How to Remove Completed Tasks in Asana: The Ultimate Guide

Asana is a super useful tool for managing projects, tasks, and teamwork. But let’s be real—when your task list gets cluttered with completed tasks, it can be frustrating. A clean workspace makes it easier to focus on what really matters.

So, if you’re wondering how to remove completed tasks in Asana, you’re in the right place! In this guide, I’ll walk you through hiding, deleting, archiving, and even automating task management so your Asana workspace stays clean and organized.

Understanding Completed Tasks in Asana

Before jumping into the solutions, it’s important to understand how Asana handles completed tasks:

• When you mark a task as complete, Asana doesn’t delete it automatically.
• Completed tasks remain in your project and show up in lists unless you filter them out.
• You can delete them permanently, but there’s no “undo” option if you change your mind.
• Some users prefer hiding completed tasks instead of deleting to keep a record of their work.

Now, let’s explore how to manage these tasks efficiently.

Method 1: Hiding Completed Tasks (The Easiest Way!)

If you don’t want to see completed tasks in your list but don’t want to delete them, you can simply hide them.

Steps to Hide Completed Tasks in Asana:

1. Open your Asana project.
2. Click on the “View” button (it’s on the top right).
3. Choose “Filter” → “Incomplete Tasks”.
4. Boom! All completed tasks disappear from your view.

💡 Pro Tip: Want this to stay permanent? Click “Save layout as default” so Asana always hides completed tasks for that project.

Method 2: Deleting Completed Tasks (Forever!)

If you want to permanently remove completed tasks from Asana, you’ll have to delete them manually.

Steps to Delete a Single Completed Task:

1. Find the completed task in your project.
2. Click on the three dots (•••) next to it.
3. Select “Delete task”.
4. Done! The task is now gone forever.

How to Delete Multiple Completed Tasks at Once (Bulk Delete)

Unfortunately, Asana doesn’t have a built-in bulk delete option for completed tasks (which is a huge downside). But here’s a workaround:

1. Select multiple tasks by holding down Shift (on Windows) or Command (on Mac).
2. Click the three dots (•••) on the top.
3. Select “Delete selected tasks”.

⛔ Important: Once deleted, you cannot recover the tasks. Be 100% sure before deleting!

Method 3: Archiving Tasks Instead of Deleting (Best for Record-Keeping)

If you don’t want to delete tasks permanently but don’t want them cluttering your project, archiving is a great option.

Steps to Archive Completed Tasks:

1. Click on the project’s three dots (•••).
2. Select “Archive project”.
3. The project (and its completed tasks) will disappear from your main view but remain accessible anytime.

💡 Pro Tip: Use archiving if you need to keep track of old work without cluttering your workspace.

Method 4: Automate Task Cleanup (Save Time!)

Wouldn’t it be great if Asana automatically removed completed tasks after a certain time? Well, you can automate it using Rules & Third-Party Tools.

Option 1: Use Asana Rules to Auto-Clean Tasks

1. Go to your project settings.
2. Click “Customize” → “Rules”.
3. Choose “When a task is completed” → “Move task to another section” (like an archive).
4. This way, completed tasks don’t clutter your list but stay stored safely.

Option 2: Use Third-Party Apps Like Zapier

• Zapier can automate Asana by auto-deleting completed tasks after a set time.
• You can create a Zap that says, “If a task is completed for more than 30 days, delete it.”

💡 Pro Tip: If you’re managing big projects, automation saves tons of time.

Comparison Table: Which Method Should You Choose?

Here’s a quick comparison of the different methods to help you decide:

Best Practices for Managing Completed Tasks in Asana

Here are some expert tips to keep your Asana workspace clean and organized:

✅ Regularly review old tasks – Set a reminder to clean up completed tasks every month.
✅ Use automation – Set up rules so tasks auto-move to an archive or get deleted after 30 days.
✅ Keep a record when needed – Don’t delete tasks if you might need them later. Use archiving instead.
✅ Make use of filters – Always filter by “Incomplete Tasks” so you don’t see old completed ones.

Conclusion

Managing completed tasks in Asana doesn’t have to be frustrating! Whether you want to hide, delete, archive, or automate, there’s a method that works for you.

• Just need a cleaner view? Hide tasks.
• Want them gone forever? Delete them.
• Need to keep records? Archive them.
• Don’t want to do it manually? Automate it!

With these simple tips, you’ll keep your Asana workspace clutter-free and stay productive. 🚀