Facebook's email and private message system lets you communicate with your friends privately, away from your wall posts. When you click the "X" beside a message to delete it, Facebook files it in the "Archive" folder. You can access these messages until you permanently remove them from the Facebook archive directory. If you archive a message that you need to access, navigate the menu options to open your Archive folder.
A 3D illustration of a blue folder and a trash can.
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Step 1
Open an internet browser, and navigate to your Facebook profile.
Step 2
Click "Messages" in the list on the left side of the screen below your profile thumbnail.
Step 3
Scroll to the bottom of the message listing. Locate the "View" options in the bottom left corner of the page. Click "Archived" to view your archived/trash messages.