How to find hidden folders and files in Windows? Search for hidden objects on your computer Search for hidden files on your computer.

08.06.2023

The Windows operating system allows 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 hiding of certain documents is provided by the developers of this system. Default some important elements are hidden so that the user cannot accidentally delete And damage normal functioning of the system. Sometimes users hide them in order to hide personal data or just important information from prying eyes. In any case, sometimes it becomes necessary to find them, let's look at how to do this.

Displaying folders in Windows 7

First you need to find the label " My computer", in the window that opens, select the menu item" streamline«, having opened this menu, click on the section « Folder and search options» and click the left mouse button.

Then a new window will open. You need to go to the section View", scroll through the menu to the very bottom, where to find the item" Hidden files and folders". Then just switch to the item where the hidden files will be shown, apply and click " OK«.

All non-displayed documents will be displayed after this operation. They will stand out in a slightly dimmer color.

Hidden Folders in Windows 8

A similar operation must be repeated in Windows 8. First, you should open the same shortcut " My computer", and then find the checkmark 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, repeat the same steps as in the previous algorithm, and you can also uncheck the box “ Hide protected system files"if you need it for a specific purpose. After that, all undisplayed folders will become visible, but differ in color.

Display in Windows 10

The actions are exactly the same as in Windows 8, all sections and items are saved in their places, so it is unnecessary to paint.

Show hidden folders in Total Commander

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 " Setting«.

In the menu that opens, select the subsection " Panel content"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 is worth mentioning that developers do not just hide system elements. Removing, modifying or damaging them may result in crash and errors in the system, so they should be treated with particular care and caution. If you are trying to find hidden files on someone else's computer, there is a question of morality. The user hid these files for a reason, which means that it is wrong to watch them - respect the privacy of everyone.

The need to hide information on a computer may arise for various reasons. Perhaps you love to play on your work computer, but to prevent your boss from seeing your addiction, you have to hide the label of your favorite toy. Someone may share a PC with their family members, and does not want others to find out about their hobbies. Therefore, many users wonder how hide a folder on a computer under Windows 7,8 or 10? It turns out that there are several ways, we will consider three of them in this article. Let's start with the simplest.

The easiest way to hide a folder on a computer

All modern versions of Windows, starting from XP and above, support the standard tool for hiding folders and files. The only drawback of this method is that people who know it will be able to make the hidden folder visible again. However, let's take a closer look at it. So let's go to windows control panel, click on Folder Options. Go to the View tab and among the additional options we find Hidden files and folders, next to the item "" put a tick. We click on OK.

Now hidden folders will not be displayed in the window.

Next you need make the folder itself hidden to do this, you need to follow a few simple steps. Right-click on the folder and select Properties from the menu items. Check the box next to Hidden. Click the Other button and uncheck Allow indexing... Click on Apply and OK.

After these steps, the folder will not only be hidden, it will also not be displayed in the search results, which is important.

How to find a hidden folder on a computer? Now you need to uncheck the " Do not show hidden files, folders and drives» in the control panel (see photo at the beginning of the chapter). The hidden folder will be needed again, and if you need to make it visible again, repeat all the previous steps, but do not remove it, but put the appropriate checkboxes.

Hide folders with Free Hide Folder

An easier and faster way to hide a folder on a computer in Windows 10 or 7 is to use the free utility Free Hide Folder, which you can download from the link. In the window that appears, just click on , the program will still work. Also here you need to come up with a username and password so that no one else can use this utility.

To hide a folder on Windows 10, open the program and click on the Add button. Here we specify the path to the folder that you want to hide. A warning will pop up about the need to create a backup Backup. Agree, because if the program is accidentally deleted, all data about the location of the folder will also be erased. If there is a backup, then you can load it into the newly installed utility and find the folders.

Now the folder cannot be found on your computer, neither through standard Windows tools, nor through search. The only way to see hidden folders on your computer is to run Free Hide Folder again, enter the correct username and password, select the hidden folder and click on Unhide.

