> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.box.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# About Box Archive

> [!NOTE]
>
> Box Archive is available only for **Enterprise Advanced** accounts. Your organization must be entitled to Box Archive to create and use archives.

Box Archive lets admins work in Content Manager to create archives that live outside your organization’s main Box environment. You can move files and folders into an Archive for long-term preservation, search what you have archived, restore content back to active storage when appropriate, and delete Archives when you no longer need them—so you can support retention, compliance, and cleanup without losing control of important content.

## What you can do with Box Archive

With Box Archive you can:

* **Create archives** and **move** Box files and folders into them when content should leave day-to-day collaboration spaces but stay under your governance.
* **Configure access** so the right co-admins and roles can manage archives alongside your main deployment.
* **View and search** archived content when you need to locate or audit material.
* **Restore** archived content to your main environment or **delete** archives when policy allows.

Box Archive can help your organization reduce clutter and redundant or outdated content, support multi-phased retention strategies, manage long-term compliant storage, reduce legal exposure of long-lived content, and keep important long-lived content in a dedicated archival context.

## Example use cases

| Scenario | How Box Archive helps | Where to start |
| - | - | - |
| **Retention and compliance** | Keep long-term copies separate from active workspaces while staying able to search and report on what is archived. | <ul><li>[Archive content](https://docs.box.com/en/box-archive/admins/archiving-files-and-folders.md)</li><li>[View/search](https://docs.box.com/en/box-archive/admins/viewing-and-searching-archives.md)</li><li>[Reporting](https://docs.box.com/en/box-archive/admins/understanding-archive-reporting.md)</li></ul> |
| **Operational cleanup** | Move stale or low-touch content out of folders people use every day without destroying the record. | <ul><li>[Archive content](https://docs.box.com/en/box-archive/admins/archiving-files-and-folders.md)</li><li>[View/search](https://docs.box.com/en/box-archive/admins/viewing-and-searching-archives.md)</li></ul> |
| **Lifecycle and recovery** | Bring content back when it is needed again, or remove archives when your process says they can go. | <ul><li>[Restore/delete](https://docs.box.com/en/box-archive/admins/restoring-archived-content-and-deleting-archives.md)</li><li>[Next steps](#next-steps)</li></ul> |
| **Account and plan changes** | Know how archives behave if your subscription or account situation changes. | <ul><li>[Downgraded accounts](https://docs.box.com/en/box-archive/admins/understanding-archives-in-downgraded-accounts.md)</li><li>[Limitations](https://docs.box.com/en/box-archive/admins/known-archive-limitations.md)</li></ul> |

## Getting started for admins

Use this sequence when you first enable Box Archive for your organization.

**1. Control who can use archives**

Use [Configuring access to archives](https://docs.box.com/en/box-archive/admins/configuring-access-to-archives.md) so the right admins and co-admins can create and work with archives.

**2. Create archives and move content**

Follow [Archiving files and folders](https://docs.box.com/en/box-archive/admins/archiving-files-and-folders.md) to set up archives and move Box content into them.

**3. Find what you archived**

Use [Viewing and searching archives](https://docs.box.com/en/box-archive/admins/viewing-and-searching-archives.md) to locate and review archived items.

**4. Restore or delete when appropriate**

When content should return to active storage—or an archive should be removed—use [Restoring archived content and deleting archives](https://docs.box.com/en/box-archive/admins/restoring-archived-content-and-deleting-archives.md).

**5. Review reporting**

See [Understanding Archive reporting](https://docs.box.com/en/box-archive/admins/understanding-archive-reporting.md) for how reporting applies to your Archives.

**6. Plan for edge cases**

Read [Known Archive limitations](https://docs.box.com/en/box-archive/admins/known-archive-limitations.md) and [Understanding Archives in downgraded accounts](https://docs.box.com/en/box-archive/admins/understanding-archives-in-downgraded-accounts.md) before you rely on Archives in unusual plan or migration scenarios.

## Using Box Archive

Day-to-day archive management happens in the Admin Console through Content Manager. If you are not an admin or co-admin with archive access, ask your IT or Box admin to assign access.

If you **do** have permission to work with archives:

**1. Locate archived content**

Use [Viewing and searching archives](https://docs.box.com/en/box-archive/admins/viewing-and-searching-archives.md).

**2. Restore or clean up**

Only as your role allows, use [Restoring archived content and deleting archives](https://docs.box.com/en/box-archive/admins/restoring-archived-content-and-deleting-archives.md).

For who may use archives, see [Configuring access to archives](https://docs.box.com/en/box-archive/admins/configuring-access-to-archives.md).

## Next steps

Go deeper with these topics:

> [card] [Configuring Access to Archives](https://docs.box.com/en/box-archive/admins/configuring-access-to-archives.md)

> [card] [Archiving Files and Folders](https://docs.box.com/en/box-archive/admins/archiving-files-and-folders.md)

> [card] [Viewing and Searching Archives](https://docs.box.com/en/box-archive/admins/viewing-and-searching-archives.md)

> [card] [Restoring Archived Content and Deleting Archives](https://docs.box.com/en/box-archive/admins/restoring-archived-content-and-deleting-archives.md)

> [card] [Understanding Archives in Downgraded Accounts](https://docs.box.com/en/box-archive/admins/understanding-archives-in-downgraded-accounts.md)

> [card] [Understanding Archive Reporting](https://docs.box.com/en/box-archive/admins/understanding-archive-reporting.md)

> [card] [Known Archive Limitations](https://docs.box.com/en/box-archive/admins/known-archive-limitations.md)

***

## Related Information

[Box Archive product page](https://www.box.com/archive)

[Troubleshooting & FAQs](https://support.box.com/hc/en-us/search?query=Box+Archive)
