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How to Show Hidden Files on Windows 11 (4 Ways)
Microsft hides some files by default to protect your system, but you can still show hidden files in Windows 11 if necessary. Here are 4 tested ways below.
By Ellie / Updated on September 13, 2024
Microsoft hides a few system and application files and folders by default to prevent users from unintentionally deleting crucial items, configurations, and settings that might make the system or an app unstable.
But sometimes, users may need to access hidden files for different reasons, such as troubleshooting system issues, customize the system preferences, manage the privacy settings, etc. Anyway, there are 4 tested ways to show hidden files in Windows 11.
“need some system files on my Windows 11 computer but I failed to find them. Have I accidentally deleted them? Or are they been hidden? How do I view hidden files on my computer?” – Question from Reddit
🔗 You can also show hidden folders by following essentially the same steps.
The easiest way to show hidden files in Windows 11
Step 1. Open File Explorer from the taskbar.
Step 2. Select the Layout and view options icon. It’s the second icon from the right in the top menu. Click Show, and then tick Hidden items.
Step 3. The files will now become visible in File Explorer.
View hidden files in Windows 11 via Folder Options
Step 1. Launch File Explorer and press the three dots. Select Options.
Step 2. In the pop-up windows, go to the View tab. Then, tick Show hidden files, folders, and drives. Click Apply first and then OK.
Unhide files and folders in Windows 11 using attrib command
Step 1. Open the search box and search for CMD. Locate Command Prompt and choose Run as administrator.
Step 2. Type in “attrib -h -r -s /s /d drive letter:\*.*”, for example, “attrib -h -r -s /s /d C:\*.*”. Replace C with the drive letter of your hard drive where you want to find the hidden files.
The operation is finished when the command prompt appears in its original location. You can then head to the final location to look over these files. The folders may have been deleted rather than hidden if the attrib command is not working.
Don't worry, there are many ways to recover deleted files. One of the most effective methods is to use a free but powerful Windows data recovery software - MyRecover to scan your disk and find all the recoverable data. The entire process is simple and straightforward and consists of only 3 steps.
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- Multiple types of recoverable data: recover deleted or lost files from documents (e.g. recover PDF files) to images, audios, videos, mails, compressed files, etc., without losing quality, up to 200 formats.
- File filter and preview: locate the desired files through different filters and preview them before recovering.
- Widely-compatible: supports recovering data from hard drive in Windows 11/10/8/7 & Windows Server, regardless of file systems, such as NTFS, FAT32, exFAT, and ReFS.
Download, install and launch MyRecover on your computer.
Step 1. Hover the mouse over the drive and click Scan to scan.
Step 2. Then the scanning process will start automatically with a Quick Scan followed by a Deep Scan. You can also search for a specific file on the search box or use the Filter feature to recover it quickly.
Step 3. Choose the files or whole folders that you want to recover. Click Recover xx files and choose a new path to save the restored files and folders.
Find hidden files in Windows 11 via Registry
Step 1. Press Win + R to open the Run box, and type in “regedit” to open Registry.
Step 2. Go to the following path and set the value for Hiddento 1 to show hidden files, folders, and drives.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced\Folder\Hidden
What if your hidden files are not showing up?
Sometimes, you may find the hidden files are not showing up even if you change it with above methods. Below are some clues of this issue:
Your user account lacks permissions. You might encounter errors, saying "You don't have permission to...", or restrictions while attempting to show hidden files.
Incorrect File Explorer settings. Try to double-check the View tab in File Explorer and ensure the Hidden items option is enabled.
Your disk has corrupted system files. Try to run system diagnostics or sfc /scannow to identify and repair found corrupted system files.
You need to refresh or restart File Explorer. Sometimes, hidden files may not be displayed immediately after making changes. Press Ctrl + R to refresh File Explorer or end this process in Task Manager.
Your computer may be infected by viruses or malware. Try to run Windows Defender and check if there are any malicious software.
The Bottom line
This post has primarily introduced 4 tested ways to show hidden files on Windows 11.Normally, you’ll succeed using any of the ways. If not, you may consider whether your files are deleted but hidden. But don’t worry, even if your files are accidentally deleted, you can easily get them back with MyRecover.
MyRecoverFREE but powerful Windows data recovery software to recover deleted or lost files in Windows 11 and previous systems.
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