A way for real spies

This method of how to hide a folder on a computer in Windows 7 or 10 is quite original and at the same time reliable. The bottom line is that the folder will be hidden in the photo. Suppose you want to hide some folder with important information from prying eyes. To do this, perform the following steps:

We archive the entire folder in zip or rar format. For example, PR.rar
We select a random photo (for example, Pic ), under which we will hide the folder, and move it along with the created archive to some other folder (Fold). It is desirable that it be closer to the root of the hard drive.
Next, press the key combination Win+R and in the line that appears, write cmd and press Enter.
At the command prompt, enter the command cd and the path to the folder. If, as in the example, then cd C:\Fold\
Next, enter one more command: COPY/Pic.jpg+PR.rar Picjpg Here Pic.jpg is our random photo, PR.rar is the archive of the hidden folder, and Pic2.jpg is the name of the photo under which the folder will be hidden.
When the command is executed, you will be able to open a new photo Pic2.jpg with a standard double click of the mouse and the photo will open. If we open this file through the archiver, then we will get access to our hidden files.

A rather complicated way, but original, and hardly anyone will think of looking for your files in a photo.

By default, any version of Windows disables the ability to see hidden files. This is necessary so that inexperienced "dummies" do not accidentally delete anything and do not disrupt the operation of the OS. The decision is quite logical, since these folders are rarely required. And even then - only a few users. But still, sometimes it becomes necessary to view hidden files.

For example, during Windows optimization and garbage cleaning. Many programs (Microsoft Word, Skype) create hidden files as they work. Over time, they become unnecessary, but are stored on disk and take up extra space.

Very often, gamers have a need to enable hidden folders and files. After all, it is in them that saves from many games are stored.

Also, the display of hidden files is required for users who want to hide documents on a flash drive, but do not yet know how to find them later. In general, there are a lot of reasons.

Immediately, I note that in different versions of Windows, this setting is carried out in different ways. Although some methods may overlap. Therefore, below are a few instructions on how to enable hidden files in all Windows - "seven", "eight", "ten" and XP. Plus, there is a universal way that works on all operating systems.

How to open hidden files on Windows 7?

If you need to disable their display, then in the same window check the box "Do not show ...".

Second way:

Go to Start, open the "Control Panel" and click on the "Folder Options" shortcut.
Select the "View" section, scroll the slider down and activate the "Show ..." item.
Save changes by clicking "Apply".

And the third way:

Open any folder.
Click the Alt button and the following menu will appear.
Click Tools - Folder Options.
A familiar window will open: to enable the display of hidden files, go to the "View" tab and check the box "Show ...".

As you can see, there is nothing complicated here. Choose whichever method suits you best and use it at the right time.

When you turn on viewing hidden files in Windows 7 using any of the above methods, they will be visible everywhere. Including on a flash drive. You just need to connect it to a PC or laptop - and you will see the hidden folders (provided that they are there). The same goes for an external HDD.

We figured out the "seven", now let's move on to the "eight".

How to enable hidden files in Windows 8?

There are also 3 options to choose from. The first two are described above in the instructions for Windows 7. That is, you can enable hidden files in Windows 8 by typing the control folders command. Or by selecting the Folder Options shortcut in the Control Panel.

But there is another way to show hidden files in Windows 8:

Open any folder.
Select the "View" section.
Click on Show or Hide, and then check the box next to Hidden Items.

Ready. And not only in the current folder, but also in the rest. The same methods will help display hidden files on a flash drive or external HDD - you just need to connect them to a computer or laptop.

The last method, which works on Windows 8, is also suitable for "tens"

To enable hidden files in Windows 10:

Open any folder.
Select the "View" section.
Put a checkmark in the "Hidden Items" section.

After that, you will be able to see hidden folders and documents in any section of your hard drive or on a USB flash drive (it must be connected to a PC).

If you want to hide the folders again, uncheck this box.

There is also another way to enable the display of hidden files in Windows 10:

Ready. Now you can open any hidden files on Windows 10. As you can see, the methods on different versions of the OS are quite similar, but differ in small nuances.

