The arrival of Windows 11 has been overdue for a long time, and this Operating System is not without its fair share of alterations. It is normal to be upset by the changes, yet the fundamental functions of the OS remain the same. You will go to your destination, but the route you will take will be new. Therefore, it is essential to make sure that the Operating System on your computer has no hidden files to preserve its integrity.
To prevent the possibility of an error on the user’s side, Windows itself keeps the essential files concealed while other files can be deliberately hidden.
Table of Contents
When you use the Windows Operating System, specific files contain data and codes that guarantee your system functions smoothly. However, for the sake of being on the safe side, hidden files are created.
There are four different methods mentioned here to help you show hidden files and folders in Windows 11.
Method 1: Control Panel method
The majority of people mainly use this method of showing hidden files and folders. It is one of the easiest and reliable ways of doing it so.
● Firstly, click on the Windows key on your keyboard, then in the search box, type Control panel, and open the Control panel app from the search result.
● Inside the Control panel menu, select the Appearance and Personalization category.
● Then select File Explorer Options from the right-pane menu.
● Now in the newly opened Folder Options menu, select the View tab from the top horizontal menu.
● Next, select the option Show hidden files, folders, and drives under the Advanced Settings section.
● Then click on the Apply and OK button to save the changes.
● Now you can see the hidden files.
Method 2: Using File Explorer
Showing hidden files and folders using the file explorer of the system is another reliable method a person can use. To do so, you can follow the steps given below-
● Press the Windows + E keys on your keyboard to open File Explorer.
● Inside the File Explorer, click over the three horizontal dot buttons and select Options from the drop-down menu.
● In the newly opened Folder Options window, select the View tab from the top horizontal menu.
● Then under the Advanced settings section, click on the radio button beside the option Show hidden files, directories, and drives.
● Finally, click on Apply button and select the OK button to save the changes.
● You should now be able to view the hidden files.
Method 3: Using Registry Method
This technique can work for you if you are a bit geek. It is a bit complicated method as compared to others, but it will work for sure. To use the registry method, follow the steps mentioned below-
● Firstly, press the Windows + R hotkey combination to open the Command Prompt window. Then inside the Command Prompt window, type or copy+paste regedit and then press OK.
● If the User Account prompts (UAC) appear on the screen, then click on Yes.
● Then copy the following address and paste it on the address bar,
HKEY CURRENT USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerAdvanced- after that, click on the Enter button.
● Now find the Advanced folder on the left side and click on it. Next, select the Hidden value from the same window in the right-side menu and double-click over it.
● Then set the value data to 1 in the Value box. After this setting, you are allowed to see the hidden files. In the future, you would like to hide the files change the value to 2.
● You must do one more change to show all hidden files in your system. For that, select ShowSuperHidden value and set the data value to 1 by double-clicking over it. Lastly, click on the OK.
● Now everything you’ve kept hidden on your computer will be exposed all at once.
Method 4: Direct file path
If you know the specific filename, then this technique can work for you. Even if you are sure that you know the name of the hidden file, trying to find it by searching directly in File Explorer is a waste of time. To see the hidden files, follow the steps given below,
● Open the File Explorer in your system, and in the Quick Access search bar, type the file name you and then press Enter.
● The exact file will appear on the screen now. This step is straightforward.
If your goal is to keep things tidy, you should only conceal files that create clutter or become troublesome. However, you should bear in mind that hidden files are not secured in any manner, and anybody who has harmful intent against you will be able to look for these files. To be on the safe side, you should only conceal it, which could not do any actual harm to you. However, if you have any queries or doubts after reading this article, then please leave a comment in the below-given comment box.
