Learn how to easily show hidden folders in Windows 10 and 11 with these step-by-step instructions. Access all the files you need without any hassle.

Often, when deleting unnecessary files from disks, you do not understand where the main garbage is stored. Perhaps hidden system folders are to blame. Windows often hides important system components in this way so that the user does not accidentally delete them. But sometimes too many application cache files accumulate in them, which takes up disk space.

How to Show Hidden Folders in Windows 10 and 11

In this article, we will figure out how to show hidden folders in Windows 10 and 11, and we will also look at different methods so that you can choose the best option for yourself.

Content

1. Windows 10
   1. View menu  
   2. Control Panel
   3. The Straight Path
2. Windows 11
   1. Through the conductor
   2. Via Explorer Options
   3. Through developer options

Windows 10

View menu  

The easiest way is to just politely ask the system to show you hidden folders. To do this, you don’t need to go into the command line, registry or use other scary things, just enable the display in the settings in the “View” menu.

Here’s how you can do it:

• Go to the explorer in any convenient way;
• Go to the folder or disk you need (most often the system hides directories on disk C);
• Click on the “View” menu in the Explorer toolbar (it is displayed at the top);
• Click on the checkbox next to “Hidden Elements” to activate the feature.

Now you can try to enter any folder you need, hidden files and directories in it will start to be shown as translucent icons so that you can immediately distinguish them.

Control Panel

Another way to enable hidden folders in Windows 10 is through the Control Panel. It usually solves 90% of system problems, so it’s worth using in this case too.

Follow the instructions:

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• Open Control Panel (via search or right-click on the Start menu);
• Go to “Explorer Options”;
• Next, click on the “View” tab;
• Go to the View tab;
• In the “Advanced Options” list, scroll to the bottom;
• Activate the switch next to the item “Show hidden files, folders, and drives”.

You can also find other useful options in this list that will expand the number of files available for viewing. If you disable the “Hide protected system files” option, Windows 10 will show you even important OS components that are usually hidden from users by default.

Once you have activated the necessary items, apply the changes and go to the explorer. All hidden files will be displayed by default.

The Straight Path

And it is not always possible to enable display of hidden folders. If you know the direct path to them, you can do without studying the system settings.

For example, if you need to get to the AppData folder, which is hidden by default but can accumulate cache and other “garbage” files, you don’t have to search in Explorer. Enter the direct path to it in the line:

Replace “User” with your account name. When you’re done, press Enter and the system will automatically move you to the folder, even if it’s hidden from you by default.

Windows 11

Through the conductor

Again, let’s start with the easiest way and use the Windows 11 Explorer. Everything is pretty much the same as for Windows 10, but there are a couple of differences.

And here are the instructions:

• Go to Explorer;
• In the title line, click on the inscription “View”;
• Open the “Show” section via the button with the inscription or the icon in the form of three dots in the right corner;
• Activate the checkbox next to the “Hidden elements” item.

After that, try opening any hidden folder to make sure everything works. For example, you can go to AppData, this is the most common directory that users view through the hidden elements display mode.

Via Explorer Options

Another option for showing hidden folders is to use the Explorer options in Control Panel. The process is similar to what we did for Win 10:

By the way, you can open the parameters in three ways:

1. Using the Control Panel, simply find the “Explorer Options” section.
2. Through the Run window. To do this, press Win+R and enter control folders in the line, then run the operation.
3. Go to the explorer and click on the three dots in the top menu. In the drop-down list, click on the “Options” section.

Whichever method you choose, the instructions for showing hidden folders will be the same:

• Go to the “View” item;
• Activate the switch in the line “Hide protected operating system files”;
• Find the “Hidden files and folders” setting;
• Activate the switch in the “Show hidden elements” item.

After that, you can check the operation of the activated functions. If it does not help, you can try to reboot the computer for the changes to take effect.

Through developer options

The last option to access hidden folders is to use developer settings. By the way, you don’t need any special access to do this. You only need administrator rights.

Here’s how to do it:

• Go to Windows 11 settings;
• Open the “System” section;
• Find the inscription “For developers” and open the tab;
• In the Explorer menu, activate the switch next to the “Show hidden files” inscription.

Now you know how to quickly and easily access hidden folders in Windows 10 and 11. Use our instructions, but be careful when working with such directories so as not to accidentally delete something important for the PC.