Windows 11 offers an option to hide files and folders, and some system files and folders are hidden for various reasons. If you want to access these hidden files on your Windows 11 system and are unsure how to do so, don’t worry—we’ve got you covered with this guide.
Here, we discuss how you can show all types of files and folders, including system files, video files, media files, images, and more. Additionally, if you’re wondering how to hide files and folders, we cover that as well.
How to Show Hidden Files in Windows 11
Hidden files aren’t just the ones you choose to hide yourself. The term actually covers files that the system hides for various reasons, or files that you can’t find because they’re hidden without you realizing it.
No matter why you’re having trouble locating files or folders, this guide will help you out. Let’s dive into how you can make hidden files visible in Windows 11.
1. Using File Explorer View Option
One of the best features added in Windows 11 is direct access to hidden files from File Explorer. Here’s how you can access the hidden files and folders within your system using the view option.
1. Press Windows + E to open File Explorer.
2. Navigate to the location where the files are hidden and click on the View button.
Note
If you don’t know the location, you can enable Show hidden files, and it will display all hidden files in File Explorer.
3. Click on the Show option from the drop-down menu.
4. Now, select the Hidden Items option from the context menu that appears.
5. This will now display the hidden files on your system. You can easily identify the hidden files, as they appear faded out.
2. Using the Options Menu
If you want to enable the Show Hidden Files and Folders option in File Explorer across all locations on your system, you can adjust the advanced settings. This will make it easier to manage hidden files, as they will be visible wherever they are stored.
By enabling this setting, you can navigate through your directories without missing any files that might be hidden by default.
Here’s how you can do so:
1. Open File Explorer.
2. Click on the three dots icon present on the top bar of the window.
3. Now select Options from the drop-down menu.
4. This will open the Folder Options window. Here, click on the View tab.
5. Under the Advanced Settings section, click on the Show hidden files, folders, and drives option.
6. Finally, click the Apply and OK buttons to save the changes.
How to Show Protected Operating System Files in Windows 11
The Windows operating system contains various types of hidden files that are essential for the system to function properly. These files are hidden by default to protect them from accidental deletion or modification.
However, if you need to view system-protected hidden files, the methods above won’t work.
Here’s how you can view them:
1. Open File Explorer, click on the three-dot icon and choose Options from the drop-down menu.
2. Click on the View tab, and under the Advanced settings section, uncheck Hide protected operating system files.
3. You will receive a warning because these are system files, and making unusual modifications to them can result in system crashes or even complete data loss. Once you have understood the warning and are ready to proceed, click Yes.
4. Now, click on the Apply and OK button.
How to Hide Files and Folders on Windows 11
Now, if you’re wondering how to hide your personal files or keep sensitive information safe from prying eyes, you can easily hide files and folders on Windows 11. Here’s how:
1. Press Windows + E to open File Explorer.
2. Go to the location of the file or folder you want to hide.
3. Right-click on the file or folder and choose Properties from the context menu.
4. In the Properties window, check the box next to Hidden under the Attributes section.
5. Click Apply and then OK to save your changes.
Conclusion
That’s it! This is how you can hide and unhide files and folders on your Windows 11. However, if you’re unable to do this, there might be an issue with File Explorer. To fix it, you can follow our guide on fixing File Explorer freezing in Windows 11.
