A Complete Guide to Displaying Hidden Files on Windows 11

• To display hidden files on Windows 11, open File Explorer, click on “View,” select “Show,” and check “Hidden items.”
• Alternatively, access File Explorer’s Folder Options page and enable the “Show hidden files, folders, and drives” option under the “View” tab.
• You can also use the command dir a:h or dir a:d in Command Prompt, or dir -force or ls -force in PowerShell.

The updated File Explorer in Windows 11 introduces a minimalist menu replacing the traditional ribbon menu, making certain settings harder to locate, including the option for showing hidden files and folders.

Though the “View” tab is eliminated, users can still reveal hidden files and folders through the new menu by utilizing the “Folder Options” or the “View” menu. To explore files with the hidden attribute, specific commands in Command Prompt or PowerShell are necessary.

This guide outlines the procedures for displaying hidden files, folders, and drives in the File Explorer application for Windows 11.

Show hidden files in File Explorer

Follow these steps to unveil hidden files in File Explorer on Windows 11:

1. Open File Explorer on Windows 11.

2. Click the “View” menu from the toolbar.

3. Select the Show submenu and click on the Hidden items option.

   

After completing these steps, hidden files and folders will become visible in File Explorer.

You can also view these instructions in my video tutorial on YouTube. (Don’t forget to like and subscribe.)

Using File Explorer Folder Options

To display hidden files via Folder Options, follow these steps:

1. Open File Explorer.

2. Click the See more (three-dotted) menu and select the Options item.

   

3. Click the View tab.

4. Check the “Show hidden files, folders, and drives” option in the “Hidden files and folders” section under “Advanced settings.”

   

5. Click the Apply button.

6. Click the OK button.

Once completed, files and folders marked as hidden will be visible to all users accessing File Explorer on Windows 11.

Show hidden files in Command Prompt

To reveal hidden files and folders through Command Prompt, follow these steps:

1. Open Start.

2. Search for Command Prompt and open the top result.

3. Type the command to navigate to the directory containing the hidden files and press Enter:

   cd path\to\files

4. (Option 1) To view hidden directories, type the command below and hit Enter:

   dir a:d
   

5. (Option 2) To see hidden files, type the following command and press Enter:

   dir a:h
   

After these steps, the command will display hidden items in the specified location.

Show hidden files in PowerShell

To display hidden files and folders using PowerShell, follow these steps:

1. Open Start.

2. Search for PowerShell and open the top result.

3. Type the command to navigate to the directory with the hidden files and press Enter:

   cd path\to\files

4. For example, commands such as ls -Force and Get-ChildItem. -Force can also be used to list hidden items in a specific directory.

Once you have completed these steps, PowerShell will reveal the files and directories marked as hidden.

Note that neither PowerShell nor Command Prompt will alter system settings to make files and folders unhidden.

If you cannot see certain files, it is often because the operating system hides specific files for security and organization. You can make a file or folder visible by right-clicking it, selecting “Properties,” and unchecking the “Hidden” attribute on the “General” tab, though this action is not recommended for system files.

Update September 13, 2024: This guide has been revised for accuracy and updated procedures.

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