The Windows operating system supports the function of hiding objects on your computer. Thanks to this feature, developers hide system files, thereby protecting them from accidental deletion. In addition, hiding elements from prying eyes is also available to the average user. Next, we will take a detailed look at the process of searching for hidden folders on your computer.

There are two ways to search for hidden folders on your computer - manually or using a special program. The first is suitable for those users who know exactly which folder they need to find, and the second - when they need to view absolutely all hidden libraries. Let's look at each of them in detail.

Method 1: Find Hidden

Find Hidden's functionality focuses specifically on finding hidden files, folders, and drives. It has a simple interface and even an inexperienced user can understand the controls. To find the information you need, you only need to perform a few steps:

Now you can go to the location where the folder is located, edit it, delete it and perform other manipulations.

It is worth noting that deleting hidden system files or folders can lead to system crashes or a complete stop of Windows.

Method 2: Hidden File Finder

Hidden File Finder not only allows you to find hidden folders and files on your entire computer, but also, when turned on, constantly scans your hard drive for threats disguised as hidden documents. Searching for hidden folders in this program is carried out as follows:

Method 3: Everything

When you need to perform an advanced search for hidden folders using certain filters, then the Everything program is best suited. Its functionality is focused specifically on this process, and setting up a scan and launching it is done in just a few steps:

Method 4: Manual Search

Windows OS allows the administrator to access all hidden folders, but he will have to search for them himself. This process is not difficult to perform; you only need to perform a few steps:

All that remains is to search for the necessary information on your computer. To do this, it is not necessary to view all partitions of the hard drive. The easiest way is to use the built-in search function:

Unfortunately, this method is only suitable if the user knows the name, size or modification date of the hidden folder. If this information is not available, manually reviewing each location on the computer will take a lot of time; it will be much easier to search through a special program.

There is nothing complicated in searching for hidden folders on a computer; the user only needs to perform a few steps to get the information he needs. Special programs further simplify this process and allow it to be completed much faster.

These are folders that have the Hidden attribute set. Typically, folders with this attribute are not displayed in Explorer. In order for hidden folders to begin to appear, you need to make changes to the operating system settings. In this material you will learn how to show hidden folders in Windows 7.

In order to force the Windows 7 operating system to show hidden folders, we need to open any folder and press the ALT button on the keyboard.

After pressing the ALT key, a series of drop-down menus will appear below the address bar: File, Edit, View, Tools and Help. Here we need to open the “Tools” drop-down menu and select “Folder Options”.

After this, a small window called “Folder Options” will open in front of you. In this window, you can configure all the basic settings that relate to the display of folders, files and drives in Windows 7 Explorer.

It should be noted that if you are unable to open the “Folder Options” window through the drop-down menu, then you can use the search in. To do this, open the Start menu and type “Folder Options.” After this, the Windows 7 operating system will find the desired program and offer to open it.

So, you have opened the “Folder Options” window, in order to show hidden folders in Windows 7 you need to go to the “View” tab and find the options that are responsible for displaying hidden folders.

You need two parameters:

• “Hide protected system files” – you need to disable it;
• “Show hidden files, folders and drives” – you need to enable it.

After making changes, close the window by clicking on the “OK” button to save the changes. After this, you will be able to see hidden folders and files. Now, if there is such a need, you can remove the “Hidden” attribute and the folder will become normal. To do this, right-click on the folder and select “Properties”. After that, disable the “Hidden” function and close the window.

The Windows operating system allows for a huge variety of actions related to technical processes. Today we will talk about hiding folders and files on your computer. About why this is done and how to find them.

Let's start with the fact that in some cases the concealment of certain documents is provided for by the developers of this system. Default some important elements are hidden so that the user cannot accidentally find them delete And damage normal functioning of the system. Sometimes users hide them in order to hide personal data or simply important information from prying eyes. In any case, sometimes there is a need to find them, let's look at how to do this.

Displaying folders in Windows 7

First you need to find the shortcut " My computer", in the window that opens, select the menu item " Arrange“Opening this menu, click on the section “ Folder and search options» and left-click.

After which a new window ““ will open. You need to go to the section " View", scroll the menu to the very bottom, where you will find the item " Hidden files and folders". Next, just switch to the point where hidden files will be shown, apply and click “ OK«.

All documents that are not displayed will be shown after this operation. They will stand out in a slightly duller color.

Hidden folders in Windows 8

A similar operation needs to be repeated in Windows 8. First, you should open the same shortcut “ My computer“, and then find the checkmark at the top and open additional section if it is not open by default.

In the menu that opens, select “ View" and click on the icon " Options«

In the window that appears, we repeat the same steps as in the previous algorithm, and you can also uncheck the “ Hide protected system files“if you need it for a specific purpose. After this, all non-displayed folders will become visible, but different in color.

Display in Windows 10

The actions are absolutely the same as in Windows 8, all sections and items are saved in their places, so there is no need to describe them.

