By default in Windows 7, to prevent any changes to the system folders inexperienced users, all important folders are hidden. But sometimes there is a need to make them visible. For example, virus software usually settles in hidden folders.

There are two ways you can make all folders open.

How to open hidden folders in Windows 7 - method No. 1

• Go to the Start menu and select Control Panel.
• There we find “Folder Options”.
• In the window that appears, go to the “View” tab.
• Here, in the “Advanced Settings” menu, use the mouse or scroll bar to go down to the very bottom of the menu.
• Activate the checkbox switch next to the “Show hidden files, folders and drives” option.
• Press the “OK” button or the Enter key on the keyboard.

Everything, all hidden folders and files will appear on the computer.

How to open hidden folders in Windows 7 - method No. 2

This method is even simpler than the previous one.

• Being in any folder or even just in “Computer”, in the left top corner, immediately below the address bar, click “Arrange”.
• In the submenu that appears, select “Folder and Search Options.”
• Here again we go to the “Folder Options” window and go to the “View” tab.
• And also switch to “Show hidden files, folders and drives”.
• And click OK.

It's very easy to check whether hidden folders have appeared. We go, for example, to “My Computer” in the Program Files folder, and there, along with regular folders, you can notice folders that have been hidden. They look sort of translucent.

Thus, there are two ways to open hidden folders in Windows 7. Both are simple and accessible. Even a novice user can handle them.

By default, the ability to see hidden files is disabled in any version of Windows. This is necessary so that inexperienced “dummies” do not accidentally delete anything and disrupt the operation of the OS. The solution is quite logical, since these folders are rarely needed. And even then - only to a few users. But sometimes there is a need to look at hidden files.

For example, during Windows optimization and garbage cleaning. Many programs ( Microsoft Word, Skype) create hidden files during operation. Over time, they become unnecessary, but are stored on disk and take up extra space.

Very often gamers need to enable hidden folders and files. After all, they are where saves from many games are stored.

Also, displaying hidden files is required by users who want to hide documents on a flash drive, but do not yet know how to find them later. In general, there are a lot of reasons.

Let me immediately note that in different Windows versions This setting is done in different ways. Although some methods may be the same. Therefore, below are several instructions on how to enable hidden files in all Windows - “seven”, “eight”, “ten” and XP. Plus given universal method, running on all OS.

If you need to disable their display, then in the same window, check the box “Do not show...”.

Second way:

1. Go to Start, open Control Panel and click on the Folder Options shortcut.
2. Select the “View” section, scroll the slider down and activate the “Show...” item.
3. Save your changes by clicking Apply.

And the third way:

1. Open any folder you like.
2. Click Alt button- a menu like this will appear.
3. Click Tools – Folder Options.
4. A familiar window will open: to enable showing hidden files, go to the “View” tab and check the “Show...” checkbox.

As you can see, there is nothing complicated here. Choose any method that suits you best and use it at the right time.

When you enable viewing of hidden files in Windows 7 using any of the methods described above, they will be visible everywhere. Including on a flash drive. You just need to connect it to your PC or laptop - and you will see the hidden folders (provided that they are there). The same applies to an external HDD.

We've sorted out the "seven", now let's move on to the "eight".

How to enable hidden files in Windows 8?

There are also 3 options to choose from. The first two are described above in the instructions for Windows 7. That is, you can enable hidden files in Windows 8 by entering the control folders command. Or by selecting the “Folder Options” shortcut in the Control Panel.

But there is another way to show hidden files in Windows 8:

1. Open any folder you like.
2. Select the "View" section.
3. Click on “Show or hide”, and then check the “Hidden elements” checkbox.

Ready. And not only in the current folder, but also in others. The same methods will help display hidden files on a flash drive or external HDD disk– you just need to connect them to your computer or laptop.

The last method, which works on Windows 8, is also suitable for the “ten”

To enable hidden files in Windows 10:

1. Open any folder.
2. Select the "View" section.
3. Check the "Hidden Elements" box.

After this you will be able to see hidden folders and documents in any section hard drive or on a flash drive (it must be connected to the PC).

If you want to hide the folders again, uncheck this box.

There is also another way to enable the display of hidden files in Windows 10:

Ready. Now you can open any hidden files on Windows 10. As you can see, the methods on different versions of the OS are quite similar, but differ in minor nuances.

Not many users use Piggy today, but we’ll still consider it. You can view hidden files in XP like this:

That's it - now you can open or delete hidden folders and documents.

If you don’t want to understand the differences between different versions of Windows, you can use the universal method

In this case, you just need to install file manager Total Commander(download link). The program sees hidden documents and works on all Windows.

How to see hidden files in Total Commander? To do this you need to do the following:

Now all folders and documents in Total Commander will be visible. And you don’t even have to go to the Windows settings and change folder display options.

Need to see hidden documents? Launch Total Commander and go to the desired hard section disk. Or connect the USB flash drive and then open it through this file manager.

As you can see, all ingenious is simple. Now you know how to show hidden files and make them visible. And if necessary, you can easily find them. My only advice: if you find any unfamiliar folders, do not delete them. After all, they may contain important system files, the removal of which will break Windows.

Hiding folders and files from viewing in Windows 7 is a mechanism for protecting against access to particularly important data. It is used both to protect information from accidental and intentional changes, and to store confidential user information. It is also customary to hide some service files and folders so that they do not spoil appearance desktop and did not “clutter up” other directories.

Sometimes folders that should be visible are hidden. Most often this happens due to viruses that use this opportunity to hide more securely. And in some cases, this is done by the users themselves by changing the attributes of the object.

How to open hidden directories in Windows 7 Explorer?

If there are no obstacles (especially viruses) to gaining access to hidden directories, they can be opened in two ways:

• through the control panel applet “Folder Options”;
• through the “Arrange” folder menu.

Option using control panel

• Launch Control Panel.

• Click the “Design and Personalization” group.

• Find “Folder Options” and click the “Show hidden files and folders” link under it.

• In the next window, find in the list additional parameters “Hidden files and folders” and check the box next to “Show”. Click OK.

Folders with the “Hidden” attribute in their properties will become visible. IN Windows Explorer 7 they will have an unusual, translucent appearance.

Option using the “Arrange” menu

• Open any folder and click the “Arrange” button in the top menu.

• Select “Folder and Search Options” from the list.

• Go to the View tab in the Options window.

Further actions are the same as in the option using the control panel.

How to make hidden folders visible using Total Commander?

The Total Commander file manager, like Windows 7 Explorer, may or may not display hidden folders. If displayed, such objects are marked with a red exclamation mark.

If you do not see any such folders in the directory tree, then their display is turned off.

In order for Total Commander to show invisible objects, you need to open the “Configuration” menu and click “Settings”.

In the settings, you need to expand the “Panel Contents” category and check the “Show hidden/system files” checkbox. After that, click on the “Apply” and OK buttons.

Now you can open any invisible folder and view its contents.

How to make a hidden folder normal?

To make individual hidden folder styles visible in Windows 7 Explorer, you can change their attributes without leaving Total Commander. To do this, select the desired directory with the cursor and expand the “Files” menu. Select “Change Attributes” from the list of commands.

In the next window, click the “Load from file under cursor” button (to load the attributes of the selected object) and uncheck the “System” and “Hidden” items. To make changes affect all files and subfolders of a given directory, check “Process directory contents”. Click OK