Default hidden folders and operating room files Mac system OS are not displayed. In principle, they are not needed most often by users, and not every Mac owner may need them, and certainly not every day.
There are several options for displaying hidden folders and files on a MAC:
- Look once after closing the folder when returning to it hidden files will become invisible again;
- Enable permanent display of hidden folders and files;
- Use third party application to control the display of hidden objects in Mac OS.
Let's consider all three options:
1. You can quickly check a certain folder for hidden objects using a keyboard shortcut CMD + SHIFT + .(Command + Shift + period), and you can use both left and right CMD and SHIFT.
2. You can enable permanent display of hidden folders and files using a command executed through the console (terminal).
- Open the Terminal program, paste from the clipboard or manually write the line:
defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles YES
- Press Enter key
- Press the " key Option" on the keyboard and click right click mouse on the Finder icon and select the line " Restart"
In order to return the settings to the original ones, you need to run the following command in the terminal:
defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles NO
(similar to the previous one, only at the end there is NO instead of YES)
You can also restart Finder (or restart your Mac) for the settings to take effect.
3. Installing free application Funter, can be with a slight movement of the hand With a quick click of the mouse, you can turn on and off the display of hidden files and folders on your Mac. After installation, the Funter application will hang in the system tray (at the top menu bar) and allow you to quickly show and hide hidden files and folders again.
This method, on the one hand, is convenient and the simplest, but, on the other hand, installing an additional application - wasting system resources on it and relying on the integrity of the developer is not very attractive.
Conclusion: most best option to view hidden files and folders on Mac OS - first - using keyboard shortcuts CMD + SHIFT + .(Command + Shift + period).
How to make a file or folder hidden on Mac OS?
Unfortunately, as in OS Windows, you cannot check the box to make the file hidden in Mac OS. Here without command line(without a terminal) is no longer possible. So:
1. Register the Terminal application.
2. Write a command
chflags hidden
Next, separated by a space, you need to specify the path to the file that needs to be hidden. In order not to have to worry about specifying the correct path manually, use the "DRAG-AND-DROP" technology - grab the file with the mouse, drag it onto the Terminal program window and release. The correct path will be added automatically, after which the command will look, for example, like this:
chflags hidden /Users/user/Desktop/777/1.txt
Execute the command by pressing the Enter key. As a result, the 1.txt file located in a folder named 777 on the Desktop will become hidden.
How to make a hidden file or folder on Mac OS not hidden?
Similar to the previous example, using the Terminal program, write and execute the command:
chflags no hidden /Users/user/Desktop/777/1.txt
Difference: NOhidden instead of hidden.
Not like a Windows computer hiding files and folders on your Mac is not as simple as it seems. What can you do?
Never worry because if you're wondering how you can hide your folders and files on your Mac I'll show you the steps for this trick here.
This way you will be sure that all those important files and the folders you have on your Mac are sure to be safe.
All the files that you have on your Mac may contain important files for business purposes such as business data, personal information and other important things.
Because of this, choosing to hide some files and folders on your Mac is great way ensure the security and confidentiality of these files at all times.
Part 1. Steps to Hide Files on Mac
So you know how you can hide your files and folders on your Ma c, we have several safe and secure solutions that you can make.
Although some of the solutions here are a little complicated, just make sure to check all the details of each instruction carefully.
Now let's move on to the actual simple way. use to hide your files on Mac.
Step 1: Open the software and select Toolkit. Then select Hide.
Tips: you need Set and confirm your password the first time you use this feature.
Step 2: Drag the file and hide it
Drag the file onto the screen and hide it. click Hide button to complete this step.
Note: Below is the toggle button. Turn off the button, and the file you dragged at this point may reappear on your Mac.
So easy, right? iMyMac - PowerMyMac also allows you to encrypt your files. The steps are as simple as the Hide process.
Part 2: Using Terminal to Hide Files on Mac
Solution 1: Use Your Terminal to Hide Files and Folders on Mac
Terminal is one of the default applications on your Mac that will definitely help you hide your files and folders. If you want to know how you can do this, just follow the instructions below.
Step 1: Click "Finder" and search for Terminal on this Mac.
Step 2: After that, go ahead and launch Terminal.
Step 3: Drag and then drop all the files and folders you want to hide. Once you do this, your path path will be shown on your screen.
Just click "Return" and notice that the file has disappeared on your Mac.
