How to Show Hidden Files and Folders in Windows 10

Hidden Files and Folders are generally system-protected features in Windows OS. This feature is generally used to hide files or folders to avoid any accidental usage. However, you can undo this setting to view hidden files and folders in Windows 10 by using a few simple steps. Here are different approaches to show hidden files and folders for Windows 10 users.

1. Using File Explorer

This is an in-built, straight forward and a simple method to view any hidden files or folders in Windows 10. Here's how you can do it:

• Go to the Start menu and type "File Explorer" and hit the enter button. Alternatively, you can press Win + E to open File Explorer directly.
• You will find 4 options on the top of the screen i.e. File, Home, Share and View. Navigate to the "View" option
• You will now see different options to view files in different segments (Extra large icons, Small icons, Tiles, etc.) Navigate to the option "Show/Hide" with an arrow downwards, click on it and select "Hidden Items"
• Now will now notice that files and folders with hidden attributes will be displayed with a slight transparency.

2. Using Control Panel

If you face any difficulty from the above method, you may use Control Panel settings to access Hidden Files and Folders. Here's how you can do it:

• You can access Control Panel using keyboard shortcut i.e. Win + R, open Run dialog and type "Control panel" and hit the enter button. Alternatively, click the Start Menu and type Control Panel in the search box and hit the enter button
• Go to "Appearance and Personalization" and then click on "Show hidden files and folders" under File Explorer option.
• A pop-up will come up. Look at "Hidden files and folders", click the radio button on "Show hidden files, folders, or drives"
• Click Apply to make the desired changes. Now, you will be able to view all the hidden files or folders in Windows 10.

3. Using Command Prompt

if you're a geek, you might give this method a chance to hide any files or folders in you Windows 10 computer. This method is suitable to unhide and hide files and folders in your computer. Here's how to execute:

• Click on the Start Menu and type "CMD" or Control Panel and select "Run as Administrator" or press Win + X and select "Command Prompt (Admin)".
• Now, navigate to the folder where you've stored the hidden files using the 'cd' command
• Enter the following command to view all the hidden files from that directory:

dir /a:h

3. Using Registry Editor

You can also use this alternate advanced method to view all the hidden files and folders of your Windows PC. However, this is not considered as a first-response method to perform but it can be suitable for those who're looking for alternatives while trying to access hidden files and folders in Windows 10 PC. Here's how you can access:

• Open the Run dialog box by pressing Win + R or press Win + X and select "Run" and type "Registry Editor" or "regedit". Alternatively, you can click on the start menu and type "Registry Editor" and click to open it.
• Now, navigate to the following directory:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced\User

• Make a double-click on the Hidden key and set the value to 1 and press OK.
• Restart your PC or the File Explorer so that the changes can take immediate effect.

View Hidden Files and Folders using Third-party File Managers

If you have any specific requirement in managing files and folders including viewing hidden files/folders or making any certain modifications, then you might opt for any trusted third-party File Managers such as:

• Total Commander: Offers file management, archive handling, built-in FTP, and much more.
• EYplorer: Starting from $14.95/month, once of the best file management tool.
• FreeCommander: This tool offers 25+ features including file duplicacy search, automation view, Desktop snapshots, etc.

Points to Remember:

• Make sure to hide your files back once your work is done. Reason being, crucial system files are hidden by default to prevent from any accidental deletion.
• Structure your files and folders to view them at once in any drive.
• Always carry a backup if you choose to modify the hidden file or folder.

Conclusion

In Windows 10, viewing hidden files and folders is a simple procedure that might improve your file management using Control Panel, Command Prompt, Registry Editor, or Third-Party tools. You can quickly retrieve any hidden objects you might require for organizing, debugging, or retrieving crucial data by following these methods.