ideas as failures rather than useful spare parts.

# Related Guides

- [Projects](/Help/Article/projects.overview)
- [Story Bible](/Help/Article/storyBible.overview)
