In this page that I could call "service", we see how to do one of those basic operations that every PC user should know how to do, so as not to have to repeat it in each subsequent article: how to view hidden files and folders in Windows . It is really important to know that in Windows some files and some folders are hidden, by default, if these are vital for the functioning of the system, to prevent users who are not capable or inattentive from deleting them or making changes that could compromise the functioning of Windows .
At the same time, however, some of these folders and these files must be known because there are times when they must be viewed or modified.
The procedure to find hidden files in Windows 10 and Windows 8 / 8.1 has been simplified a lot compared to how to do it in Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7.
In fact, in Windows 10 and 8.1, just open a folder or a Windows Explorer window (by pressing the Windows + E keys together) and then expand the top menu view by clicking on View .
In the strip of options and buttons you can activate that of the Hidden elements .
In Windows 7, Vista and XP the procedure is slightly longer and less evident.
To see the hidden items you need to open any folder and then go to the folder options from the Tools menu at the top.
The same Folder Options are also an entry in the Control Panel in full view.
From the folder options, go to the View tab, scroll through the list and turn on the Show hidden files and folders option.
NOTE: In both Windows 10 and Windows 7 and all other versions, from Folder Options> View it is also possible to disable the " Hide protected system files " option, but it is better not to touch.
Protected system files are always hidden files, but there is no reason to view them unless targeted action is required.
In any case, after having done what needed to be done, it is always better to reactivate the option.
Once the hidden files and folders have been displayed, you will notice that, by opening the main path of the C: \ users \ username-name from the computer resources, the hidden AppData folder will appear which contains all the personal files and which is the most important of the hidden folders.
The icon of hidden folders and files, as you can see, is in slight transparency.
In any case, it is always better not to delete the files and folders that Windows hides by default, unless you know exactly what you are doing.
READ ALSO: How to see file extensions, change them and rename them
If you don't want to touch Windows options to find all hidden files, you can use a program like Hidden File Finder .
This tool is very simple and scan the disk or folder chosen to find all the hidden files inside.
It shows the name of each file / folder, type (folder, file, executable file, etc.), file path, creation date and file size.
Hidden executable files are presented in red, folders in blue and other types of files in black, so you can easily identify the file type.
In addition to these features, there are some options that you can enable / disable for scanning in order to ignore hidden shortcut files, ignore known files (such as desktop.ini, recycle.bin, etc.) and not to perform the scan for hidden folders.
Another program to find hidden files in Windows is also Multi File Selector .
