Closing a Trello board is an important step in keeping your Trello workspace organized and clutter-free. When a project is completed or a board is no longer needed, closing it ensures that it is archived and out of the way, but still accessible if needed in the future. Leaving unused or completed boards open can lead to confusion and a cluttered workspace, making it difficult to find the boards and tasks that you need to focus on.
Additionally, if you have a large number of open boards, it can slow down the performance of the Trello platform, making it more difficult to navigate and work on your current projects. Before closing a board, I suggest you backup (both cards and attachments) using Bridge24 for Trello. Now, let’s take a look at why you may need to close a Trello board and how to do it:
Why Close a Trello Board?
Before jumping into the “how,” let’s explore the benefits of closing a Trello board:
- Declutter Your Workspace: Keeping too many active boards can make it difficult to find current projects quickly.
- Boost Performance: Fewer open boards can improve Trello’s loading speed, especially on shared workspaces with lots of activity.
- Maintain Focus: Closed boards serve as a line between what’s done and what needs attention, making it easier to prioritize.
- Enable Cleaner Reporting and Tracking: Especially for teams and businesses, archiving completed projects gives a clearer picture of progress without deleting history.
And best of all, closing a board doesn’t delete it—you can still access it whenever you need to.
Step 1: Open the Board You Want to Close
Log in to your Trello account and navigate to the board you want to close.
Step 2: Open the Board Menu
Once on the board, click on the three dots icon on the right-hand side of the board’s name. This will open the board menu.
Step 3: Click on “More”
In the board menu, click on the “More” option. This will open a drop-down menu with several options.
Step 4: Click on “Close Board”
In the drop-down menu, click on the “Close Board” option. This will open a pop-up window asking you to confirm whether you want to close the board.
Step 5: Confirm That You Want to Close the Board
In the pop-up window, click on the “Close” button to confirm that you want to close the board. This will archive the board and will no longer be visible in your Trello workspace.
Congratulations! You Have Now Successfully Closed a Trello Board
Closing a board also helps you to maintain an accurate record of your completed work. You can easily access closed boards to refer back to previous work and use them as reference points for future projects. This can be especially helpful for businesses or individuals who need to track their progress and maintain a clear record of their completed projects.
What Happens After Closing a Trello Board?
When a board is closed:
- It’s moved to the archived section of your account.
- All cards, attachments, and activities are preserved.
- Team members with access can still find and reopen it.
- You can’t make changes until it’s reopened (unless converted to a template).
Think of it like putting a file in storage—you can still access it, but it’s no longer on your desk.
How to Find and Reopen a Closed Board
Need to access a closed board? It’s easy to retrieve.
Finding a Closed Board
- Go to your Trello Boards page.
- Scroll to the bottom and click on “View Closed Boards.”
- A list of all boards you’ve closed will appear.
- Once you’ve accessed the closed boards list, you will be able to view all your closed boards for which you have admin rights.
From there, you have two options:
Option 1: Reopen the Board
Click the “Reopen” button next to the board you want to activate again. It will reappear in your active boards list instantly.
Option 2: Keep It Archived
Leave it closed if you just want to refer to it occasionally or save it for records.
Additional Tips
- Reopen a Closed Board: If you need to access a closed board again, you can easily reopen it. To do this, go to your Trello home page and click on the “Show Menu” icon (it looks like three horizontal lines) on the left-hand side of the screen. From the menu that appears, click on “More” and then “Archived Items.” This will show you a list of all your closed boards. Find the board you want to reopen and click on the “Reopen” button.
- Collaborate on Closed Boards: Just because a board is closed doesn’t mean you can’t collaborate on it anymore. When you reopen a board, all the cards, lists, and attachments will be restored to their previous state, and you can continue working on them with your team. This can be helpful if you need to revisit a project or refer back to previous work.
- Save Closed Boards as Templates: If you don’t need to work on a closed board anymore but want to keep it for reference, you can always save it. To do this, simply open the closed board, click on the “More” option in the board menu, and then click on “Save to Board Templates.” This will save the board as a template, which you can access later if needed.
Now that you know how to close a Trello board, you can keep your workspace organized and clutter-free. Remember, closing a board is a great way to keep your completed projects in one place and free up space for new ones, especially when managing multiple projects.
Video on How to Close a Trello Board
Best Practices for Trello Board Management
Keeping your workspace tidy goes beyond just closing boards. Here are some related tips:
- Name Boards Clearly: Use project names and dates to make them identifiable even after closure.
- Use Team-Based Categories: Organize boards by team or department for easier navigation.
- Archive Inactive Cards Before Closing: Clean out junk or duplicates before archiving the whole board.
- Create a “Board Archive Index”: Consider creating a single Trello board that links to your archived boards, categorized by type or year for reference.
Final Thoughts
Closing a Trello board is a small but impactful action that helps you manage projects more effectively. Whether you’re a solo freelancer, a startup team, or part of a large organization, knowing how to archive finished work lets you move forward with clarity and focus. Don’t forget to back up your work, explore template options, and build a structure around your archived content. You’ll find your workspace easier to navigate—and your mind a little clearer too.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Does closing a Trello board delete it?
No. Closing a board simply archives it. All data remains intact, and you can reopen it anytime.
2. Can other team members see closed boards?
Only team members with admin access to the board can view or reopen closed boards.
3. Can you delete a Trello board permanently?
Yes. After closing a board, Trello gives you the option to Permanently Delete it—but this action is irreversible.
4. Can I still receive notifications from a closed board?
No. Once a board is closed, all activities and notifications stop until it is reopened.
5. What’s the difference between archiving a card and closing a board?
- Archiving a card hides it from the list but keeps it on the board.
- Closing a board archives the entire project workspace, including all lists and cards.
Suggested articles:
Daniel Raymond, a project manager with over 20 years of experience, is the former CEO of a successful software company called Websystems. With a strong background in managing complex projects, he applied his expertise to develop AceProject.com and Bridge24.com, innovative project management tools designed to streamline processes and improve productivity. Throughout his career, Daniel has consistently demonstrated a commitment to excellence and a passion for empowering teams to achieve their goals.