How to open a hidden folder? How to find hidden folders and files in Windows

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

When might this be useful? For example, the hidden folder AppData/Roaming contains huge amount 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

Most shortcut get to what you want - use a small tweak in the standard and everyone's favorite 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 have reviewed 3 different ways 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 the settings according to the third method in the control panel - then you will see everything!

How to find hidden folders

Some of the files and folders in the Windows operating system are not displayed on the hard drive and removable drives because they are hidden. But what if you want to access them? How to show hidden folders and files?

The operating system usually hides system files, the deletion or modification of which can lead to a malfunction or even a complete crash of Windows. This can be called a kind of “foolproof”, thanks to which an inexperienced PC user cannot interfere with the system structure.

In addition, some user-installed programs create their own hidden files. This is all done for the same reason - so that the user does not accidentally delete anything important. Sometimes users themselves hide files, for example, so that other people cannot find them on their hard drive (by the way, this method cannot be called reliable).

How to determine if a file is hidden? Distinctive feature hidden files and folders is the translucency of icons and names, but only if you have already enabled their display. In most cases it is turned off. How to show hidden folders and files in Windows?

How to show hidden folders and files in WindowsXP?

How to open hidden files on a flash drive

In WindowsXP this can be done in two ways.

In the first case, you need to go to Explorer (either double-click on the My Computer icon, or use the hotkey combination Win+E). Next, you need to select Tools - Folder Options from the menu. In the properties window that opens, click on the View tab and check the Show hidden files and folders box. Click Apply and then OK.

In the second case, you need to go to the Control Panel (in the Start menu) and select the Folder Options section. Then proceed exactly the same as in the first case.

How to show hidden folders and files in Windows 7?

How to view a hidden folder

In general, displaying hidden files and folders in Windows 7 is the same as in WindowsXP, but some nuances should be mentioned separately. For example, the Control Panel section in this system is called Folder Options, and in the View tab you need to check the box next to Show hidden files, folders and drives.

If you want to use Explorer for this purpose, it is important to note that by default the top menu is not displayed in this system. To see this menu, you must click Alt key. In the menu that appears, select Tools - Folder Options. You already know the next steps.

How to open hidden folders and files using a file manager?

If you already know how to hide a folder or file and do not want to make them visible in the operating system, then you can use any file manager to find and use them. One of the most famous is TotalCommander.

Open the file manager, go to the menu, select Configuration - Settings. You will see a settings window split into two halves. A list of customizable options will appear on the left side. In this case, select Panel Contents and left-click on it. After that, in the right panel you will see a list of options, including the File Display block. In it you need to select the first item, which is called Show hidden/system files (only for experienced ones!). To save the settings, click Apply and then OK.

Now you know how to find hidden folders and files in operating systems WindowsXP and 7. But do not forget that you cannot thoughtlessly change and delete system files and folders - this can cause system malfunctions, and in the worst case, even the need to completely reinstall it.

To save confidential information, PC users often use the hiding function. An attribute is set in the settings of folders (files) that hides them from prying eyes. If option , 7, 8 is enabled, then invisible objects will become visible and they will have a pale tint.

Using someone else's computer, you will probably want to search for classified information, for example, find out where personal photos or videos, secret documents and other information of interest are located. In the instructions, we'll see how to find a hidden folder on a computer in Windows 7, (10, 8) via standard means OS (on the desktop and in Explorer), specialized software.

Search for hidden elements using standard OS tools

To search for hidden folders (files) in Windows, you need to enable their display. For eight and ten, follow these steps:

For seven, do this:

Note: The Folder Options window is also available in Windows 10, 8. In Explorer, click Options on the View tab.

Open File Explorer, if necessary, go to the desired section hard drive(for example, drive C) or the desired directory, since the search works where you are. To find hidden files and folders in Windows, place your cursor in the search area. Enter part or all of the name and wait until the search ends. Windows 10, 8 has a lot of filters: size, type, modification date, and others.

Windows 7 also has a set of filters, but it is more limited: modification date, size. In addition to entering the name, you can use a construction like: *.docx or similar. This way you will find all office files Microsoft Word. The logic should be clear. Pay attention only to pale elements.

Finding hidden objects through programs

There are special programs for searching and processing invisible directories and files. These applications include: Find Hidden, Hidden File Finder, which we will consider below.

