This wikiHow teaches you how to create a hidden folder that works on a Windows or Mac computer, as well as on Android tablets and smartphones. While you can't technically create hidden folders on your iPhone, iOS 11 has a loophole that allows you to temporarily delete apps folders from your home screen, but still keep apps on your iPhone.
Step
Method 1 of 4: On Windows Computer
Step 1. Open File Explorer
Click the File Explorer icon, which is a folder on the taskbar at the bottom of the screen. You can also do this by pressing Win+E key.
You can also open File Explorer by typing file explorer into Start, then clicking File Explorer in the pop-up menu that appears.
Step 2. Specify a location for the invisible folder
Click the folder you want to use to place the invisible folder on the left side of the File Explorer window.
For example, if you want to create a new folder within the Documents folder, you must click Documents here.
Step 3. Right-click an empty spot in the folder
A drop-down menu will be displayed.
Step 4. Select New
This option is at the top of the drop-down menu. A pop-out menu will be displayed.
Step 5. Click Folder at the top of the pop-out menu
A new folder will be created in the selected location.
Step 6. Name the folder
Type in the name you want to use for the hidden folder, then press Enter.
Step 7. Click the folder once, then right-click the folder
This will bring up a drop-down menu with options for the folder.
Step 8. Click Properties located at the bottom of the drop-down menu
The Properties window for the folder will open.
Step 9. Check the "Hidden" box
It's at the bottom of the Properties window.
Step 10. Click OK at the bottom of the window
The folder will turn transparent if the folder option is set to keep hidden folders visible. Otherwise, the folder will disappear.
If there are files or folders in a hidden folder, you must first select Apply changes to this folder only or Apply changes to this folder, subfolders and files, then click OK in order to continue.
Step 11. Disable the option to view hidden items if necessary
If hidden folders are shown transparently, and you can still see them, your computer is set to keep hidden folders visible. Do the following to disable this option:
- Click tab View which is at the top of the File Explorer window.
- Uncheck the "Hidden items" box in the "Show/hide" section of the tab View.
Method 2 of 4: On Mac Computer
Step 1. Open Finder
Click the Finder icon, which is the blue face in the Mac's dock.
Step 2. Decide where to save the folder
Folders for Mac computers are on the left side of the Finder window. Click a location to open it in the Finder.
For example, you should click Documents if you want to open the Documents folder.
Step 3. Click the File menu at the top left of the screen
A drop-down menu will be displayed.
Step 4. Click New Folder
It's at the top of the drop-down menu. A new folder will be created at your current location
Step 5. Name the folder
Type in the desired name for the folder, then press Return.
Step 6. Click Spotlight
This option is in the top right corner. A text box will appear in the center of the screen.
Step 7. Run Terminal
Type in the terminal in the Spotlight search field, then double click Terminal
emerging.
Step 8. TTik
chflags hidden
in Terminals.
Make sure to put a space after the"
chflags
" and"
hidden
Don't press Return after you've typed the command.
Step 9. Move the folder to Terminal
Click and drag the folder you want to hide into the Terminal window and release it. Information about the folder will be entered into the Terminal command that you have written. Now the address of the folder will be displayed to the right of the words"
chflags hidden
in the Terminal window.
-
For example, if you want to hide a folder called "My Photos" on your Mac's desktop, you'll see something like this:
chflags hidden /Users/name/Desktop/My Photo
- .
Step 10. Press Return
The folder will disappear completely. However, if you have set your Mac to keep showing hidden folders, the folders will still be visible in gray.
To prevent hidden folders from being seen, launch Finder and press Command+⇧ Shift+.
Method 3 of 4: On Android Device
Step 1. Install ES File Explorer
ES File Explorer is a file manager that can be used to create folders on your Android device. You can also use it to reveal hidden folders if needed. This makes it easier for you to find the folder later. Do the following to install it:
-
open Google Play Store
- Tap the search field.
- Type es file.
- Tap ES File Explorer File Manager in the result list.
- Tap INSTALL, then tap ALLOW when requested.
Step 2. Launch ES File Explorer
Tap OPEN in the Play Store, or tap the ES File Explorer icon in the app drawer of your Android device.
Step 3. Start doing the initial setup
Swipe the app introduction screen, then tap START NOW at the bottom of the screen. Next, you can tap the X in the upper right corner of the "What's New" pop-up.
Step 4. Open one of the save locations
Tap a save location (for example Internal Storage) at the top of the page.
Step 5. Select a folder
Tap the folder that you want to use as a place to create a hidden folder.
If you don't know which folder to choose, just tap on the folder Documents.
Step 6. Create a new folder
Add a new folder to the current location by doing the following:
- Tap New.
- Tap Folders in the pop-up menu.
- Name the folder.
- Tap OK.
Step 7. Hide the folder
Hide folders on Android devices by placing a dot in front of the folder name. You can add dots by renaming the folder:
- Select the folder by long pressing it.
- Tap Rename located at the bottom of the screen.
- Place the cursor in front of the first letter of the folder name. For example, if the folder name is "My Pictures", then you must place the cursor to the left of the letter "F".
- Add a dot in front of the folder name. For example, a folder named "My photos" will change to ". My photos".
- Tap OK.
Step 8. View the folder if necessary
If you want to see those hidden folders, do this from within ES File Explorer settings:
- Tap ☰ at the top left of the screen to bring up a pop-out menu.
- Tap Show hidden files located at the bottom of the menu.
- Return to the location to save the hidden folder.
Method 4 of 4: On iPhone
Step 1. Understand how this method works
By placing the app you want to hide in a folder, and then moving that folder while simultaneously running Siri, you can disrupt iPhone so that the folder containing the app disappears from the home screen.
- You may have to do a few trials before it works. This is because you have to practice to be able to swipe through a folder containing apps while simultaneously opening Siri properly.
- If Siri isn't already enabled, activate Siri on iPhone before you continue.
- This method cannot be used to hide photos on iPhone.
Step 2. Create a folder that will be filled with the application you want to hide
If the application you want to hide is not already in a folder, do the following:
- Tap and hold on the desired app until its icon starts to vibrate.
- Tap and drag the app to another app. One second later, release the app.
- Drag the other apps into the folder that was created when you entered the first app.
Step 3. Tap and hold on the folder
You will need to keep holding the folder while continuing the process.
Step 4. Hold down the Home button with the other hand
Doing so will make Siri appear a second or so later.
On iPhone X, launch Siri by pressing the button on the side
Step 5. Swipe down the app folder as soon as Siri is displayed
If timed correctly, the folder will turn transparent, then disappear.
- You can press the Home button (or swipe up on the screen on iPhone X) to close Siri after this point.
- If the folder remains on the home screen, try again.
Step 6. Access hidden apps
Even if the app isn't visible, you can still use it:
- Swipe down from the middle of the iPhone screen to open the Spotlight search field.
- Type in the name of the hidden app you want to open.
- Tap on the name of the app in the resulting " APPLICATIONS " section.
Step 7. Launch the app
Restart the iPhone to bring the app back up and return it to the home screen. The apps will be removed from the folder and reappeared in a different order from the position when you first moved them.
- We recommend that you turn off iPhone by holding down the button Power, then swipe the button slide to power off to the right. Next, turn on the device again by pressing the button Power. iPhone may overheat if you force restart it.
- The app will also reappear if the iPhone is updated.
