Finding hidden file on computer

Deleting system files will often render your version of Windows unstable or, in some cases, completely inoperable. Don't delete a file if you don't know what it is. Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0. To keep protected system files safe, remove the checkmark from "Hidden items" when you're done. You Might Also Like How to.

How to. About This Article. Co-authored by:. Co-authors: Updated: July 27, Categories: Windows. Article Summary X 1. Nederlands: Verborgen bestanden en mappen weergeven in Windows. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 1,, times. Reader Success Stories Anonymous Jun 15, While I could follow the steps in plain text, the visuals helped me know that I was in the right place and I could see in my files what you had in your pics.

Very user-friendly information. Thank you. More reader stories Hide reader stories. Is this article up to date? Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Anonymous Jun 15, Varun Maheshwari May 26, But after applying these tricks, I am able to see the hidden files.

Yay, that's good! Rated this article:. Stela Pavlova Aug 22, Anonymous Jan 12, Share yours! More success stories Hide success stories.

Featured Articles How to. Trending Articles How to. In this tutorial, we have learnt 4 methods to recover hidden files from USB drive, memory card and computer hard drive.

It is important to know the location of the hidden files to avoid time wasting. In addition to the solutions in this article, you can also hide and unhide files with file encryption software by adding a lock. Feel free to tell us in the comment if you have any questions or opinions.

How Are Files Hidden Files hidden in Windows PC due to wrong setting Files hidden in internal hard drive due to mistaken operation Files hidden in USB drive or memory card due to corruption or virus attack Among all the cases, extra handling shall be applied only when you believe virus infection has happened.

Method 1. For Windows 10 and 8 Step 1. Open the folder which is supposed to contain the hidden files. Step 2. On the menu bar, click View tab, then tick the box Hidden items. Step 3. Check the same folder for hidden files. For Windows 7 Step 1. Open Windows Explorer, click Organize button on the toolbar, then choose Folder and search options.

You may think that all your files can easily be found whenever you need them. This is because, by default, some files are normally hidden, unless accessed with a feature. This was made for the purpose of preventing accidental deletion. There are many ways for Windows 10 show hidden files. Part 1. Part 2. Part 3. Recover Windows 10 Hidden Files. There are many complaints as to why users have files that are automatically hidden by the system. The first thought that should approach you is the whys of the problem.

Fortunately, Windows have specifically mentioned a lot of reasons as to why your files are hidden by default:. Although the system is the cause for these reasons, there are also cases where the system hides the files due to outside interference.

This is often the case when you encounter a virus that tricks the system to hide your files. And that is precisely why you should know of the different methods for Windows 10 show hidden files. In general, there are three methods for showing hidden files.

The first one is by using the control panel , which we all know to be a very reliable option. Fortunately, this is not only applicable for Windows 10 show hidden files, but also with Windows 7 and 8.

This should show you options which is where you should select Control Panel. You may also search for Control Panel on the Window search bar. Regardless of what method you use for going to Control Panel, you should see the same interface. There should be many options displayed. For that reason, you should first click on the View by Category at the top-right corner of the window then select Large icons.

Then, click on the File Explorer Options which should be showing up by then. Now there should be a window popping up. On the View tab, there should be an advanced settings option. Make sure this option is marked. There should also be other options here that you can tweak so that you can easily view your files.

You will then be able to see the files that are otherwise hidden. This should be the best option for Windows 10 show hidden files for most users. We all know of File Explorer as functionality that allows you to easily navigate through your folders and files. With this, there should be folders and files showing up suddenly. When files are transparent, it would mean that they were hidden originally.

To open such files, you simply have to do what you always do on normal folders, double-click on them to enter the folder. For that reason, you will have to learn a more complex method, which is by using the Windows Registry Editor.

To access the Registry and use it for our objective, follow these steps:. You will be taken automatically to them. Right-click on Default then select Modify Then type in the value 2 or 1. While it may be a more complicated method, it would give you the most guaranteed chance of success among all these three. This involves using the feature to unhide a file instead of just showing the hidden files.