My computer open hidden files. How to set the visibility of hidden files and folders in Windows. Showing hidden folders

The Windows operating system has hidden objects. They exist in fact, but they are not visible in the explorer. Accordingly, the user will not be able to accidentally delete, move or change them. Typically, such directories store system data. But if you need to view their contents, you will not be able to do so in the usual way. Let's figure out how to open hidden folders, adjust their visibility and “disguise” a separate directory.

This is what a hidden folder looks like

If ordinary objects that you created yourself suddenly “disappear” from your device, malware may be to blame. In this case, you need to check the system with an antivirus, and not deal with the attributes.

If you know the path to an invisible directory, here's how to open hidden files:

Go to “Start” - “Run”. Or press Win+R keys.

In the input field, write the full path to the directory. The name of a specific object must be specified with an extension.
Click OK.

Or another way:

Open any local drive. You can also launch the “My Computer” menu.
In the address bar at the top of the window, enter the path to the file or folder.

Visibility settings

Here's how to show hidden folders:

Go to “Control Panel”. It should be in the Start menu. If it's not there, you'll have to reconfigure it. Right-click on the taskbar, select “Properties”, “Start” tab and then “Settings”. In the list that opens, find “Control Panel” and set it to “Display”.
Go to Folder Options. Window in the "Design and Personalization" category.
View tab.
Scroll down to the Hidden section.
Place a marker next to "Show".
Save your changes.
If the object is still invisible, uncheck “Hide system files”.

Now you will be able to see hidden objects: they will be transparent and dim. This way you can distinguish them from regular directories.

There are several other ways to access this menu. These options are relevant for Windows version 7 and higher.

Open any directory.
Click on "Arrange" in the top left corner.
"Folder and Search Options."

Every directory has a menu bar. If it is not visible, hold down the Alt key.
In this line, click on “Service”.
“Folder Options” item.

It is not recommended to enable display if you just want to see what is inside the directory. Activate this option only if you need something specific. Files are hidden for a reason, but to protect the system.

Attributes

You learned how to show hidden folders. Now you can figure out how to hide a visible object:

Right-click on it.
"Properties".
Check the “Hidden” checkbox. If it's not there, it means it simply doesn't fit. Click Other. The required attribute will be there.
"Apply."
To remove a parameter, on the contrary, uncheck the box.

Hide a folder in Windows

Command line

If files have become invisible due to a virus, you can remove attributes from them using commands.

Go to “Start” - “Programs” - “Accessories”.
Right-click on “Command Prompt”.
Select "As Administrator".
A window will open with a black background and white font.
Enter the command "sd [Path to hidden object]". Press Enter.
Write or copy the line “attrib -s -h -r -a /s /d *.*” without quotes there. All attributes will be removed.
The asterisks “*.*” indicate all possible names of objects with all possible formats.

Third party programs

To change the visibility of hidden directories in the Total Commander file manager, you must perform the following steps:

Open "Configuration".
"Settings".
Section "Contents of panels".
"Show hidden files" option.

Another popular manager is Unreal Commander:

Menu “Configurations” - “Settings”.
Go to the “View” section and the “Files” subsection.
Check all the boxes in the Display area.
Apply.

And for Nomad.NET:

"Tools".
"Options".
Security tab.
The option you need will be there.

To show hidden files, you just need to check one box in the folder options. You should not delete anything in directories that were originally hidden. They usually contain data reserved for system needs or important utilities.

In the Windows operating system (OS), there are so-called hidden folders and files that are not displayed among public folders and files either on the computer’s hard drive or on various media (flash drives, external drives, etc.). However, it happens that the user needs to access them. How to open hidden folders in Windows? Let's consider several cases: with Windows XP, Windows 7, as well as a universal method with the Total Commander program - an excellent PC resource manager.