Find Hidden is a portable, free software that allows you to quickly find hidden folders (as well as files) on your Windows computer. Follow these steps:

1. Download the program. Extract from the archive.
2. Run the executable file, wait. Accept the license agreement by clicking ACCEPT.
   
3. In the System Tools setting, select the type of elements you are looking for, these are regular objects and system protected ones.
4. Specify the search location (for example, drive C). Choose what to find: files (Hidden Files Only) or folders (Hidden Directories Only). If the Hidden Files Only search mode is selected, you can specify a specific extension, size, and date (created, modified, opened). In Hidden Directories Only search mode, you can set the date. After setting the parameters, click on Search.
   
5. The program will begin searching for invisible Windows elements. You will see how many objects have been scanned and how many invisible ones have been found. A list of folders (files) with their descriptions will appear in the window. After a complete scan of the directory, you can perform various operations with hidden files and folders by right-clicking: view properties, location, change attributes, and more.
   Hidden File Finder is free program For quick scan and detecting all invisible objects in the Windows system. To find hidden folders (files) in Windows, follow these steps:
   

   These are the ways you can find a hidden folder on your computer in Windows 10 (7, 8) or required file. The first method is suitable if you know what you are looking for, and the second gives full list all invisible elements, which makes it easier to find the information you need.

Sometimes there is a need to protect personal files or folders. This is especially true if more than one person is working with the computer. One solution is hiding. Of course, it will not help in the case of an experienced user. But it will hide information from unsuspecting eyes.

How to hide/show files and folders on a Windows 7 computer

Standard method

To hide a file or folder, you need to go through two steps:

Disable visibility of hidden folders

If the “Do not show...” option is set in the settings, then hidden files and folders will still be displayed, with the only difference being that the label for such objects is dimmer compared to a regular element.

Changing folder/file settings

After these steps, the folder or files will become hidden and will not be displayed.

Enable visibility and view

To show hidden items, you need to go to the folder settings and check the box next to “Show hidden files, folders and drives”. And for a specific object to stop being invisible, you need to uncheck the “Hidden” option.

How to make a folder invisible - video

Via Total Commander

This method is related to the previous one in that in “Folder Options” there should also be a checkmark next to the item “Do not show hidden files, folders and drives”.

How to view files and make them open

To show hidden files and folders, press Ctrl + H.

To make documents visible again, you need to use the Alt + A combination and uncheck the “Hidden” checkbox.

Via Free Hide Folder

If you want to be sure that no one can see hidden information, you can use the Free Hide Folder program, which requires setting a password.

Free Hide Folder does not hide individual files. Available for free download on the Internet.

1. When you launch the program for the first time, a window will appear in which you need to enter and confirm a password. By the way, you will also need it when uninstalling the program.
2. The next window will ask you to enter a registration code, but this is not a requirement. To continue working, you need to select Skip.
3. Then click on the Add icon and select the folder that you want to hide.
4. After the folder is selected, a message will appear indicating that it is advisable to make a Backup. It is advisable to follow the advice.
   

   Backup saves information about the program. If the latter is deleted, then after reinstallation access to hidden folders will be restored.

In addition to Add, the general window has buttons for:

How to find hidden information and transfer it to a flash drive

Free Hide Folder hides folders so that they cannot be found using search. The only way is to open the program and select the Unhide tool. Another special feature is that it does not hide documents located on removable disks.

Since Windows search cannot detect documents hidden using Free Hide Folder, copying cannot be used. Thus, invisible folders cannot be transferred to removable drives.

Using an image and an archiver

For this method you will need a folder with files, any image and the WinRAR archiver. The program is available for free download on the official website. In this case, the processor bit capacity must be taken into account. To find out, you need:

You can take any image, there are no restrictions.

1. Add the desired folder to the archive.
2. Place the archive and the image in one folder, preferably located in the root of the disk.
3. Using the Win + R combination, launch the Run tool, enter cmd in the line and click OK.
4. IN command line go to the folder where the archive and image are located. To do this, enter the cd command and the address. In this case it is cd c:\.
5. Then press Enter.
6. Now in the line you need to write the names of the image, archive and new file. Also, extensions must be specified in all three positions. In this case it turns out: COPY /B Image.jpg + FolderWithFiles.rar ImageWithArchive.jpg.
7. Press Enter. If everything was written correctly, a message will appear on the command line indicating that the files were copied.

If you now open the created file, only the image that was taken as a basis will open.

The original files can be deleted.

