How to Recover an Archived Family

46 views
July 20, 2026
Frankie

An archived or inactive family can be brought back.

A deleted family cannot be recovered.

These are different states.

Archived Versus Deleted

Family state	Can it return?
Archived or inactive	Yes
Deleted	No
Start Fresh used	Original setup is reset

When an adult signs in to an archived family, S’moresUp may offer a recovery choice.

Unfreeze & Continue

Choose Unfreeze & continue when you want to keep the existing family.

This is the safer choice when the family wants to preserve:

Members
Chores
Rewards
History
Existing setup
Family account connection

The restore may take time.

S’moresUp may send a notification or email when the family is ready.

Start Fresh

Choose Start Fresh only when the family wants to restart setup.

Start Fresh can reset:

Setup progress
Streaks
PINs

It is not the same as unarchiving the existing setup.

It is also not a way to recover a deleted family.

Children Cannot Restore the Family

A child who signs in may be told to ask a parent.

An adult family member should complete the recovery choice.

Automatic Unarchive Behavior

The backend may automatically unarchive an inactive family when a non-child signs in or uses family features.

The exact timing and visible screen may differ by app version.

If the family stays frozen, use the parent recovery flow.

Before Choosing Start Fresh

Ask:

Do we want to keep old chores?
Do we need the existing history?
Are current streaks important?
Do we know the family PINs?
Are there Premium settings we want to preserve?
Is the problem only a temporary app issue?

Do not choose Start Fresh because S’moresUp is slow or a chore is missing.

Use normal troubleshooting first.

If the Restore Takes Time

Try:

Keep the app connected to the internet
Close and reopen the app later
Check email
Sign in again
Contact support if the family does not return

Include the family email and approximate family name.

If the Family Was Deleted

Deleted families cannot be recovered.

Family deletion removes the family and connected data.

Creating a new family does not restore the old one.

If billing remains active after deletion, cancel the subscription separately.

Common Problems

Only a child can sign in

Use an adult account to restore the family.

The screen offers Start Fresh

Choose Unfreeze & continue if you want to preserve the existing family.

The family still looks empty after unfreezing

Wait for the restore, reopen the app, and contact support if needed.

The account email is unknown

Search earlier S’moresUp email and receipts.

The family was permanently deleted

It cannot be recovered.

Common Questions

Does Unfreeze keep the data?

Yes, it is intended to preserve the family.

Does Start Fresh keep streaks?

No. Start Fresh resets streaks and other setup items.

Is Start Fresh a troubleshooting reset?

No.

Can children unfreeze the family?

Parents should handle recovery.

Does unfreezing restore a subscription?

Premium access depends on the active family subscription.

Best First Action

Choose Unfreeze & continue when preserving the existing family matters.