How to show hidden folders in Windows 7: step by step instructions

Compared with Windows XP, the interface of the seventh version of the OS has undergone dramatic changes. The methods for displaying hidden files in this operating system are also different from their predecessors. And without showing hidden directories, you cannot fine tune Windows. This article will tell you how to display folders hidden from the user.

How to show hidden folders in Windows 7

There are several ways to display hidden directories in the standard file manager, but they all boil down to opening the folder properties window. So, the standard version of actions is as follows:

• open the "Explorer";
• click on the “ALT” button;
• in the top menu, click on the line "Service";
• in the drop-down list click on the inscription "Folder Options";
• expand the “View” tab;
• in the window, scroll through the list of parameters to the very end;
• move the lower switch to "Show";
• also, if you need to show hidden files and folders of Windows 7, which are also system ones, uncheck the box next to the text “Hide protected files”;
• click on “OK” or press “ENTER” on the keyboard.

To check, open Explorer and go to the section with Windows installed. The Program Data directory should appear in its root. Note that files and folders that were hidden by the developer or administrator are displayed with translucent icons - their colors mix with the background.

Additional ways

There are several simpler ways to open directory display options. For example, you can expand the Start menu, and type the word “Options” into the search bar. Then it remains to click on the item of the same name.

You can also show hidden Windows 7 folders using the “Control Panel” configuration utility:

1. So, go to the "Control Panel".
2. Click on the Personalization category.
3. In the window that opens, select "Folder Options."
4. Go to the second tab on the left.
5. Set the switches to the position indicated in the instructions above.

To hide the files again, simply return the switches to their original position.

Command line

If working with directories is optional, but you just need to clarify their availability, enough command-line tools are enough. How to view hidden folders on Windows 7 using console commands? Follow the instructions below:

1. Create a shortcut by opening the desktop context menu, and, following the path in the menu, “Create” - “Shortcut”.
2. Enter “cmd” in the file location bar.
3. Name is optional.
4. Run the shortcut as administrator.
5. Enter the drive letter you will work with.
6. Go to the root of the directory in which you want to show hidden Windows 7 folders, using the “cd” command immediately after which you need to enter the path to the desired folder, for example “cd C: \ Windows”.
7. Enter “dir / ah”, after which a complete list of files and directories will appear on the screen.

This method is the fastest, however, it has one significant drawback - it will be difficult for a simple user to remember the commands and the order of their input. For those who print slowly, this method will not work at all, since entering a long path will take too much time.

Using third-party software

Show hidden folders in Windows 7 can not only Explorer, but also third-party file managers, for example, Total Commander. This approach is convenient if you often need to fine-tune the operating system, but not only experienced users work on the computer and displaying hidden directories in Explorer is not desirable.

How to view hidden folders on Windows 7 using Total Commander? Follow these steps:

1. To get started, install the file manager. It is distributed according to the shareware model, but does not require a license purchase.
2. After installing and starting Total Commander, click on the “Configuration” item. It is located in the top menu of the utility.
3. In the drop-down list, click on the "Settings" line.
4. In the left part of the settings window, select “Panel Content”.
5. In the main part of the options window, put both checkmarks on the top line.

If inexperienced users are working on the computer and might accidentally erase important system information, then before showing hidden folders in Windows 7 using Total Commander, you should first remove its shortcuts from the desktop. After that, you can start the program by typing the text "total" in the search bar. Total Commander is not the only file manager that can display hidden files. For example, Far Manager, FreeCommander, File Navigator are also equipped with similar functionality. Moreover, in Far Manager, the setting in question is made by default.

As you can see from the article, it’s not difficult to show hidden folders in Windows 7, but always remember that they were hidden from the user for a reason and the correct functioning of all the software often depends on them. After deleting the hidden directory, the operating system may not boot at all. Perform any actions with hidden folders only after first creating a system restore point or even a full backup of the partition.