1/7/13

Search Here

How to show hidden files in Windows 7

bleepingcomputer.com
Home Forums Downloads Tutorials Startup List Virus Removal Uninstall List File Database Glossary

Welcome Guest (Log In | Create Account)

Welcome Guide

New Member? Join for free.

Chat Help Search RSS

Home > Computer Tutorials > Windows 7 Tutorials > How to show hidden files in Windows 7

How to show hidden files in Windows 7

By Lawrence Abrams on February 1, 2009 | Last Updated: December 13, 2012 | Read 1,971,170 times.
17 Like 44 Share Tw eet 3

Search for a Tutorial

Search

Windows 7 hides certain files so that they are not able to be seen when you exploring the files on your computer. The files it hides are typically Windows 7 System files that if tampered with could cause problems with the proper operation of the computer. It is possible, though, for a user or piece of software to set make a file hidden by enabling the hidden attribute in a particular file or folder's properties. Due to this it can be beneficial at times to be able to see any hidden files that may be on your computer. This tutorial will explain how to show all hidden files in Windows 7. To enable the viewing of hidden and protected system files in Windows 7 please follow these steps: 1. Close all programs so that you are at your desktop. 2. Click on the Start button. This is the small round button ( has a Windows flag on it. 3. Click on the Control Panel menu option. 4. When the control panel opens you will see a screen similar to Figure 1 below. ) in the lower left corner of your screen that

Tutorials Navigation
Tutorials Home New Tutorials Popular Tutorials RSS Feed

Most Popular Tutorials

How to start Windows in Safe Mode How to remove a Trojan, Virus, Worm, or other Malware How to see hidden files in Windows HijackThis Tutorial - How to use HijackThis to remove Browser Hijackers & Spyware How to automatically repair Windows Vista using Startup Repair

Figure 1. Windows 7 Control Panel

5. Click on the Appearance and Personalization link. 6. You will now be in the Appearance and Personalization control panel as shown in Figure 2 below.

www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/show-hidden-files-in-windows-7/

1/5

1/7/13

How to show hidden files in Windows 7

Figure 2. Windows 7 Appearance and Personalization screen Now click on the Show hidden files and folders option as shown by the red arrow in Figure 2 above. 7. Under the Hidden files and folders section select the radio button labeled Show hidden files, folders, and drives. 8. Remove the checkmark from the checkbox labeled Hide extensions for known file types. 9. Remove the checkmark from the checkbox labeled Hide protected operating system files (Recommended). Once this is done, your Folder Options screen should look similar to the following image.

Figure 3. Folder Options screen

10. Press the Apply button and then the OK button. You will now be at your desktop and Windows 7 will be configured to show all hidden files. If you have any questions about this tutorial please feel free to post them in our Windows 7 forums.

Users who read this also read:

www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/show-hidden-files-in-windows-7/ 2/5

1/7/13

How to show hidden files in Windows 7

How to see hidden files in Windows

By default Windows hides certain files from being seen with Windows Explorer or My Computer. This is done to protect these files, which are usually system files, from accidentally being modified or deleted by the user. Unfortunately viruses, spyware, and hijackers often hide there files in this way making it hard to find them and then delete them.

How to create a new user account in Windows 7 and Windows Vista

Windows 7 allows you to have multiple users sharing the same computer under their own individual accounts. This allows each individual user to have their own location on the computer where they can store their personal documents, pictures, videos, saved games, and other personal data. This also allows the owner of the computer to assign certain accounts the ability to perform administrative tasks ...

How to see hidden files in Windows Vista

Windows Vista has made it a little harder to find the Folder Options settings than it had in previous versions. The easiest way is to use the Folder Options control panel to modify how folders, and the files in them, are displayed. You can still show the Folder Options menu item while browsing a folder, but you will need to hold the ALT key for a few seconds and then let go to see this menu.

How to see hidden files in Windows 8

Windows 8 hides certain files so that you are not able to view them while exploring the files and folders on your computer. Windows has two types of files that Windows will classify as hidden and hide from the user. The first type are actually hidden files, which are ones that are given the +H attribute or specified as Hidden in a file or folder's properties. The second type of file are System ...

How to start Windows in Safe Mode

Windows Safe Mode is a way of booting up your Windows operating system in order to run administrative and diagnostic tasks on your installation. When you boot into Safe Mode the operating system only loads the bare minimum of software that is required for the operating system to work. This mode of operating is designed to let you troubleshoot and run diagnostics on your computer. Windows Safe Mode ...

Comments:

Leave a message...

