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

# Archiving an Assessment

> Close an assessment to new attempts while keeping every result accessible.

<Tip>
  Archiving an assessment closes it to new candidate attempts and removes it from your dashboard. All existing results stay accessible, and you can un-archive at any time.
</Tip>

## How to Archive

Recruiters typically **archive** an assessment for one of two reasons: the hiring round is over and no new candidates should attempt it, or the dashboard has grown cluttered with old assessments.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Locate the assessment">
    On your Assessments Dashboard, find the assessment you want to close.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Open the three-dots menu">
    Click the **three dots** next to the assessment to open its options menu.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Click Archive">
    Select **Archive**. The assessment disappears from your dashboard immediately and no new attempts can be made.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Note>
  Archiving never deletes anything. Every candidate submission, score, and report is retained exactly as it was.
</Note>

<Tip>
  Before you archive, check for candidates you invited who never started. Unstarted invitations are eligible for a credit refund. See [Reclaiming Credits](/reclaim-credits).
</Tip>

## What Candidates See

If a candidate opens the link to an archived assessment, they see a message telling them that the **assessment has been closed**. They cannot begin an attempt.

|                               | Active assessment          | Archived assessment                          |
| ----------------------------- | -------------------------- | -------------------------------------------- |
| **Candidate opens the link**  | Can attempt the assessment | Sees a message that the assessment is closed |
| **Visible on your dashboard** | Yes                        | No, moved to the archived list               |
| **Existing results**          | Accessible                 | Accessible                                   |

<Tip>
  Archive an assessment as soon as a hiring round closes. It is the cleanest way to make sure late visitors to a shared link cannot submit new attempts.
</Tip>

## Un-Archiving

Archiving is fully reversible. You can restore an archived assessment to your dashboard at any time.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the Usage page">
    Go to your [Usage page](https://equip.co/recruiter/assessments/usage/) in the recruiter dashboard.
  </Step>

  <Step title="View archived assessments">
    Click the link to your **archived assessments** to see the full list.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Make it active">
    Click the **three dots** next to the assessment and choose the option to make it active. It reappears on your dashboard and candidates can attempt it again.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Note>
  You do not need to un-archive an assessment to review its results. From the archived assessments list, click any assessment to view its results as usual.
</Note>

<Warning>
  Assessments cannot be deleted, only archived. This is by design, so that candidate results are never lost.
</Warning>

## Related Resources

* [Creating an Assessment](/create-assessment) - Set up your next assessment from scratch
* [Reclaiming Credits](/reclaim-credits) - Get credits back for invitations that were never started
* [Test Scores and Overall Score](/test-scores-and-overall-score) - How results are calculated and where to review them
* [Live Progress](/live-progress) - Monitor attempts in real time before you close an assessment