Doing the above is not going magically make Shopify fix this, so in the meantime, all we have are workarounds and yes, they should be posted, to support everyone while we wait.
Topic summary
Users are requesting that Shopify change the default behavior of archived products in the admin interface. Currently, archived products appear in the “All” products view and various inventory sections, requiring manual filtering each time to hide them.
Key Issues Identified:
- Archived products show in main product lists, inventory tabs, collection counts, and ABC product analysis
- The filter setting doesn’t persist between sessions, requiring repeated manual filtering
- Archived products appear in third-party apps (bundling, inventory management, wholesale apps)
- This contradicts the archiving feature’s stated purpose of hiding products from admin view
Proposed Solutions:
- Make archived products hidden by default (like archived orders)
- Allow the system to remember filter preferences
- Add a toggle option to show/hide archived products
Workarounds Shared:
- Create custom views using the “Create View” button with sales channel filters
- Use third-party apps like Ultimate Collection Manager (paid solutions)
- Exclude products with zero inventory in collections
Community Sentiment:
Strong consensus exists that this should be fixed, with frustration growing over the 2+ year timeline since the original request. Users are skeptical Shopify will address this issue, with some considering switching platforms entirely due to this and similar unresolved basic functionality requests.