Solution 2: Use Disk Utility to Encrypt Your Folders
By encrypting your files and folders, you can also keep them safe and private because only you can access them.
Here's how you can try to encrypt your files and folders using Disk Utility.
#1: Launch Disk Utility. Just type Disk Utility in Spotlight search and press Enter.
#2: Go to the menu bar and select File, then New, and then Disk Image from Folder.
#3: After that, select the file or folder you want to encrypt and click on “Image”. Once done, name it and make sure to select “AES 256-bit encryption” from the drop-down next to “Encryption.”
Part 3: How to View Your Files and Foleder on Your Mac
Now that you know how to hide your files and folders on your Mac, it's time to learn how you can view hidden files and folders.
Here we have established a step-by-step method to show hidden files and folders on your Mac computer. Just go ahead and follow these steps.
Step 1: To view the hidden file on your Mac, launch Terminal on your Mac.
Step 2: After launching the Terminal, enter these commands and complete them by pressing the Return button.
default write.com .apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles TRUE
Part 4: Display Files on Mac
As we said above, you still don't know how to hide hidden files and folders on your Mac computer.
The solution to this is actually very simple. Just go and run the same command mentioned above. These are the commands you use when viewing hidden files.
Here is a step by step method for you.
Step 1: In order for you to display the file or folder, you will still need to launch your Mac computer's Terminal
Step 2: After that, go ahead and enter these commands: chflagsnohidden and then after that end the process by pressing the spacebar.
Step 3: Go ahead and show the files by going to your terminal on your Mac computer. And then once you are in the terminal, go ahead and enter the following keys and end it by pressing the space bar.
Step 4: After completing these steps, drag and drop all your hidden files and folders into the Terminal and then press the Enter key.
THE NOTE: If you remember the exact path to your files and folders, you can simply enter it in the Terminal.
However, if you don't remember the path to hidden files or folders, you can simply follow the steps above in Finder and then drag and drop the hidden files into the Terminal.
Part 5: Conclusion
As you can see, it is indeed possible that you can actually hide your files and folders on your Mac computer. Doing this with your files and folders will make you feel safe, especially if those files and folders contain important information.
As you can see, there are many ways you can do this with your files and folders using your Mac computer.
Security is the main reason why certain files and folders are hidden in macOS. Some data must remain invisible to avoid third-party interference. By default, service and system files, caches, logs and settings installed applications hidden.
It goes without saying that deleting or changing system files can put the operating system at risk, so why is it necessary to show hidden files? Access to these files allows you to delete the remaining data already remote applications. You can create browser bookmarks and troubleshoot applications.
There are several ways to view hidden files on your Mac device. This guide will help you access hidden Mojave or Sierra files and folders.
Use Finder
This is the easiest and fastest way to view hidden files and folders.Open the application Finder and navigate to the desired directory. While in a specific folder, press on your keyboard Shift + Command + > to make hidden files and folders visible. If you want to hide them again, just press this key combination again and they will disappear.
Display via Terminal
You can use commands in to directly control the system, avoiding navigating through Finder menus and tabs.Click cmd + Space, enter "" and open it. After that, enter the following command line script:
defaults write com.apple.Finder AppleShowAllFiles TRUE
Click Return and enter the following command " killall finder".
To hide files back, use the command:
defaults write com.apple.Finder AppleShowAllFiles FALSE ; killall finder
Like this, without a third party software, you can show hidden files and folders on macOS. Be very careful to avoid tampering with operating system files. And after completing the actions, do not forget to hide them back.
Probably everyone knows that files or folders on a computer can be hidden. In Windows, all you have to do is open the file properties and make it hidden. On macOS you can also hide files and folders, but this is done in a slightly different way. This is what we will discuss in today’s article.
Modern versions of macOS (macOS 10.12 and higher) offer fast and easy way display hidden files and folders (see below for how to make them hidden) using a key combination. A simple key press will instantly show hidden files and hide them again. This is currently the fastest way to show "invisible" files on Mac.
Typically, invisible files on a Mac are system files and folders, configuration data, or other files and folders that are hidden from ordinary users for some reason. These folders are typically used by more advanced users who need to view, edit, or change the folder or its contents.
1. From Finder, navigate to any folder that may contain hidden files (for example, the Macintosh HD root folder or your Home folder).
2. Click ⌘Cmd + ⇧Shift + Period to show hidden files.
How this works using a Macintosh HD example is shown below.
