Accessing hidden folders and files in Windows can be accomplished in a few different ways. Depending on the version of Windows you are using, some methods may vary slightly.
1. Open File Explorer:
The first step is to open File Explorer, either from the Start Menu or by pressing the Windows key and E at the same time. Once the File Explorer window has opened, select the ‘View’ tab at the top of the window.
2. Show Hidden Files and Folders:
In the ‘View’ tab, there will be an option to enable ‘Show hidden files, folders and drives’. Select that option and the hidden folders should then be visible in the File Explorer window.
3. Accessing Hidden Folders:
After enabling the ‘Show hidden files, folders and drives’ option, the folders will now be visible. To access the folder, simply double-click on it to open it. This will allow you to view, edit and delete any of the files within the folder.
4. Accessing Hidden Files:
Hidden files can be accessed in the same way as hidden folders. To open the file, simply double-click on it and it will open in its associated application. However, if you wish to modify or delete the hidden file, you must first right-click on it and select the ‘Properties’ or ‘Edit’ option.
5. Changing Folder and File Attributes:
If you wish to hide a folder or file, you must first change the folder or file’s attributes. To do this, right-click on the folder or file and select the ‘Properties’ option. In the properties window, select the ‘General’ tab and check the box next to ‘Hidden’. This will hide the folder or file and make it inaccessible to other users.
6. Shortcut Keys for Accessing Hidden Files and Folders:
For those running Windows 2000 or higher, you can use shortcut keys to quickly access hidden files and folders. Pressing the Alt and D keys at the same time will bring up the command prompt, where you can type ‘attrib +h’ to show all hidden files and folders. Alternatively, you can type ‘attrib -h’ to hide any visible files and folders.
7. Command Line Access:
At the command line, you can also access hidden files and folders. To do this, simply type ‘dir /ah’ to show all hidden files and folders. Similarly, typing ‘dir /ah’ will hide any visible files and folders.
By following the steps mentioned above, you should successfully be able to access hidden files and folders in Windows. Whether you choose to make them visible or hidden is completely up to you.