Do you work on Windows XP or do you prefer the 2007 version? Be that as it may, many are interested in the question of how to make an invisible folder in their work profile. To learn more about this, let's first look at the concept of a work profile, what is it all about.
User profile
User profile is the term for multi-user systems. For Windows, it was introduced starting with XP (the system for professionals) and Home Edition (home edition). Both operating systems have already operated with the concept of "user" and, accordingly, the simplest privacy functions. Therefore, the developers laid in these environments the ability to create an invisible folder.
As for the profile, it’s just a series of settings, such as desktop design, visual design of programs, sound schemes, security settings and user rights. All this is stored in the system for the so-called user account in a common system-software database - the Windows registry. Each user registered in the system under any account has such a profile.
Windows XP Making an invisible folder is easy
To do this, the My Computer icon is usually visible on the desktop. Open it by double-clicking the left mouse button. Before us appears a dialog box with four tabs: "General", "View", "File Types", "Offline Files". Of these, we need a second tab, which is responsible for the type of data displayed. In it, scroll through the "Advanced Settings" field. And we focus on the item “Hidden files and folders”. How to make an invisible folder is shown below.
If we put the visible switch in the "Do not show hidden files and folders" position, then all created folders and files with the hide attribute will not be shown to the current Windows user. This means that you can actually make an invisible folder to preserve the privacy of its contents.
To hide the folder, you need to follow a few simple steps:
- On the displayed folder, right-click with the mouse or touchpad.
- In the submenu that appears, select the last item “Properties”.
- And set the hide flag opposite the “Hidden” attribute, the same applies to a separate file.
If everything is done correctly, then you have learned how to make an invisible folder. At the same time, in the “My Computer” program, the folder that you hid should not be visible. To display it again, simply change the direction of the switch to "Show hidden files and folders" on the "view" tab. Do not confuse this item with a similar one called "Hide protected system files."
System flaws
In some cases, the following happens. Setting the switch to “Show hidden files, folders” may not work. And he will return to his original position. Everything here depends on the software used and the version of the Windows system.
How to make an invisible folder in Windows 7
In addition to XP, most computers are increasingly switching to Windows 7. Naturally, its functionality also allows you to hide objects - make them invisible. Therefore, we will consider how to do this using the tools of this OS.
To hide the “folder” object you need:
- Hover the touchpad or mouse over the folder you want to hide.
- Right-click on the “Properties” item and switch to the “General” tab.
- In the "attributes" field, select the "Hidden" checkbox.
Now, let's see how to show an already hidden folder:
- Open the shortcut “Control Panel”.
- Select the sub-item “Appearance and Personalization”, then “Folder Options”.
- Go to the “View” tab and set the switch to “Show hidden folders and drives”. Save changes by clicking the "Apply" button, you can "OK".
Thus, we figured out how to make an invisible folder using Windows Explorer. We also learned how to show hidden objects using the same means.