Starting in September 2025 (v11), Mattermost will deprecate the TeamSettings.ExperimentalViewArchivedChannels setting in favor of a new setting, TeamSettings.BrowseArchivedPublicChannels.
What is ExperimentalViewArchivedChannels?
TeamSettings.ExperimentalViewArchivedChannels has controlled whether users can access and see archived channels. When enabled (true), users could access archived channels and see them listed in places like the channel switcher. When disabled (false), users could not access or see archived channels at all. This setting has defaulted to true since October 2022 (v5.28).
How will BrowseArchivedPublicChannels work?
The new TeamSettings.BrowseArchivedPublicChannels setting will default to true and specifically control the visibility of archived public channels when browsing available channels:
- When enabled (true): Archived public channels will be visible when browsing available channels
- When disabled (false): Archived public channels will be hidden when browsing available channels, unless the user is already a member
Important notes about channel access:
- Users will always be able to access archived channels where they are members
- Users can leave archived channels if they no longer wish to see them
- To prevent users from accessing specific channels (archived or not), system administrators should remove affected users from the channel and ensure the channel is made private
Why is this change being made?
This change provides more granular control over archived channel visibility while maintaining a consistent experience for channel members. The previous experimental setting was overly restrictive, potentially preventing users from accessing channels where they were legitimate members. The new setting focuses specifically on browse behavior for archived public channels, while relying on standard channel membership and privacy controls for access management.