How to open hidden folders XP

This is done in two ways: through Windows Explorer and through the Control Panel. In the first case, double-left-click on “My Computer” (usually this shortcut is on the desktop) or press Win+E at the same time. Now in the top menu select “Tools”, and then select “Folder Options”. In the window that opens, select “View” and find the “Show hidden folders and files” item there. Here click “Apply” and then “OK”. In the second case, open the “Start” menu (on the desktop in the lower left corner) and go to “Control Panel”, where you select the “Folder Options” section. Next, find the same items as in the first menu: “View” - “Show hidden...” - “Apply” - “OK”. That's all - now your hidden folders will be shown. I note that they will be displayed in the form of translucent icons so that they can be distinguished from publicly available ones. Usually these are system files and you can change and delete them only if you know exactly what you are doing - otherwise, some programs, or even the entire system, may stop running, be sure to take this into account. Well, now let's talk about Windows 7, opening hidden folders in which it will also not be difficult, since the method of action is approximately the same, so we will describe only some differences.

How to open hidden folders in Windows 7

In “Seven” in the “Control Panel” there is a corresponding section called “Folder Options”, and an item in “Folder Options” - “Show hidden folders, files and drives”. If you want to do the same through Explorer, the top menu in Win 7 is not available by default, so you need to press Alt to turn it on. Now click “Tools”, then “Folder Options”, well, then everything is as usual. Well, as promised, a few words about Total Commander.

Opening access through Total Commander

Launch this program and select “Configuration” in the top menu, and then “Settings”. In the left part of the window, find the “Panel Contents” item; by clicking on it with the left mouse button, you will see a list of options in the right pane. In the top block, find the item “Display files” and check the box next to “Show hidden/system files”, then click “Apply” and “OK”. That's the whole simple procedure. Just remember that hidden folders and files must be handled very carefully. By the way, if you want to hide some information from prying eyes, you should not use this method, it is better to archive the data and protect it with a strong password, and the method of hiding folders is, rather, just for convenience.

In the Windows operating system, it is possible to assign special attributes to directories. With their help, the properties of directories are changed, for example, none of the contents in them can be changed or they cease to be displayed on the hard drive. This article describes how you can show and open hidden (that is, with the Hide attribute enabled) folders on a computer running Windows 7.

General information

These parameters are necessary in order to protect directories with content important for system operation from the actions of inexperienced users. If you unknowingly delete or change any necessary file, Windows or some third-party programs may not begin to work entirely correctly.

However, there are often cases when users need to access hidden information. A striking example is the invisible AppData folder, which contains browser service data. If you need to clear the cache or backup personal information, you need to access AppData.

There are 2 fairly simple ways to open hidden folders: change the Windows Explorer settings or remove the “Hide” attribute from the folder using a special bat file.

Explorer Properties

In order for you to be able to see hidden files and directories, you need to specially configure the program settings for working with the file system in Windows. This program is called Explorer. To change its properties, follow a few simple steps indicated in the instructions:

Creating a bat file

In order to change the attributes of directories and files, you can use a special file with the bat extension. Create a plain text (txt) document and add “.bat” to its name. Open the document using Notepad.

Copy the line “ attrib -H /S /D” into the input field and save your changes. Now you need to transfer the program you created yourself to the directory in which the data you need is stored, and run it. This will remove the “Hidden” option from all accessible files and partitions.

Most computer owners have dealt with hidden folders.

Sometimes this Windows tool is very useful for hiding your documents.

But it often happens that malicious programs have settled in elements hidden by developers, and the files urgently need to be opened and cleaned.

Why does Windows hide some of the system files and how to see them, how to make folders invisible yourself?

What are invisible files for?

Hidden items are normal folders, but they are not displayed like all the others.

These elements use the “hidden” attribute.

In the Windows interface, such documents are not displayed by default.

Do not be mistaken that by hiding some folders, you can free up space on your hard drive. They will weigh the same as regular ones.

Folders are invisible for several reasons.

Operating system developers intentionally make part of the system files invisible, which an inexperienced user can mistakenly delete, disrupting the operation of their computer. During everyday use, the user does not need to look into them and change anything, so many do not even know about the existence of these “invisible” ones.
Users themselves sometimes hide some documents. This is especially true if the computer is working or children use it.
This function is also convenient to use if you have a lot of files on your computer that you rarely use. To prevent them from taking up unnecessary space and preventing you from finding and viewing more important documents, you can hide them.
You should not exclude the influence of viruses on your PC. They can be the cause of folders that have disappeared from view.

Files can be made visible on the hard drive as a whole or in a specific part of it.

Experts offer several options for solving this problem.