How to view hidden files

To be able to view files hidden in the image, you need to open the illustration itself using WinRAR.

But the archiver must first be added to the list of programs that can open images:

1. In the “Open with” menu, click on “Select program”.
2. Click on “Browse” and in the window that opens, find the folder with the archiver.
3. Open the folder and select the program launch shortcut.
4. Next, WinRAR will appear in the list of programs that can open the image. You also need to uncheck the “Use the selected program for all files of this type” option. Otherwise, all images will be opened using the archiver.

When the user opens the image using the archiver, it will be visible that there is a folder inside.

But don't hide too much information in one file. If it takes up tens of megabytes, even an inexperienced user will become suspicious.

Possible errors

How to enable the “Show hidden files and folders” option

Sometimes a situation occurs that the user activates the “Show hidden files and folders” option, but the switch automatically switches to the “Do not show hidden files and folders” position. In this case you need:

Otherwise, the parameter must be created. To do this, right-click on a free area of ​​the window, select “New”, then “DWORD Value”. Call it CheckedValue and give the value 1.

1. Go to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced.
2. Find the Hidden parameter (with value 0), type REG_SZ, in the list and delete it.
3. If the list contains a Hidden parameter, type REG_DWORD, then change its value to 1. Otherwise, the parameter must be created.
4. Find the SuperHidden parameter, type REG_DWORD, in the list and change its value to 1.
5. Press "F5" to refresh the editor window and close it.

What to do if Folder Options is missing

This usually means that viruses have entered the system. Perhaps the antivirus simply failed to identify and remove malware. And so that the user cannot visually detect them, the authors of such applications use the “Hidden” or “System” attributes. In addition, the “Folder Options” menu item is removed.

Even if the malware is removed, the antivirus will not be able to restore this item. This will need to be done manually:

The Registry Editor may not have been blocked after a virus attack. In this case, you can use it:

1. Using Win + R, launch the Run tool, enter regedit in the line and click OK.
2. Go to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer.

In the right part of the window, find the NoFolderOptions parameter, type REG_DWORD. Double-click LMB to open it and set the value to 0.

Hiding files and folders - simple and quick way protect personal information. Of course, the first two are less reliable, and sophisticated users may accidentally or intentionally discover the secret. But FHF and the archiver will hide personal data even from experienced eyes.

operating room Windows system allows for a huge variety of actions related to technical processes. Today we will talk about hiding folders and files on your computer. About why this is done and how to find them.

Let's start with the fact that in some cases, the concealment of certain documents is provided for by the developers of this system. By default, some important elements are hidden so that the user cannot accidentally delete them and damage the normal functioning of the system. Sometimes users hide them to hide personal data from prying eyes or simply important information. In any case, sometimes there is a need to find them, let's look at how to do this.

First you need to find the shortcut " My computer", in the window that opens, select the menu item " Arrange“Opening this menu, click on the section “ Folder and search options» and left-click.

After which a new window will open “ Folder Options". You need to go to the section " View", scroll the menu to the very bottom, where you will find the item " Hidden files and folders". Next, just switch to the point where hidden files will be shown, apply and click “ OK«.

All documents that are not displayed will be shown after this operation. They will stand out in a slightly duller color.

A similar operation needs to be repeated in Windows 8. First, open the same shortcut “ My computer“, and then find the checkbox at the top and open an additional section if it is not open by default.

In the menu that opens, select “ View" and click on the icon " Options«

In the window that appears, we repeat the same steps as in the previous algorithm, and you can also uncheck the “ Hide protected system files“if you need it for a specific purpose. After this, all non-displayed folders will become visible, but different in color.

Display in Windows 10

The actions are absolutely the same as in Windows 8, all sections and items are saved in their places, so there is no need to describe them.

It is much easier, in my opinion, to display hidden documents using a third-party program, for example, Total Commander. In the program, find the section “ Configuration". In it select the item “ Settings«.

In the menu that opens, select the subsection “ Panel Contents" and then just check the boxes " Show hidden files" and, if necessary, " Show system files«.

Apply and click " OK". All documents are displayed, which is what we wanted.

It’s worth mentioning that developers hide system elements for a reason. Removing, changing or damaging them can lead to failures and errors in the system, so you should treat them with special care and caution. If you are trying to find hidden files on someone else's computer, a moral question arises. The user hid these files for a reason, which means viewing them is wrong - respect privacy personal life everyone.