Show hidden folders in Total Commander

It is much easier, in my opinion, to display hidden documents using a third-party program, for example, Total Commander. In the program, find the section “ Configuration". In it select the item “ Settings«.

In the menu that opens, select the subsection “ Panel Contents" and then just check the boxes " Show hidden files" and, if necessary, " Show system files«.

Apply and click " OK". All documents are displayed, which is what we wanted.

It’s worth mentioning that developers hide system elements for a reason. Their removal, alteration and damage may result in crash and errors in the system, so they should be treated with special care and caution. If you are trying to find hidden files on someone else's computer, a moral question arises. The user hid these files for a reason, which means viewing them is wrong - respect everyone’s privacy.

To save confidential information, PC users often use the hiding function. An attribute is set in the settings of folders (files) that hides them from prying eyes. If option , 7, 8 is enabled, then invisible objects will become visible and they will have a pale tint.

Using someone else's computer, you will probably want to search for classified information, for example, find out where personal photos or videos, secret documents and other information of interest are located. In the instructions, we'll see how to find a hidden folder on a computer in Windows 7, (10, 8) through standard OS tools (on the desktop and in Explorer), and specialized software.

Search for hidden elements using standard OS tools

To search for hidden folders (files) in Windows, you must enable their display. For eight and ten, follow these steps:

For seven, do this:

Note: The Folder Options window is also available in Windows 10, 8. In Explorer, click Options on the View tab.

Open Explorer, if necessary, go to the desired hard drive partition (for example, drive C) or the desired directory, since the search works where you are. To find hidden files and folders in Windows, place your cursor in the search area. Enter part or all of the name and wait until the search ends. Windows 10, 8 has a lot of filters: size, type, modification date, and others.

Windows 7 also has a set of filters, but it is more limited: modification date, size. In addition to entering the name, you can use a construction like: *.docx or similar. This way you will find all Microsoft Word office files. The logic should be clear. Pay attention only to pale elements.

Finding hidden objects through programs

There are special programs for searching and processing invisible directories and files. These applications include: Find Hidden, Hidden File Finder, which we will consider below.

Find Hidden is a portable, free software that allows you to quickly find hidden folders (as well as files) on your Windows computer. Follow these steps:

1. Download the program. Extract from the archive.
2. Run the executable file, wait. Accept the license agreement by clicking ACCEPT.
   
3. In the System Tools setting, select the type of elements you are looking for, these are regular objects and system protected ones.
4. Specify the search location (for example, drive C). Choose what to find: files (Hidden Files Only) or folders (Hidden Directories Only). If the Hidden Files Only search mode is selected, you can specify a specific extension, size, and date (created, modified, opened). In Hidden Directories Only search mode, you can set the date. After setting the parameters, click on Search.
   
5. The program will begin searching for invisible Windows elements. You will see how many objects have been scanned and how many invisible ones have been found. A list of folders (files) with their descriptions will appear in the window. After a complete scan of the directory, you can perform various operations with hidden files and folders by right-clicking: view properties, location, change attributes, and more.
   Hidden File Finder is a free program to quickly scan and detect all invisible objects in the Windows system. To find hidden folders (files) in Windows, follow these steps:
   

   These are the ways you can find a hidden folder on your computer in Windows 10 (7, 8) or the desired file. The first method is suitable if you know what you are looking for, and the second gives a complete list of all invisible elements, which makes it easier to find the information you need.

Let's look at how to hide a folder in Windows 7 and 10, as well as find hidden materials and view their contents.

Hiding files and folders in the operating system is a reliable way to hide important information or protect it from accidental damage or deletion.

The function is useful in the following cases:

• Several users use the same computer at once;
• You need to temporarily hide information on your PC;
• You don't want to clutter your desktop with shortcuts.

Hiding a folder on a Windows computer

Developers from Microsoft have provided the ability to hide . This function is primarily necessary to prevent users from deleting important system files and libraries.

Can configure the display of hidden folders and files. There are also third-party applications to work with this function.

Method 1 – Standard Explorer

The essence of the first method is to use standard Windows Explorer. Its settings provide the ability to manually select what information can be displayed in the system and what information should be hidden from the eyes of other users.

Follow the instructions for Windows 7, 10:

• Go to the Computer Control Panel;
• Select the view type “Large icons”;
• In the list, find the “Explorer Options” field and open it;

• In the new window, go to the “View” tab;
• The Advanced Options area displays all the options for displaying File Explorer menus and folders and files in the operating system. Scroll down the list to the “Hidden folders and files” option;
• Check "Do not show..." and save the settings.

After setting up Explorer, you can mark the desired folders as hidden. To do this, follow these steps:

• Create a folder on your desktop or in another directory and fill it with the necessary files, which will be the hidden contents of the folder;
• Right-click on the object and select “Properties” from the action options;
• In the “General” tab, check the “Hidden” attribute and save the settings.