The easiest way

To use it, we will turn to Explorer.

1. Open the first folder you come across or press the Windows + E key combination.

2. Then select the line "View" in the main menu. Then click on "Show or hide" and select the item "Hidden Elements" .

Showing hidden folders

This solution is also quite simple. It will not be difficult to complete it, even if the user is not particularly computer literate.

Need to open "My computer" ;
Find the section at the top left "Service" , from the displayed list you need to select the line "Folder Options" (For Windows 7 or Windows 8, select "Folder Options" ).
A new window will appear, from which you should go to the tab "View" ;
At the bottom of the displayed list, mark the phrase "Show hidden files and folders" (When it comes to Windows 7 and Windows 8 system versions, your point is ), click on this line, then click "Apply" , and then to Ok;

In a situation where there is a need to view hidden system files and folders, you need to uncheck the item in the same list "Hide protected system files" .
But such an action is recommended to be performed only as a last resort.

It happens that the menu is not visible on the computer "Service" . In this case, use the Alt key (there is a chance that it is not displayed all the time).

You can also go to this window in another way:

While in a folder, you need to select the command "Arrange" . It can be found in the upper left corner, directly below the address bar;
In the menu that pops up we find "Folder and Search Options" .
Here again we find ourselves in "Folder Options" and move to the menu "View" .
We put a mark on the proposal again "Show hidden files, folders and drives" .
Click Ok

Changing folder properties

After carrying out these simple manipulations, you will again be able to see hidden folders, along with everyone else.

In order to achieve this, it is enough to remove the attribute "Hide" from invisible folders.

We start by clicking on the invisible folder using the right mouse button and finding the menu item "Properties" .

On the screen we will see a window showing the properties of the hidden folder. We will need to remove the check mark from the item "Hidden" and complete the operation by clicking on Ok.
If the folder you need contains other documents, the window will ask you to remove the attribute "Hidden" specifically from this folder or from it and all the folders in it. If your task is to make all attachments visible, select the appropriate item and click on Ok.

That's how easy it is to show all invisible folders.

If you then need to turn off visual viewing of hidden documents again, you can perform this task in the Folder Options window.

Use the system registry

Sometimes it is not possible to use the first method for various reasons.

For example, the malware hid any documents on your PC and blocked the ability to customize the operating system.

Then you can try to solve the problem with the assistance of the system registry.

There it is necessary to adjust the parameters that are responsible for displaying invisible elements, which means returning them to their normal appearance.

So let's get started:

1. Go to the menu "Start" (it is located in the lower left corner of the desktop on the control panel);

2. Click on the word "Run" . In the window that appears, enter the word "regedit" and press Enter (For PCs with systems version seven and eight, you will need to enter the word "regedit" directly to the menu search bar "Start" ). Having done all this, you will see the system registry on the monitor, in it you need to find the item we need.

3. The window on the left will display a list of sections available in the registry. You will need to move step by step from section to section: HKEY_CURRENT_USER, Software, Microsoft, Windows, CurrentVersion, Explorer, Advanced.

4. Move to the required section on the right side of the window, then find the parameter "Hidden" , click on it twice and replace it in the displayed window in the line "Meaning" number zero to number one. If it turns out that the required parameter is not in this section, you need to create it. Right-click on the empty space on the right side of the registry window and click in the list that opens "Create" , and then - "Parameter" . Rename the newly created parameter to "Hidden" and assign it a value of one by clicking on it twice.

5. Now you need to go to the registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, SOFTWARE, Microsoft, Windows, CurrentVersion, Explorer, Advanced, Folder, Hidden, SHOWALL.

6. In it, look for the “CheckedValue” item to assign it the value one. Using the method indicated earlier, we create this item in its absence and also enter the number one here.

Hidden folders in Windows 10

How to make an invisible folder.

Turning to command line functions

The Command Prompt in Windows helps you perform many tasks in the operating system.

To display the command line on the screen, click on the menu "Start" , then click on "Run" .

In a new window enter "Cmd" and click OK. (For the seventh and eighth versions, enter the letters "Cmd" to the search menu bar "Start".

A command line window will appear on the monitor.

To see invisible documents in a specific folder, you will first need to log into it.