AN OOP SIN GH

8 months ago

i follow this method but my pc can't show hiddden files ... i check on the option ( show hidden files) but when i apply settings then check automatically goes to option (don't show hidden file) .. plz tell me whats the problem ???????

Bo j a n Pa vl o vi

I have one question. I went into properties in one folder and clicked hide and now the folder is gone ... but how to get it back???

What you did is you hid the folder. That is why you can't see it anymore. Go to the folder that the disappeared folder is supposed to be in, and then go to option> folder options> and show hidden folders. When you can see the folder again, that is where you have to right click it and uncheck the "hidden" box.

www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/show-hidden-files-in-windows-7/

Reply

>

11

Reply

Share

10 months ago

Reply

Share

Vi ta l i k Su rg

Bojan Pavlovi 9 months ago

Share

Discussion

Com m unity

Share

15 comments

17

3/5

L a w re n ce Ab ra m s M o d

You may have a malware that is changing the settings. You may want to follow the steps here: http://www.bleepingcomputer.co...

Ti m Eg a n

Thanks

didn't work

N a d o s h Sa e d

hey. i went into control pannel and then to appearance and personalization .. but i didnt found folder options .. it sucks .. what can i do ??? i tried with all options !

Click on the Start button and in the search field type folder options. You should see the control panel come up in the search results at the top of the start menu.

Mi ch a e l Tru o n g
0

Useful. Thank you :)

Reply

B Bri a n

Hi I used the info above and got all of my files back on my desktop and in my documents file, but I only got back half of my desktop program icons and none of my scrollbar icons, and none of my windows start icons (where programs and "all prograns" are found). Is there another file that they may be hidden in? thanks.

Were you infected with a computer infection?

Yep, I got rid of the virus. Also, I ended up finding the rest of my icons using the ACDSEE browser mode -- I went to "view" and clicked on "show hidden files". I scrolled down to "temp" and then to "smtmp" and there's a file named "1" and a file named "4". The missing icons were in both. I went to each and highlighted all the files and copied and pasted them to "start up". On the right side of the start up panel, (after left-clicking on the "start" icon), right click and click on "properties". Then click on "customize". You'll see a list that will read "display as link" "display as menu" "don't display this item". Click on "display as link" or "display as menu" all the way down, or which ever ones that you want to show. This will place icons/links back on the right side of your start menu.

We have a tool called Unhide that is used to resolve those hidden files and the links being stored in smtmp. It can be found here: http://www.bleepingcomputer.co...

www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/show-hidden-files-in-windows-7/

Pa ra m Ka u s h i k

10 months ago

Reply

Share

>

L a w re n ce Ab ra m s M o d

>

Reply

Share

B Bri a n

Law rence Abrams 8 months ago

Reply

Share

>

L a w re n ce Ab ra m s M o d

Reply

Share

8 months ago Share

8 months ago

Reply

Share

>

L a w re n ce Ab ra m s M o d

Reply

Share

7 months ago

Reply

Share

>

C h ri s ti a n D a m Kri n te l

1/7/13

How to show hidden files in Windows 7

8 months ago

Reply

Share

6 months ago Share

Reply

Tim Egan 5 months ago

Nadosh Saed 7 months ago

B Brian 8 months ago

B Brian 8 months ago

4/5

1/7/13
Pa ra m Ka u s h i k

How to show hidden files in Windows 7

10 months ago Share

Thanks a lot :D

L a w re n ce Ab ra m s M o d

You need to set Windows to show hidden files using the instructions in this tutorial. Once you do that you will be able to see the hidden files and then go into its properties and then uncheck hide.

This article is published and created for http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/, otherwise known as Bleeping Computer, and is covered by all copyright laws. All articles on this website are copyright 2003-2013 by Bleeping Computer, LLC. All right reserved. Use of these articles is limited to viewing and printing for personal use only. If you would like to use this material or portions of this material for other purposes you must receive explicit permission from Bleeping Computer before reprinting or redistributing this article in any medium.

Advertise

Tech Support Forums

www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/show-hidden-files-in-windows-7/

C o m m e n t fe e d

Reply

10 months ago

Reply

Share

Su b s cri b e vi a e m a i l

About Us |

User Agreement

| |

Privacy Policy RSS Feeds |

C ontact Us |

Sitemap

C hat |

Tutorials

Uninstall List | Downloads

The C omputer Glossary

Startups

The File Database

Virus Removal Guides

2003-2013 All R ights R e se rve d Bleeping Computer LLC.

5/5