How to Show Hidden Files and Folders in Windows 10 & 11

Windows 10 and 11 hide files and folders to ensure they don’t get deleted accidentally or changed in a way that may cause malfunctions. These files and folders may include certain applications on your computer and your operating system. However, it is sometimes essential to show hidden files and folders in Windows 11 and 10, allowing you to troubleshoot system issues, manage user profiles, audit system files, locate application data, configure files, manage temporary folders (such as the AppData folder), recover missing files, remove hidden malware/infected files, and perform other such actions.

You can unhide files and folders in Windows using File Explorer, the Control Panel, PowerShell, or the Command Prompt. For most users, File Explorer is the easiest and most straightforward method to quickly reveal hidden files and folders with just a few clicks. Before understanding these methods in detail, it is important to understand the hidden files and folders along with their types.

What Are Hidden Files and Folders in Windows

Hidden files and folders in Windows are those components that Windows does not allow File Explorer to display by default. Windows hides these crucial files and folders to prevent you from changing their properties, prevent accidental deletion or modification by inexperienced users, ensure a clean and organized disk interface, and keep confidential and sensitive information secure.

Types of hidden files and folders

The hidden files and folders in Windows 10/11 can broadly be of two types: regular hidden files and super hidden or system-protected files.

The regular hidden files are invisible by default in Windows Explorer. You can show hidden files and folders if these are the regular files/folders through the File Explorer, the Control Panel, PowerShell, or Command Prompt.

The super hidden or system-protected files are located in the System32 and Windows folders. These files are hidden because any damage to them can disrupt the Windows operating system’s functionalities. You can view these files through some advanced settings in the Control Panel. However, you should avoid modifying or deleting system-protected files unless absolutely necessary, as this can lead to serious system errors or even prevent Windows from working properly.

Let’s elaborate on the methods to show hidden files and folders in Windows 10 and 11 for both kinds of hidden files and folders.

How to Show Hidden Files and Folders in Windows (Regular hidden files)

As mentioned previously, the regular hidden files are viewable in Windows through the File Explorer, Control Panel, PowerShell, or Command Prompt, depending on your comfort and level of experience. Here is how. 

Method 1: Use File Explorer to show hidden files and folders (Quick and easy way for viewing files one time)

You can use the File Explorer in Windows to unhide files and folders if you want a single, quick, and easy method to show the desired files once. Here are the steps to view the files and folders using the File Explorer.

• First, click the File Explorer icon on your Taskbar.
• Next, click View on the File Explorer toolbar.
• Lastly, check the Show hidden items box in the Show/hide group to show the regular hidden files and folders in Windows 11/10.

Also know: How to Recover Deleted Files from an Empty Recycle Bin

Method 2: View hidden files and folders with the Control Panel (best method to view deeply hidden files with advanced options)

Sometimes, some hidden files are unavailable through the File Explorer. In such cases, you can use the Control Panel to unhide these deeply hidden items in Windows. Here is how.

• First, click the Start button.
• Next, type the Control Panel in the search bar.
• In this step, choose the Control Panel from the search results.
• Once the Control Panel window appears, click View By and choose Category from the menu that appears.
• Next, click Appearance and Personalization in the Control Panel menu.

• Click File Explorer Options.
• In this step, click the View
• Lastly, click Show hidden items.

Method 3: Unhide files and folders with PowerShell (best for advanced users needing script automation)

PowerShell is an advanced method to show hidden files and folders in Windows 10/11. Here is how to use it.

• First, right-click the Start button.
• Next, click Windows PowerShell (Admin) in the menu that appears.
• In the Administrator Windows PowerShell, copy and paste the following command and then press Enter to execute it.

Get-ChildItem -Force

Method 4: Use the Command Prompt to show hidden files and folders (best for users familiar with command line interfaces and comfortable working with commands)

Command Prompt in Windows allows you to find hidden files through the dir /a:h command if you are comfortable with non-graphical, command-line interfaces. Below is how to use the Command Prompt.

• First, click the Start button on your Taskbar.
• Next, type cmd in the search bar.
• Right-click Command Prompt in the search results.
• Choose Run as administrator from the menu that appears.
• In the Administrator Command Prompt, copy and paste the following command.

dir /a:h

• Press Enter to execute the above command and get a list of all the files hidden in Windows.

Tip: To disable the hidden attributes from the hidden files and make these files permanently available, execute the command attrib -h -r -s /s /d C:\*.* in the Administrator Command Prompt.

How to Show Super Hidden Files and Folders (Protected Operating System Files) in Windows

If the hidden files you want to view are the super hidden files, i.e., the operating system files located in the System32 and Windows folders, here is how to show these hidden files and folders in Windows 11/10.

• First, click the Start button and type Control Panel in the search bar.
• Next, click Control Panel in the search results to open it.
• In the Control Panel, change the view to Category from the “View By” menu.
• Choose Appearances and Personalization from the Control Panel menu.
• Click the File Explorer Options.
• Next, click the View
• In this step, uncheck the option to Hide protected operating system files (recommended).
• Click Yes when a warning message appears to view the desired files.

While that’s how you can show hidden files and folders in Windows 10/11, modifying these files and folders involves certain risks you must consider.

Potential Risks of Modifying Hidden Files and Folders and Precautions

The following are the possible risks of modifying the hidden files and folders, and precautions you must take before making any changes.

Risks of modifying hidden files and folders

• Since protected system files are deeply integrated with Windows functions, editing these files can lead to issues like system crashes or Windows not booting correctly.
• You may lose your data permanently if you do not have a proper data backup.
• Modifying these files can put your sensitive or confidential information at security risk.

Precautions to prevent risks

• Always back up all your data before modifying any hidden file or folder.
• Record all replacements you make in each hidden file or folder to prevent unnecessary or accidental changes.
• Think twice about why (the purpose) you wish to change or modify the hidden files to prevent any accidental change.
• Modify the hidden files or folders in Safe Mode, which runs Windows in the basic version, to minimize the negative consequences of the changes made to these hidden items. To enter safe mode, hold the Shift key while choosing Restart from the Power menu. Once the PC reboots, follow the path Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Startup Settings > Restart, and then press 4 or F4 to enter Safe Mode.

Also know: What is an ISO File in Windows and How to Download It for Windows 7/10/11

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. Why are some files hidden in Windows by default?

Windows hides certain system and other crucial files so that you do not modify or delete them accidentally, as accidental modification or deletion can harm your system.

Q2. How to find hidden files?

You can show hidden files and folders in Windows through the File Explorer, Control Panel, PowerShell, or Command Prompt. Refer to the guide above to learn about these methods in detail.

Q3. How to hide files again after unhiding them?

To hide the files again, press Windows + E to open the File Explorer, click View, and then uncheck the Hidden Items box.

Q4. Are hidden files harmful?

Hidden files are inherently not harmful in Windows. However, they can sometimes be related to malware. Hence, you must have one of the best anti-malware programs to ensure system security.