If the Archive button is missing after a One UI 9 update, check more than one app before concluding Samsung removed the feature. In a Samsung Members discussion from October 27, a Galaxy A57 owner first reported that the button was gone, then checked again and confirmed it still appeared for some apps.

That correction matters. A missing option on one app, a changed Device care screen, and the disappearance of archiving from an entire phone are different findings. Let me help you check which one you’re actually seeing.

Did Samsung remove app archiving in One UI 9?

The available reports don’t establish that Samsung removed archiving across One UI 9. In the Members discussion, another owner shared a Galaxy S25 Ultra example where the control remained for certain apps. The original Galaxy A57 owner then confirmed some apps on their own phone still had the option.

Those replies don’t prove that every model behaves the same way either. I would check your actual app information screen instead of relying on a blanket claim that only one Galaxy series supports the feature now.

If you came here after reading that the option has vanished completely, keep the correction in mind while you compare your phone. It is easy to open one app, find no button, and assume every other app will have the same controls.

What does archiving an app actually do?

Google’s archiving instructions explain that archiving keeps the icon and app data while removing the app’s software, temporary files, and permissions. Notifications stop too. The app needs to be downloaded again before you can use it.

I would make that distinction before touching Uninstall or Clear data as a substitute. If you wanted to keep the app’s data, choosing a different removal control just because Archive is absent doesn’t answer the original problem.

Archiving also isn’t a backup you can put aside for a damaged or lost phone. For that job, use our Galaxy backup guide and check that your important files are actually saved before removing anything.

How should you check the missing Archive button?

Start with the individual app information pages. Google’s instructions describe Settings > Apps > the app > Archive, with Android version and device support conditions. Use the control if your Galaxy exposes it. The generic Android instructions don’t guarantee that every Samsung model shows an identical screen.

  1. Open your Galaxy’s Settings and select Apps.
  2. Choose the app you wanted to archive and look for Archive.
  3. If it is absent, check a few other installed apps in the same way.
  4. Record which apps expose it and which do not.
  5. Keep that comparison alongside your Galaxy model and One UI version if you ask Samsung for help.

This is a comparison to narrow the problem, not a promise to restore a missing button. If one app has the option and another doesn’t, report that difference. If none does, say how many you checked rather than assuming the whole software release removed the feature.

Why do older guides point to Device care?

Samsung’s US One UI 7 guide documents Settings > Device care > Unused apps, followed by selecting apps and choosing Archive app(s). That is an older, version-specific instruction. It doesn’t establish that your One UI 9 device has kept the same menu.

You can look for Unused apps if you previously used that route. If its available actions differ now, don’t treat an Uninstall button as an Archive button with a new name. Record the exact action offered on your phone before proceeding.

This also explains why two people following different instructions can describe different screens. Ask whether the other person is opening an individual app’s information or Device care’s unused-app list before comparing results.

Can you use Play Store automatic archiving instead?

Google documents automatic archiving separately in its storage-management guide. Where available, the preference is in Play Store > your profile picture > Settings > General > Automatically archive apps. It lets supported apps you rarely use be archived to save room.

That setting doesn’t give you an immediate manual Archive button for the app you’re looking at. I would consider it if your aim is to let the store manage unused apps over time, rather than use it as proof that the missing manual control has been repaired.

If your real problem is a sluggish phone rather than a missing control, our post-update performance guide covers that separate troubleshooting task. Keep the symptom clear so you don’t end up removing apps to solve a different issue.

FAQ

Can you restore an archived app later?

Google says you can restore it by selecting its faded icon and reinstalling it. The relevant store must remain installed, the app must still be available there, and the device needs enough storage for the download. Check those conditions before relying on archiving for an app you may need again.

Should you reset your Galaxy to bring the button back?

I wouldn’t start with a reset. The Members thread includes a correction after checking other apps, so first establish whether your problem is app-specific. A comparison gives you useful information without turning a missing control into a much larger setup job.

What should you include when asking about this?

Share your Galaxy model, One UI version, and the app names you checked. Tell me whether Archive is missing from every app you examined or only some, and whether you were using App info or Device care.

Was this guide helpful?

Your answer helps us keep it accurate.