How to Hide and Unhide Files and Folders in Windows 11

What Are Hidden Files and Folders?

Hidden files and folders are items Windows hides by default to keep your computer tidy and protect important system files.

How to Hide or Unhide Files Using File Properties

1. Find the file(s) you want to hide or unhide.
2. Right-click the file and choose Properties.
3. In the General tab, look for the checkbox labeled Hidden.
4. To hide the file, check the box . To unhide, uncheck it.
5. Click OK to save.

How to Hide or Unhide Folders Using File Properties

1. Find the folder(s) you want to hide or unhide.
2. Right-click the folder and select Properties.
3. In the General tab, check or uncheck the Hidden box.
4. Click OK. If the folder has files inside, you’ll see options:

   • Apply changes to this folder only – Only the folder itself will be hidden/unhidden.
   • Apply changes to this folder, subfolders and files – Everything inside will be hidden/unhidden.
5. Choose what you want and click OK.

You can easily hide or unhide folders in Windows 11 using their properties, which is a simple way to manage your files without needing complex commands.

How to Hide or Unhide Files Using Commands

Using commands in Windows Terminal or Command Prompt offers a faster method to hide or unhide individual files in Windows 11 when you need to manage them quickly.

1. Open Windows Terminal or Command Prompt. You can search for it in the ⊞ Start menu.
2. Type the command below and press Enter.

To hide a file:

attrib +h "full_path_to_file"

To unhide a file:

attrib -s -h "full_path_to_file"

Replace full_path_to_file with the actual file location, including the name and extension.

Example:

attrib +h "C:\Users\YourName\Desktop\secret.txt"
attrib -s -h "C:\Users\YourName\Desktop\secret.txt"

How to Hide or Unhide Folders Using Commands

1. Open Windows Terminal or Command Prompt.
2. Type the command and press Enter.

Hide or unhide only the folder:

Hide:

attrib +h "full_path_to_folder"

Unhide:

attrib -s -h "full_path_to_folder"

Hide or unhide the folder and everything inside it (subfolders and files):

To hide or unhide a folder and all the files and subfolders within it on Windows 11, you can use specific commands in the command line for a comprehensive management task.

attrib +h "full_path_to_folder" | attrib +h "full_path_to_folder*" /s /d

Unhide:

attrib -s -h "full_path_to_folder" | attrib -s -h "full_path_to_folder*" /s /d

Example:

attrib +h "C:\Users\YourName\Desktop\MyFolder" | attrib +h "C:\Users\YourName\Desktop\MyFolder*" /s /d
attrib -s -h "C:\Users\YourName\Desktop\MyFolder" | attrib -s -h "C:\Users\YourName\Desktop\MyFolder*" /s /d

How to Show Hidden Files and Folders in File Explorer

1. Open 📁 File Explorer (press Windows + E).
2. Click the View menu at the top.
3. Hover over Show and click Hidden items.

Now you’ll see hidden files and folders, but their icons will look faded.

To hide them again, uncheck Hidden items.

Summary

• Hidden files and folders don’t show up by default to keep things tidy.
• You can hide or unhide files and folders easily from their Properties or by using commands.
• When visible, hidden items appear a bit faded in 📁 File Explorer.
• Using commands is faster if you want to hide/unhide many files or folders at once.

Hidden files and folders in Windows 11 don’t appear in File Explorer by default, helping to keep your view tidy, and you can easily manage their visibility using either file properties or command-line tools.

More help and info: Microsoft Support: Show hidden files and folders