How to enable hidden folders on your computer. How to open hidden folders and files

In Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10 and Vista, for security and safety purposes, you can hide important files and folders so that other users do not accidentally delete/change important data, or simply from being seen by prying eyes. If necessary, these same files are quite easy to display, which we will look at later in this article.

Also, recently there has been a very common case when users have all their files and folders become hidden, as if everything that was deleted has been deleted, and instead of them, shortcuts with the same names are created, which is a consequence of the computer/removable storage being infected with a virus.

This can also happen after installing or scanning your computer with an antivirus. If you have just such a case associated with a virus, the instructions below will also help you display hidden files and folders. But to completely remove the virus, read the article How to remove a virus with shortcuts.

The first and easiest method I always use is using the Total Commander program. Open the program, select the drive you want and simply click the "Hidden Items" button and you will see everything that has been hidden (marked with a red exclamation point).

If you do not have the program installed, also use the fairly simple methods described below.

Show hidden files and folders in Windows 8.x or 10

Use the View tab and click the Options button.

On the View tab, check the “Show hidden files, folders and drives” option at the very bottom. If you want to get to hidden Windows system files, uncheck the "Hide protected system files" option

Hidden files will appear semi-transparent. If you want to completely remove the “hidden” attribute from a file or folder, right-click on it and select properties. On the General tab, uncheck the Hidden option.

In most cases, this helps, but sometimes it happens that the checkbox from the option cannot be removed, because the hidden attribute is inactive. If so, scroll down a little and follow the instructions provided.

Windows 7 or Vista

Open any folder and select Folder and Search Options from the Organize menu.

Just like in the previous example, check or uncheck the desired options and click OK.

What to do if the folder's hidden attribute is inactive

In case you cannot remove the attribute hidden folder using the above method, the code below can help you in this situation. Just copy it, paste it into notepad and save it as folder with the extension .vbs instead of txt to get folder.vbs. Then copy and paste the file into the drive you need (USB flash drive, SD card or HDD), where you want to display hidden files and launch it with a standard double-click.

Don't forget to change "d:" to your drive letter.

‘ Reset file attributes for all folders within a specific drive
‘ Change d: to the drive letter where the script will be applied
cDrive = "d:"
Set FSO = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
ShowSubfolders FSO.GetFolder(cDrive)
WScript.Echo "Done with fix."

Sub ShowSubFolders(Folder)
str = ""
For Each Subfolder in Folder.SubFolders
str = str & » » & Subfolder.Path
subFolder.Attributes = 0
ShowSubFolders Subfolder
Next
End Sub

After running the file, you should see all hidden folders, but not files (note) since this method only applies to folders. And for files use the following method:

Open the Run dialog box, enter cmd and press Enter.
Enter your drive letter, for example d: and press Enter.
Then enter the following command:

attrib d:\*.* /d /s -h -r -s

Now, all hidden files should appear.

Sep 12 2012

Welcome to the computer help blog. If you cannot find certain files on your hard drive or flash drive after a virus attack, do not despair and forget about this data.

In this article I will tell you and give specific examples of how to display hidden folders or show hidden files on your computer that have been lost or simply disappeared. While reading, you can watch videos on this topic.

Looking at hidden folders

There are two types of displayed information on a personal computer - visible and hidden. Developers of software systems deliberately hide some data so that young or inexperienced computer users do not do unnecessary things, namely, delete or change the necessary files for stable operation of the system.

How to show hidden folders in Windows 7 | website

How to hide a folder or file

Select the file or folder we need.

Right-click on it, go to the very bottom of the displayed menu and go to Properties.

Go to the very bottom of the General menu, Near “Attributes” >>> “Read Only”, click the checkbox next to Hidden.

When finished, click Apply and OK.

We close all the windows we open. Again we go to the location we need on the computer and this information should disappear or become translucent if you have the system function to display hidden files.

In order to return everything back and make the desired folder or file visible. We perform all the same operations, uncheck the Hidden box, apply the settings and OK.

How to hide a folder | website

The hidden files and folders feature is also useful if you use the Torrent program. To create, enable and place an IP filter in the Documents and Settings >>> Local Settings or Application Data folder, which is useful when downloading files.

It does not allow you to download data from foreign sources, thereby working with the internal resources of the country in which you are located. Saves incoming traffic, which is probably limited to a certain number of Gigabytes for external sources.

