# Archiving & Blocking (/manage/clients/archiving-blocking)

> Manage clients and block unwanted connections



## Blocking Devices [#blocking-devices]

To block a device that has been compromised or lost:

1. Navigate to the device in your client list
2. Click the Action Menu (three dots)
3. Select **Block**

When you block a device, it is immediately moved to a restricted list and loses access to all resources or the ability to connect.

## Archiving Devices [#archiving-devices]

Devices cannot be permanently deleted from Pangolin. Instead, you can archive devices to remove them from your active client list.

To archive a device:

1. Navigate to the device in your client list
2. Click the Action Menu (three dots)
3. Select **Archive**

### Why Archive Instead of Delete? [#why-archive-instead-of-delete]

Pangolin maintains a permanent audit trail of all devices that have accessed your resources. This ensures:

* Block rules remain effective even for archived devices
* Security logs and access history are preserved

Archiving keeps your interface clean by hiding inactive or duplicate devices while maintaining the integrity of your security records.

## Filtering [#filtering]

You can filter your client list to show only active, blocked, or archived devices.

<Frame>
  <img src="/images/device_list_filter.png" alt="Client List Filters" style="{width: &#x22;400px&#x22;, height: &#x22;auto&#x22;}" />
</Frame>