To achieve your goal, enter the following commands one by one (after each of them, press Enter):

X:, where X is the name of the local drive (for example, D) on which the files or folders you need are located.
cd (for example, cd c:/windows/), where hidden documents are located.
After you have moved to the desired directory, all you have to do is familiarize yourself with its contents. If you want only hidden folders and files to be displayed in the window, write: dir /a:h (if you enter the “dir” command without parameters, then only visible objects will be displayed on the screen).
To ensure the normal functioning of former hidden folders that you will need to view through Explorer while in the same directory, do the following for each object: attrib –s –h. This command will remove the “hidden” and “system” attributes (if the files or folders are actually system files, the “hidden” attribute cannot be removed from them). Pay attention! If file or folder names contain spaces, you must write them in quotes (for example, attrib –s –h “Hidden folder 1”).

We turn to auxiliary programs

Many programs have been developed for Windows to help make hidden documents visible.

One of the most convenient and frequently used is Total Commander.

Download, install and run the program.

Then we begin our task.

Open the menu "Configuration" , which is located at the top of the window;
In the list that appears, select "Settings..." ;
In a new window we look for the item "Contents of panels" and we head towards it;
In the middle of the window there are settings items. Phrase must be marked "Show hidden/system files" and press the button "Apply" .

After completing these steps, you will be able to view the contents of invisible folders in the main window of the Total Commander program.

They will be displayed to you along with all the others.

How to prevent opening hidden files?

There are times when other users should not be allowed to change the visibility of hidden folders. It can be done.

The parameters that are in the registry will help us CheckedValue, in section HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced\Folder\Hidden\Showall.

As a rule, its value is determined by the number one.

By specifying the number zero for it, we will cut off the ability to show hidden files.

This method is quite effective, but since Windows 8\Server 2012, the visibility of hidden files in Explorer has been changed using a checkbox "Hidden Elements" , which cannot be influenced by such settings.

Also, prohibitions are not possible when using the “Total Commander” program and its analogues. They will still be able to find hidden elements.

What to do if you need to hide a file

The opposite situation also happens. Let's say you need to hide some documents or files. It's easy and won't take much time.

Your actions:

1. Right-click on the folder or file you selected to hide;

2. Find the property line at the bottom of the drop-down list;

3. In the window that appears, check the word "Hidden" ;

4. Click on "Run" , then Ok.

How do you know if invisible folders are visible again?

It's easy to check.

Just go to "My computer" ;
Next, select the folder "Program Files" . In it, the former “invisibles” will have a translucent appearance, clearly standing out from the rest.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I would like to advise you to pay more attention to the security of your computer - use good anti-virus programs, update them regularly, and do not insert unverified flash drives into the device.

But, if your PC does become a victim of an attack by viruses that hide folders or hide in invisible files, do not be alarmed, but act.

Just use one of our suggested methods for identifying hidden folders. It works!

It happens that the Windows operating system hides some of its folders from users by making them hidden. For example, having picked up a virus in the Host file, it happens that it becomes invisible. More precisely, the Host file itself is visible, but its duplicate, which seems to complement it, is hidden from view. And to view it you need to configure the display of hidden files.

In this article we will look at 3 ways to open hidden folders and Windows 7 files or, conversely, hide them. This is done very simply.

METHOD 1. Open some window with folders, and in the upper left corner we find the “Arrange” tab. In the menu that opens, select the line “Folder and search options”

In the folder settings window that opens, select the “View” tab at the top. Find the item “Show hidden files, folders and drives” and mark it with a dot

Click the “Apply” and “Ok” button. Everything is ready.

METHOD 2. Again, open some window in Windows Explorer with folders and files. Press the “Alt” key. An additional panel will appear in the upper left corner.

In the additional panel, select the “Service” tab and then in the drop-down menu select the line “Folder Options”

And again we get to the settings window, where we first select the “View” tab and then “Show hidden files”

METHOD 3. This viewing method is suitable for those who have the Total Commander program installed

So, open the Total Commander program.

In the top panel, select the “Configuration” tab

In the settings window in the left panel, select “Panel Contents”

On the right side, check the box R12; Show hidden/system files (advanced only)

Click the “Apply” and “Ok” button

Here are three simple ways to view folders!