Windows x offers an option to show subconscious files and folders that yous don't run into by default. Once you lot enable this option, File Explorer starts displaying all your hidden items.

You lot can view the subconscious files and folders in both File Explorer as well as control-line tools like PowerShell and Command Prompt.

Testify Hidden Files and Folders in File Explorer

Follow the steps below to configure File Explorer to show all subconscious contents in your directories.

  1. Open up the Beginning card, search for This PC, and select This PC in the search results.
  1. Select the View tab at the top of the This PC window.
  1. On the right of your screen, enable the Hidden items checkbox.
  1. File Explorer will first displaying hidden files and folders on your computer.
  1. To re-hide your items, deselect the Hidden items box in File Explorer.

Show Hidden Files and Folders From Control Panel

If you prefer the Control Console, you tin can employ an option in this utility to get Windows 10 to brandish hidden files and folders.

  1. Admission the Start carte du jour, search for Control Panel, and select the utility in the results.
  1. In the Command Console, select the menu next to View past and choose Category.
  1. Select the Appearance and Personalization option.
  1. Choose Prove subconscious files and folders under the File Explorer Options.
  1. You're now in the View tab of the File Explorer Options window. Here, select the Show subconscious files, folders, and drives selection. Select Apply followed past OK.
  1. Windows File Explorer volition at present display all your hidden files and folders.
  1. To hide hidden items, select the Don't prove hidden files, folders, or drives option. Then, select Apply followed past OK.

Show Hidden Files and Folders From Settings

Windows ten's Settings app also includes the option to evidence hidden contents on your PC.

To use this method:

  1. Press Windows + I keys to launch the Settings app or search and select Settings in the Outset menu.
  1. Select the Dwelling button if you're not on the primary settings page shown in Step 3.
  2. Select Update & Security.
  1. Select For developers from the left sidebar.
  1. Scroll down the correct pane to Change settings to prove hidden and organization files. Cull Testify settings.
  1. Enable the Prove subconscious files, folders, and drives selection. Then, select Apply and select OK to save your settings.

View Hidden Files and Folders in PowerShell

If you prefer command-line methods, you can apply a command in Windows PowerShell to retrieve a list of all your hidden files and folders.

  1. Click on Start or the Windows Icon on the bottom left and type PowerShell. Select Windows PowerShell from the results.
  1. In the PowerShell window, type cd, type a space, then enter the full path of the folder where your hidden files are located. For example, if your hidden files are in a folder called MyDocuments on your desktop, yous'd use the post-obit control replacing USER with your username. And then, press Enter.

    cd C:\Users\USER\Desktop\MyDocuments

  1. Blazon dir -forcefulness and press Enter. This reveals your subconscious files and folders.
  1. If you aren't sure what binder contains the hidden files, type cd, type a infinite, enter the full path of the binder whose subfolders could accept the hidden files, and press Enter. Then, run this command:

    dir -recurse -forcefulness

  1. Hidden items in the selected folder and sub-folders should announced in the PowerShell window.

Keep in mind that this method only shows hidden files in a PowerShell window; it doesn't make hidden items visible in File Explorer.

View Hidden Files in Windows Command Prompt

Another style to view a list of hidden files and folders is to use Command Prompt. Follow the steps below:

  1. Press the Windows primal to open the Starting time menu, search for Command Prompt, and select the utility in the search results.
  1. Type cd, type a infinite, then enter the full path of the folder where your hidden files are stored. Then, press Enter.
  1. Blazon dir /ah  to view a list of the hidden files and folders.
  1. If you don't know what folder contains the subconscious files, you tin run a hidden file scan on a parent folder. This will browse all of the subfolders in that chief folder. To do this, type cd, type a space, enter the full path of the folder, and press Enter. Then, run the following control:

    dir /ah /south

  1. The Command Prompt window now lists the hidden items from the specified folder and sub-folders.

The to a higher place method doesn't make any changes to File Explorer options and only lists the hidden files.

Testify Hidden Operating System Files

There are certain operating system files that won't appear even if you enable the subconscious files option in File Explorer. Follow the steps below to toggle on a separate selection to view these hidden Bone files:

  1. Press the Windows cardinal to open the Start carte, blazon Show hidden files, and select that pick in the search results.
  1. Scroll to Modify settings to show hidden and organisation files and select Show settings.
  1. Curl downward to Hide protected operating organization files (Recommended). Uncheck the box for this option.
  1. Select Yes if a warning pops upward. Then, select Apply followed by OK.

A Discussion of Circumspection

On the net, many resource may ask you lot to employ the attrib command from the Control Prompt or PowerShell to view your hidden items. Information technology'south by and large not safety to modify the attribute of a system file equally this may have unexpected consequences.

Do let usa know, in the comments below, which method worked for you.