How to archive a class in Google Classroom

Increasing numbers of K-12 schools across the globe are using Google Classroom to facilitate remote and hybrid learning, enhance collaboration between students and teachers, streamline the distribution and grading of assignments, and provide a centralized hub for educational resources and communication.

Using Google Classroom is relatively easy. But, there are some management functions that teachers and digital learning professionals should know about to help keep their Classrooms organized, secure, and safe. This article covers how to archive a class in Google Classroom. 

Google Classroom 101: What does it mean to archive a class?

Google Classroom is a complimentary, web-based learning management system (LMS) developed for schools. It streamlines file sharing between teachers and students. It integrates seamlessly with other Google Workspace services, such as Google Docs, Sheets, and Drive — working to enhance communication, assignment management, and grading processes. Within Google Classroom’s paperless environment, teachers can create classes, distribute assignments, communicate with students, and seamlessly offer feedback.

Within this platform, a “class” is a virtual learning space established by a teacher for a designated group of students. It mimics a physical classroom in a digital environment. Each “class” usually corresponds to a particular course, subject, or group. Within this space, the teacher can oversee all activities related to the course, facilitating a structured and interactive learning experience.

Archiving a class in Google Classroom is a way to remove it from the active class view once a course or term has ended. Why does that matter? Here are a few common reasons teachers might archive a specific class:

• Organization: Archiving classes tidies up your main dashboard by removing completed courses from the active view. This declutters your space, making it simpler for teachers and students to quickly find and focus on ongoing classes without scrolling past irrelevant ones.

• Accessibility: Archived classes are still accessible in a separate section. This means that all the coursework, discussions, and grades are available for review at any time — providing a valuable archive for future reference or for students who may need to revisit the material for advanced classes.

• No distractions: By archiving completed classes, you help students focus better on their current coursework. They won’t see past assignments and discussions when logging in, which minimizes confusion and helps maintain a clear, focused agenda for what’s currently due.

How to archive a class in Google Classroom step-by-step

Depending on your device, there are slight differences in how to archive a Google Classroom class.

Computer

1. Go to Google Classroom: Open your preferred web browser and navigate to classroom.google.com. Then, sign in with your Google account if you aren’t already logged in.

2. Select the class to archive: On your Classroom dashboard, locate the class you wish to archive.

3. Access more options: On the class card, click on the three vertical dots (More) in the bottom-right corner.

4. Archive the Google Classroom class: From the dropdown menu, select Archive.

5. Confirm archiving: A confirmation prompt will appear. Click Archive again to confirm your action.

6. Class archived: The class will now move to the archived section, keeping your active classes uncluttered.

Android

1. Open the Google Classroom app: Locate and tap the Classroom app on your Android device. Ensure you are signed in with your Google account.

2. Navigate to the desired class: On the main screen, find the class you want to archive.

3. Access more options: Tap on the three vertical dots (More) located on the class card.

4. Archive the class: From the menu that appears, select Archive.

5. Confirm archiving: A confirmation dialog will pop up. Tap Archive to proceed.

6. Class archived: The class will now be archived and removed from your active classes list.

iPhone or iPad

1. Launch the Google Classroom app: Open the Classroom app on your iPhone or iPad. Then, sign in with your Google account if prompted.

2. Select the class to archive: Browse through your classes and tap on the one you wish to archive.

3. Access more options: Tap the three vertical dots (More) on the class card.

4. Archive the class: Choose Archive from the dropdown menu.

5. Confirm archiving: A confirmation message will appear. Tap Archive to finalize the action.

6. Class archived: The class will now be moved to the archived section, decluttering your active classes view.

How to restore an archived class

Regardless of whether you’re using a desktop, Android, or iPhone or iPad, you’re able to restore archived classes. 

On a desktop, navigate to classroom.google.com, click the Menu icon at the top left to expand the navigation drawer if it’s not already expanded, scroll down and select Archived classes. Then, find the class you want to restore, click More (the three vertical dots) on the class card, and choose Restore to confirm.

On Android, open the Classroom app, tap the Menu icon on the left side of the screen, scroll down and tap Archived classes, and locate the class you wish to restore. Then, tap More (the three vertical dots) on the class card, and select Restore to confirm. 

On an iPhone or iPad, launch the Classroom app, tap the Menu icon on the left, scroll down and select Archived classes. Then, find the class you want to restore, tap More (the three vertical dots) on the class card, and tap Restore to confirm the restoration.

How to delete archived classes

Remember that if you delete a class, this action is permanent and cannot be undone. Once deleted, you will lose access to all class posts and comments, although class files will remain in the class Drive folder. Only the primary teacher can delete a class, and you must archive a class before you can delete it. 

There are a handful of reasons why you may like to opt for deleting a class: the class is no longer active, you want to reduce clutter in your Classroom dashboard, to reduce storage, you need to remove outdated or incorrect information, you wish to prevent students from accessing the class materials, or you want to ensure that no further changes can be made to the class content.

To delete a class, the process is simple.

1. Tap Classroom. 

2. On the left-hand side, click on Menu. Then, scroll down to tap Archived classes. Keep in mind that if you haven’t archived any classes, this option won’t be shown in the menu.

3. Tap Delete to confirm.

Simplify classroom management with ManagedMethods

Our suite of tools helps make Google Classroom management and instruction easy for K-12 schools. 

Cloud Monitor is built specifically for K12 techs to monitor, detect, and respond to cybersecurity and safety incidents in Google Workspace and Microsoft 365. Customers also love the extensive administrator tools the platform provides, including Google Classroom management. 

For starters, Cloud Monitor offers advanced search and filtering capabilities, allowing for quick navigation based on course name, section, owner email, and more. Using Cloud Monitor, admins can also find high-level insights on classroom activity, detailed visibility of individual classrooms, and robust management tools. This includes tracking total, active, and archived classrooms, accessing classroom links, managing classroom ownership, and identifying orphan classrooms. 

Our newest product, Classroom Manager, equips teachers with next-generation real-time monitoring capabilities, tailored content access, and centralized digital student management.

Watch our demo on-demand to see how our Cloud Monitor, Content Filter, and Classroom Manager tools can help keep your district safe and secure.