Windows 7 hides important folders and files so that users don't modify or delete these files which can eventually damage their system. Windows 7 does not show hidden files by default. For example, the pagefile.sys file is usually a hidden file. (If an application uses too much memory, Windows uses this file, which frees up more memory.) However, sometimes you may need to show hidden files and folders in Windows 7. Viruses or spyware may be in hidden files., so the virus is difficult to find and remove.
Step
Method 1 of 4: Showing Hidden Files in Windows 7 Using Folder Options
Step 1. Click the Windows 7 Start button
Step 2. Click Control Panel
You can also click the Start button and then type "folder options" in the search box. Select "Folder Options" in the Control Panel from the resulting list.
Step 3. Click “Appearance and Personalization
”
Step 4. Click “Folder Options
”
Step 5. Click the View tab in the Folder Options window
Step 6. Click “Show hidden files, folders, and drives” in “Advanced settings” and click “OK
”
Step 7. Select the “Show hidden files, folders, and drives” radio button in the “Hidden files and folders” category
”
Step 8. Click "OK" at the bottom of the Folder Options window
Step 9. Close the Control Panel window
You will now be able to see all hidden files and folders and drives in Windows 7.
Step 10. Test this by looking at drive C:
Look for a program called "ProgramData." If you can see the program, then you can now see hidden files and folders.
Step 11. Notice that the icons for hidden files and folders are grayed out
This is what you can use to differentiate between hidden and non-hidden files.
Method 2 of 4: Displaying Protected Operating System Files
Step 1. Click the Windows 7 Start button
Step 2. Click Control Panel
Step 3. Click “Appearance and Personalization
”
Step 4. Click “Folder Options
”
Step 5. Click “View
”
Step 6. Click “Show hidden files, folders, and drives” in “Advanced settings” and click “OK
”
Step 7. Click “Apply
”
Step 8. Uncheck the box "Hide protected operating system files
"
Step 9. Look at the dialog box asking if you are sure that you want to do this
Step 10. Click “Yes
”
Step 11. Click “OK
”
Method 3 of 4: Showing Hidden Files Using Registry Editor
Step 1. Click the Start button
Step 2. Type "regedit" in the search box and hit enter
You must be logged in as an administrator in order to perform these steps
Step 3. Click "Yes" if prompted to confirm that you are the administrator
Step 4. Look for this key inside regedit:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced.
Step 5. Look to the right of the Advanced window, where you can see the values
Step 6. Look for the value “Hidden
”
Step 7. Right click the value and change it to 1
Method 4 of 4: Viewing Protected Operating System Files Using Registry Editor
Step 1. Click the Start button
Step 2. Type "regedit" in the search box and hit enter
Step 3. Click "Yes" if prompted to confirm that you are the administrator
Step 4. Look for this key inside regedit:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced.
Step 5. Look to the right of the Advanced window, where you can see the values
Step 6. Right click "ShowSuperHidden" and click Modify
Step 7. Type 1
Step 8. Click “OK
”
Tips
- If you no longer want to see these files, you can always hide them again by going through the process again and changing the values or rechecking the boxes.
- While you can hide confidential files so that other people can't see them, this is not a good way to provide security or privacy. Instead, you should use "permissions" on a file to give it the security you want.
