How to view Hidden Files and Folders or protected operating system files in Windows

This tutorial will help you in displaying all hidden files, folders, and drives in Windows. These are set to be hidden by default in Windows. When you have these hidden files, folders, and drives set to show, the icon shows as transparent to indicate that they are set as hidden.

Method I: To Hide or Show Hidden Files using Folder Options

NOTE: This option only affects the current user.

Open Folder Options.
To Show Hidden Files, Folders, and Drives

NOTE: This will also allow hidden drives to show despite if Hide empty drives in the Computer folder is checked.

Select (dot) Show hidden files, folders, and drives.
Click on the Apply button.

To disable Show Hidden Files, Folders, and Drives

Select (dot) Don’t Show hidden files, folders, and drives.
Click on the Apply button.

To Show Protected Operating System Files

In addition to selecting Show Hidden Files, Folders, and Drives, Uncheck the Hide protected operating system files box.
Click on Yes to confirm.

To Hide Protected Operating System Files

Check the Hide protected operating system files box

Click on OK.

Method II: To Hide or Show Hidden Files using Registry Editor

Open the Start Menu, then type regedit in the search line and press Enter.
If prompted by UAC, then click on Yes.
In regedit, navigate to the location below.

For Current User Only:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced

For All Users: (Must be logged in as an administrator to be able to do this option)

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced

To Show Hidden Files, Folders, and Drives

NOTE: This will also allow hidden drives to show despite if Hide empty drives in the Computer folder is checked.

In the right pane of Advanced, right click on Hidden and click on Modify.
Type 1 and click on OK.

To Don’t Show Hidden Files, Folders, and Drives

In the right pane of Advanced, right click on Hidden and click on Modify.
Type 0 and click on OK.

To Show Protected Operating System Files

In addition to above step, go to the right pane of Advanced, right click on ShowSuperHidden and click on Modify.
Type 1 and click on OK.