What we learned

Today we talked to you about how to display hidden folders or show hidden files on your computer. We learned what hidden files and folders are, where they are located and learned how to make them visible. They were also able to hide the data we needed from unwanted eyes or just strangers.

Perhaps you have questions related to how to display hidden folders on your computer. You can ask them below in the comments to this article, and also use the form with me.

Thank you for reading me on

Most often, system files and folders are hidden. The operating system makes such files hidden for security purposes, because the user can, through carelessness or ignorance, delete or change any of the files necessary for the normal functioning of the system as a whole, which can lead to serious consequences: from errors to complete system collapse. By hiding files, Windows protects itself from preventing the user from ever having such a temptation.

Some applications and programs sometimes hide their files from users for the same reason. Users themselves also hide their own files and folders when they do not want anyone to find this data.

A hidden file differs in appearance from a regular file. When the system displays hidden files and folders, you can see that the icons of hidden folders or the names of hidden files appear translucent.

How to See Hidden Files and Folders in Windows XP

There are two ways to display hidden files and folders - through the Control Panel or through Windows Explorer.

1. Display via the “Control Panel”. You need to go to the “Control Panel”, this is done through the standard “Start” menu: “Start” - “Control Panel”. In the window that opens, click “Tools” in the top menu and click “Folder Options” in the drop-down menu. A properties window will open in which you need to select the “View” tab. In this tab, in the additional settings window, select “Hidden files and folders” and check the box next to “Show hidden files and folders”. Save the changes - click “Apply” and “OK”.

2. Display via Windows Explorer. We go to Explorer: double-click to open the “My Computer” item, or simultaneously press the Win and E keys. In the top menu of Explorer, select “Tools” and then proceed by analogy with the first point: select “Folder Options”, then “View”, look for item “Hidden files and folders”, click “Show hidden files and folders”, “Apply”, “Ok”.

After the manipulations have been carried out, files and folders hidden until this moment become visible to the user and can be worked with in the same way as with regular files. However, there is a way to work with hidden files and folders without making them visible on the system. They can be searched and opened using any file manager, for example using the popular Total Commander.

To do this, open the file manager, select the “Configuration” item, click the “Settings” section. A settings window will open, consisting of two parts. On the left side of the window, look for the “Panel Contents” item. By clicking on it, we see a list of options on the right side of the window, among which we look for “Display files” and check the box next to “Show hidden/system files”, then click “Apply” and “Ok”.

Hi all! Today we will look at basic knowledge of Windows, without which you can’t go anywhere. All modern Windows operating systems by default hide system files and folders from our eyes so that you do not accidentally harm yourself or delete them. However, there are many reasons when access to these files becomes necessary - this is where the question arises of how to show hidden folders in Windows 10.

When might this be useful? For example, the hidden AppData/Roaming folder contains a huge amount of user data (the same toy saves). Or maybe you just don’t like that the system is trying to limit you - you can and even need to view hidden folders!

Many users use hiding various files and folders to protect information. It’s clear that the method is so-so, but I know people who have hidden the folder... and don’t know how to get into it (hid from themselves)

I decided to tell you about three ways to open hidden folders and files in Windows 10 (although it will work perfectly for any other Microsoft OS). In this regard, Ten has gone far ahead and it is possible to show the necessary files in a couple of clicks, without wandering through the system settings.

How to show hidden folders in Windows 10 through Explorer

The shortest way to get what you want is to use a small tweak in the standard and beloved Windows Explorer. Find the "View" tab and make sure that "Hidden Elements" is checked. That's all - the system will show you hidden files and folders.

Hidden files and folders in Windows 10 through Folder and Search Options

If the method above appeared only with Windows 8... then the second option has probably been around since the very first versions (at least it was in Windows 98, but previously I didn’t even have a computer).

Click on the “File” tab and select “Change folder and search options” from the drop-down menu.

In the window that opens, go to the “View” tab and check the “Show hidden files, folders and drives” option, click “Apply”

This is how we enabled the display of hidden folders in Windows 10 - as you can see, everything is simply outrageous.

How to open hidden folders on Windows 10? - Control Panel

If the previous two methods seemed too simple to you, then meet the longest and most inconvenient option with displaying hidden files in Windows 10 (for those who like to complicate things).

You can enable showing hidden files through the Control Panel. In fact, we use the second method with setting up Explorer, but we do this not from the program interface, but from the global system settings.

