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How to Hide & Unhide Folders on Windows 11 [3 Ways]
Keep unnecessary clutter at bay by hiding your folders
4 min. read
Updated onOctober 4, 2023
updated onOctober 4, 2023
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Hiding folders is a great way to keep your desktop organized. Maybe you want to keep your personal files or some client details away from prying eyes. Whatever it is, the ability to tuck them away and unhide them when necessary is a big save.
Simply put, these hidden files will not be displayed in the main menu, but they are still accessible. It’s pretty straightforward and shouldn’t take too much of your time.
How do I hide a folder in Windows 11?
1. By using File Explorer
2. By using Command Prompt (CMD)
3. By using the PowerShell command
How can I hide a folder in Windows 11 with a password?
While you can use Windows Explorer to hide files in a folder, it’s not a very secure method. Although it makes the folder invisible, if someone has access to your computer, they can easily unhide the folder and access its contents.
Password-protecting your foldersis recommended as an extra layer of security. And even with the built-in feature in Windows, it only serves to protect when users log in using other accounts. Anyone who logs in using your user profile can access your hidden items.
This is where the third-party tools come in. Some of thetop programs that hide your foldersinclude:
How do I access a hidden folder on Windows 11?
When you hide folders, they’re no longer visible in Windows Explorer and won’t turn up in search results. Most users do not need to know where these folders are located or how to access them. The folder will be transparent if you’ve enabled the option to see them.
However, if you’ve hidden them from your view in File Explorer, when you want to access the folders you’ve kept away, you will need toshow hidden folders.
How do I unhide a folder on Windows 11?
The steps for unhiding folders are similar to hiding, only that you’ll have to reverse-engineer for File Explorer. For the Command Prompt:attrib -h “folder name”is the command to enter, while for PowerShell, it is$FILE.Attributes -match “Hidden”
With these methods, whether you need to get rid of those pesky folders on your desktop or want to secure your files, you can safely keep your folders private without giving away sensitive information while maintaining an intuitive system.
And if you’re looking for more ways to organize your files, we havesome folder settingsyou can try to ensure you get the best user experience possible.
Hopefully, these tips will help you better manage your folder organization on Windows. Are there any other ways you like to hide or unhide folders? Let us know in the comments below.
More about the topics:folder,Windows 11
Claire Moraa
Windows Software Expert
Claire has a knack for solving problems and improving the quality of life for those around her. She’s driven by rationality, curiosity, and simplicity, and always eager to learn more about Microsoft’s products. With a background in teaching and reviewing, she breaks down complex topics into easily understandable articles, focusing mostly on Windows 11, errors, and software.
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Claire Moraa
Windows Software Expert
With a background in teaching and reviewing, she breaks down complex topics into easily understandable articles, focusing mostly on Windows 11 errors.
Reviewed byAlex Serban