Piggy today is not used by many users, but still consider it. How to view hidden files in XP

All - now you can open or delete hidden folders and documents.

If you don’t want to understand the differences between different versions of Windows, you can use the universal method

In this case, you just need to install the Total Commander file manager (download link). The program sees hidden documents and works on all Windows.

How to see hidden files in Total Commander? To do this, do the following:

Now all folders and documents in Total Commander will be visible. And for this, you don’t even have to go into the Windows settings and change the folder display settings.

Need to see hidden documents? Launch Total Commander and navigate to the desired hard drive partition. Or plug in a flash drive and then open it with this file manager.

As you can see, all ingenious is simple. Now you know how to show hidden files and make them visible. And if necessary, you can easily find them. The only advice: if you find any unfamiliar folders, do not delete them. After all, they may contain important system files, the removal of which will disrupt the operation of Windows.

All current versions of the Windows operating system use the file hiding feature to protect system files and confidential user files. Files and folders marked as "Hidden" do not appear in Windows Explorer, which means that the chances of accidentally deleting them or changing their contents are greatly reduced.

The Windows 7 operating system provides several ways to open a hidden folder or file. The first is to change the settings of Windows Explorer, and the second is to open the file through the address bar. The third way to find a hidden folder in Windows 7 is to use the search tools.

Quick article navigation

File Explorer Options

In order to enable the display of hidden files and folders in Windows Explorer, you need to:

Open the start menu.
Enter the phrase "Folder Options" in the search bar.
Select the application of the same name from the search results.
Switch to the "View" tab.
Find the option "Show hidden files, folders and drives" and activate it.
Click on the "Apply" and "OK" buttons.
Open the desired folder.

Address bar

To open a file or folder whose name and location are known exactly:

Click once with the left mouse button on the address bar, which is located next to the search form.
In the activated text field, enter the full path to the desired folder, for example "C:GamesMario". In the event that you need to open a hidden file, you need to add its name and extension. The result is "C:GamesMarioMarioBros.exe".
Press the "Enter" key on your keyboard or the right arrow button next to the address bar to run a file or open a folder.

Search

In order to activate the search for files and folders on your computer, you need to:

Open a Windows Explorer window.
Enter a query containing the name of the file or folder in the search form.
Press the "Enter" key.
In the window with the search results, click on the button with the image of the list of files.
Select the "System Files" and "File Contents" options.
Repeat search.

Complain about not understanding how to display hidden files in this OS. There may be several solutions to this problem, and in this article I would like to discuss this issue in more detail, and decide on options for resolving this problem. So, let's deal with the question of how to show hidden windows 7 files quickly and effortlessly.

Option 1: Folder Options

The name, of course, is conditional, but it is easier to navigate with it. The first thing to do is go to "My Computer". After that, in the upper left corner, click on "Organize", and then click on the "Folder Options" item.

In the window that opens, select the "View" tab, after which you will see all sorts of additional options. Among them, you need to find "Hidden files and folders" and check the box next to "Show hidden files, folders and drives", and click "OK".

Option 2: Appearance and Personalization

In principle, this method is almost identical to the previous one, but there are still differences. Go to the start menu, then to the "Control Panel", and there - to "".

To activate the function to show hidden folders in windows 7, find the corresponding option in this menu. Next, the "Folder Options" window will open, and then do everything in the same way as it was written in option 1.

Option 3: File Manager

There is also another option to open hidden folders in windows 7 - use the file manager. It can be any application, I will choose Total Commander as an example. But before you turn it on, you must first go to the settings and do this: look for the “Configuration” menu, then “Settings”. After that, find the tab "Panel Contents" and make the line "Show hidden / system files" active.

That's it, click "OK" and view your hidden files. By the way, it is better to take Total Commander into service, it is a really useful program. It will also come in handy if you often deal with external media, especially strangers. For example, in a colleague's flash drive, a virus can be masked, and not just one, but with this program it will immediately become visible.

I think after reading this article, you can quickly find your hidden folders. The article describes as many as three ways to do this, so try it, choose the one that appeals to you the most.