Go to the Control Panel and for easier searching, change the view to “Small icons” and find the “File Explorer Options” item.

On the “View” tab, check the “Show hidden files, folders and drives” option and click the “Apply” button. From now on you will be able to see hidden files.

You will most likely be warned that showing hidden files is not entirely safe - edit them wisely and know what you are doing... (if you want to show system files, then uncheck “Hide protected system files”)

Bottom line

We looked at 3 different ways to show hidden folders in Windows 10. Please note that system files are also hidden and simply checking the “Show hidden files” checkbox is not enough... you need to make settings according to the third method in the control panel - then you will see everything !

Compared to Windows XP, the interface of the seventh version of the OS has undergone dramatic changes. The way hidden files are displayed in this operating system also differs from its predecessor. And without showing hidden directories, you cannot fine-tune Windows. This article will tell you how to display folders hidden from the user.

How to show hidden folders in Windows 7

There are several ways to display hidden directories in a standard file manager, but they all boil down to opening the folder properties window. So, the standard course of action is:

open "Explorer";
click on the “ALT” button;
in the top menu, click on the “Service” line;
in the drop-down list, click on “Folder Options”;
Expand the “View” tab;
in the window, scroll through the list of parameters to the very end;
move the bottom switch to “Show”;
also, if you need to show hidden Windows 7 files and folders, which are also system folders, uncheck the box next to the text “Hide protected files”;
Click OK or press ENTER on your keyboard.

To check, open Explorer and go to the partition with Windows installed. The Program Data directory should appear in its root. Note that files and folders that have been hidden by a developer or administrator are shown as semi-transparent icons - their colors blend into the background.

Additional methods

There are several easier ways to open directory display options. For example, you can expand the Start menu and type the word “Settings” into the search bar. Then you just have to click on the item of the same name.

You can also show Windows 7 using the “Control Panel” configuration utility:

So, go to Control Panel.
Click the Personalization category.
In the window that opens, select “Folder Options.”
Go to the second tab from the left.
Set the switches to the positions indicated in the instructions above.

To hide files again, simply return the switches to their original positions.

Command line

If working with directories is not necessary, but you just need to check their availability, command line tools are sufficient. How to view hidden folders on Windows 7 using console commands? Follow these instructions:

Create a shortcut by opening the desktop context menu and following the path in the menu, “Create” - “Shortcut”.
Enter “cmd” in the file location line.
Set a custom name.
Run the shortcut as administrator.
Enter the drive letter you will be working with.
Go to the root of the directory in which you want to show hidden Windows 7 folders using the “cd” command immediately followed by entering the path to the desired folder, for example “cd C:\Windows”.
Type "dir /ah", after which the full list of files and directories will be displayed on the screen.

This method is the fastest, but it has one significant drawback - it will be difficult for a simple user to remember the commands and the order in which they are entered. For those who type slowly, this method is not suitable at all, since entering a long path will take too much time.

Using third party software

Not only Windows Explorer can show hidden folders in Windows 7, but also third-party file managers, for example, Total Commander. This approach is convenient if you need to frequently fine-tune the operating system, but not only experienced users work on the computer and displaying hidden directories in Explorer is not desirable.

How to view hidden folders on Windows 7 using Total Commander? Follow these steps:

First, install a file manager. It is distributed using a shareware model, but does not require purchasing a license.
After installing and launching Total Commander, click on “Configuration”. It is located in the top menu of the utility.
In the drop-down list, click on the “Settings” line.
On the left side of the settings window, select Panel Contents.
In the main part of the parameters window, check both boxes in the top line.

If inexperienced users are using the computer and can accidentally erase important system information, then before showing hidden folders in Windows 7 using Total Commander, you should first remove its shortcuts from the desktop. After this, you can start the program by typing “total” in the search bar. Total Commander is not the only file manager that can show hidden files. For example, Far Manager, FreeCommander, File Navigator are also equipped with similar functionality. Moreover, in Far Manager the setting in question is made by default.

As you can see from the article, showing hidden folders in Windows 7 is not at all difficult, but always remember that they were hidden from the user for a reason and the correct functioning of the entire software often depends on them. After deleting a hidden directory, the operating system may not boot at all. Perform any actions with hidden folders only after first creating a system restore point or even a full backup of the partition.