If the system does not prohibit showing hidden items, users will see important system files, temporary documents of open programs, and files that have been manually designated as hidden. The icons for these folders and shortcuts will be dimmer than usual, so they can be easily identified among other data.

The method described above will help hide hidden folders in Windows 10. The instructions for Windows 7 will be similar, since the Explorer settings interface is identical in both versions of the OS.

Method 2 – Free Hide Folder Utility

For more convenient interaction with hidden elements, it is better to use special programs. Free Hide Folder is one such utility. It is free and compatible with all versions of Windows.

Let's take a closer look at how to work with hidden files and folders in Windows using Hide Folder. The program interface is very simple, but is presented only in English.

Follow the instructions to hide the directory:

• Open the program window and click on the “Add” button;
• An explorer window will appear in which you need to select a folder to hide;
• After this, the path to the directory will be displayed in the main application window. In the list form you will see all the folders that are currently hidden;
• To remove a folder, find its name in the program, right-click on this field and select “Unhide Folder” in the list of actions.

Other features:

• Creating a backup of the contents of hidden folders;
• Ability to set a password for a directory;
• Using strong encryption algorithms that make it as difficult as possible for content hidden on your computer to be hacked.

Method 3 – Transparent folder

Hidden folders in Windows 7, 10 can be created not only by changing the properties of files and directories. One of the simplest methods is to customize the appearance of the folder, as a result of which it becomes invisible.

Follow the instructions:

• Determine which folder you want to hide and right-click on it;
• Select "Properties";

• In a new window, open the “Settings” tab;
• Click on “Change icon”;

• Next, a list will appear with a preview of all the icons that are available in the system. Among them there are also invisible ones. Find one of them and set it as the folder image;
• Save your changes.

You must enter special invisible characters as the directory name. They appear when you simultaneously press the Alt key combination of numbers 255. The final view of the folder is shown in the figure below. As you can see, it can be selected, but during normal interaction with the desktop it is not visible.

The disadvantages of this method are that Explorer still displays the directory, even though it does not have an icon or name. Also, another user may discover the folder if they decide to select all the items on the desktop or in another directory at the same time.

Method 4 – How to hide a folder in a picture

Another method of hiding folders is radically different from all those described above. It involves the use of basic steganography techniques - the science of classifying the very fact that secret data exists.

If you have a folder with secret files and you don't want anyone else to see it, you can follow these steps:

• Archive the directory - ZIP or RAR formats are suitable;
• Next, select any image and place it along with the created archive in a new folder;

• Next, open a command prompt. This can be done by simultaneously pressing the WinR buttons and entering the CMD command;

• In the command prompt window that opens, run the folder using the command cd c:\MySecrets\;
• Next, enter the command COPY /B image.jpg + MySecrets.rar SecImage.jpg, where IMAGE is the initial image you selected, MySecrets is the archive, SecImage is the new final image in which the information will be hidden;
• To execute the command, press Enter.

After repeating the above steps, you can test the result of the work. Open the final file SecImage.jpg - you will see the first image you selected. At the same time, if you open this document using an archiver or change the resolution from JPEG to RAR, you will still have access to the archive and will be able to view the contents.

The advantage of this method is that a potential attacker is unlikely to realize that the system uses this method of hiding information. In addition, it is very difficult to identify exactly which picture the archive is hidden in, while all other methods are quite easy to deactivate.

Finding hidden elements

If you want to check if there are hidden objects on your computer that other users have created, you can use the built-in OS features to find the hidden folder or file.

Activating showing hidden folders

The easiest way to show hidden folders in Windows is to use the Explorer settings window already mentioned above. Open “File Explorer Options” and in the advanced settings, check the “Show hidden folders” box:

How to find an invisible folder

To find an invisible folder on the desktop, press the CtrlA key combination. This will allow you to select all the elements and find out if there are invisible objects in the system. You can search for folders in Explorer in the same way.

Hidden folders on a flash drive

After connecting the flash drive to the computer, it becomes part of the operating system Explorer, so its contents will be affected by all the parameters set in Windows. To open hidden folders in Windows on a flash drive, just change the advanced settings of Explorer to “Show hidden files”, as already described above.

You can only secure the contents of a flash drive using programs that set a password on a USB drive:

• TrueCrypt is a free program for encrypting the entire contents of a flash drive, the volume of which is more than 2GB;
• Rohos Mini Drive – the ability to encrypt not the entire flash drive, but only individual directories or files;
• MyFolder – protects content on flash drives and OS root folders.

Bottom line

Now you know about all the possible ways to hide a folder in Windows or how to find and open it. If you have not previously encountered setting up invisible folders, we recommend that you first use the standard Explorer settings.

For users who need to constantly hide information, we recommend working with the Free Hide Folder utility or hiding the directory in a picture. This increases the chances that the information will remain confidential, even if someone deliberately tries to find the folder.