> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.chief.bot/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Memory health — keeping your context fresh

> The longer you use Chief, the more memories you accumulate — and some stop being useful.

The longer you use Chief, the more [memories](/help/memories/what-are-memories) you accumulate — and some stop being useful. Memory health surfaces the ones that are slipping, so you can archive or delete them and keep the context Chief relies on fresh and accurate.

## Find memories that need attention

1. Open the memory page for [the scope you want](/help/memories/personal-vs-project-vs-organization-memories) (**Settings → Memory**, a project's **Memories** page, or the organization's **Memory** page).
2. Near the bottom, find the **Needs Attention** section (it has a warning icon) and click it to expand.
3. Chief checks your memories and lists any that are losing health, each with a colored state badge. If everything's fine, you'll see *"All memories are healthy."*

## What the health states mean

Memories that aren't being used drift through three states, from mildest to most neglected:

* **Fading** — starting to go unused.
* **Stale** — hasn't been useful in a while.
* **Dormant** — effectively idle.

Each flagged memory also shows when it was last used — either **"Last accessed \{date}"** or **"Never accessed"** — to help you decide what to do with it.

## Act on a flagged memory

1. In the **Needs Attention** list, find the memory.
2. To keep it but move it out of the way, click the [**Archive**](/help/memories/pinning-archiving-restoring-memories) button (archive icon). You can restore it later from **Archived Memories**.
3. To remove it for good, click the **Delete** button (trash icon) and confirm in the dialog.

<Tip>
  🚀 **Pro-Tip:** Make a habit of expanding **Needs Attention** every few weeks. [Clearing out](/help/memories/compressing-memories-to-reduce-clutter) stale and dormant memories keeps Chief focused on context that's still true — fewer outdated facts means sharper answers.
</Tip>

<Warning>
  ⚠️ **Important:** A low health score doesn't mean a memory is wrong — only that it hasn't been used lately. If a flagged memory is still accurate and important, leave it (or pin it). Deleting is permanent.
</Warning>

## FAQ

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="A useful memory is flagged as Stale. Did I do something wrong?">
    No. The state reflects how recently the memory has been used, not whether it's correct. If it's still relevant, just leave it — or pin it so it stays top of mind. It will recover its health as it gets used again.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="The Needs Attention section says all memories are healthy, but I expected flags.">
    That message means none of your memories currently cross the health threshold. Memories you've been using regularly stay healthy. There's nothing to fix.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What's the difference between archiving here and deleting?">
    **Archive** moves the memory to **Archived Memories**, where you can restore it anytime. **Delete** removes it permanently with no undo. When in doubt, archive.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>