As you can see, when you press the above key combination, all the hidden content in the folder will be displayed. Hidden files can be easily identified by their slightly faded names and icons. It is worth noting that when displaying files, hidden files in all folders on the Mac will become visible, just like when using the corresponding commands.
The main difference between modern releases and earlier versions of macOS is that new editions offer a method to show hidden content using a combination of ⌘Cmd + ⇧Shift + Period, whereas previously you had to enter commands in the terminal for this purpose (instructions below). But if you like to do things the old-fashioned way, modern versions of macOS also support this method.
How to hide hidden files on Mac using keyboard shortcuts
In Finder, open any folder and click ⌘Cmd + ⇧Shift + Period to hide files. After of this action all invisible folders on Mac will be hidden again. For information on how to make any files and folders hidden, see below.
Remember that pressing the combination ⌘Cmd + ⇧Shift + Period V file system will show or hide invisible folders. This is what a folder with hidden files looks like:
After clicking ⌘Cmd + ⇧Shift + Period hidden files will appear in the folder. Visually they will look paler:
In modern versions of macOS, the combination functionality ⌘Cmd + ⇧Shift + Period has become somewhat wider and now allows you to display folders and files in the Finder.
As mentioned above, you can display or hide hidden content using Terminal commands, but why do this if new versions of the Apple operating system offer a faster and more convenient method?
In any case, if you are not sure what you are doing, do not delete or change hidden files under any circumstances, as many of them are configuration files for various functions, programs and applications.
How to assign the “hidden” attribute to a file or folder
The free Funter app allows you to find hidden files via an icon in the Finder menu and toolbar. The Finder panel icon appears when the integration is activated (enabled by default).
To make files or folders hidden in the Finder, right-click on them or click on the Funder button in the Finder panel and select the option from the menu that opens "Hide with Funter".
Note: If the “Show Hidden Files” mode is activated in the Finder (see below), then hidden files and folders will be visible.
How to turn off showing hidden files and folders
To turn off the display of hidden files and folders, click on the Funter icon in the macOS menu bar and select the switch "Show Hidden Files" to position Turned off.
How to Show Hidden Files and Folders on Mac
To enable the display of hidden files and folders, click on the Funter icon in the macOS menu bar and select the switch "Show Hidden Files" to position Included.
How to remove the "hidden" attribute from a file or folder
To make hidden files or folders not hidden in the Finder, right-click on them (or the Funder button in the Finder panel) and select the option from the menu that opens "Unhide with Funter".
Everything secret will become clear.
macOS, like any other operating system has hidden files and folders. Typically, these are system files that are hidden for security reasons. However, experienced users often resort to methods that allow them to display hidden files - for example, for complete removal applications, to configure some system parameters or for other operations.
In this article we will talk about three ways, which will allow you to display all hidden files and folders in macOS in no time.
Method one - through the Terminal application
Command line lovers can resort to an old but proven method.
- Launch the Terminal application in any convenient way.
- In the command line window, enter and confirm the following command:
defaults write com.apple.Finder AppleShowAllFiles YES
- The file manager will restart. After this, all hidden files will be shown. To hide the files again, just use another command:
defaults write com.apple.Finder AppleShowAllFiles NO
Method two - through a special script
For those who prefer to automate any work, it makes sense to take a closer look at another option - enabling the display of hidden files through a special macro. To create it, we will resort to the help of the “Script Editor”.
- We launch the application for creating scripts.
- IN context menu select “File” -> “New”.
- In the next window we will need to paste the script code. It looks like this:
set dialogResult to display dialog “Show hidden files…” buttons (“YES”, “NO”)
copy the dialogResult as list to (buttonpressed)
if buttonpressed = “YES” then
do shell script “defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles -bool true”
else
do shell script “defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles -bool false”
end if
do shell script “killall Finder”
- We save the created macro as an application by going to the “File” -> “Save” menu.
Now, when we launch our created program, we can turn on or off the display of hidden files in one click. For convenience, the script can be placed directly in the dock panel.
Method three - using hot keys
If you are looking for the simplest method, then this option is definitely for you. This method appeared only in macOS High Sierra - therefore it will not work on earlier versions of the OS.
- Opening file manager Finder.
- In the desired directory, press the key combination Shift + Command + .(dot).
Immediately after this, all hidden files and folders will be displayed on the screen. To turn off their display, just use the above key combination again.