How to See Hidden Files on Your Mac

Discover how to uncover hidden files on your Mac with simple keyboard shortcuts, Terminal commands, and the cd command. Learn how to hide and unhide files for security reasons.

Macs are known for their sleek design and user-friendly interface, but there may come a time when you need to access hidden files and folders on your device. These hidden files and folders are often hidden for security purposes, but there are ways to view them if you need to. In this article, we will discuss different methods to see hidden files on your Mac.

1. Use a Keyboard Shortcut

The easiest way to view hidden files and folders on your Mac is by using a keyboard shortcut. All you need to do is press the Command + Shift + Period (.) keys simultaneously. This will instantly reveal all hidden files and folders on your Mac. To hide them again, simply press the same keyboard shortcut.

This method is convenient and quick, but it only works for temporarily showing hidden files. Once you close the Finder window, the files will be hidden again.

2. Show All Hidden Mac Files Using Terminal

Another way to view hidden files on your Mac is by using the Terminal application. Terminal is a command-line interface that allows you to access and manipulate the inner workings of your Mac. To view hidden files using Terminal, follow these steps:

Step 1: Open the Terminal application. You can find it under Applications > Utilities.

Step 2: Type in the following command and press Enter: defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles YES. This will enable the visibility of hidden files on your Mac.

Step 3: Next, type in the command: killall Finder. This will restart the Finder application, and you should now be able to see all hidden files and folders.

To hide the files again, use the same commands, but replace 'YES' with 'NO'.

3. View Hidden Files in a Specific Directory Using the cd Command

If you only need to view hidden files in a specific directory, you can use the cd command in Terminal. This command allows you to change directories and view the contents within that directory. To use this method, follow these steps:

Step 1: Open the Terminal application.

Step 2: Type cd followed by the path of the directory you want to access. For example, if you want to view hidden files in the 'Documents' folder, type cd ~/Documents.

Step 3: Once you are in the desired directory, use the keyboard shortcut Command + Shift + Period (.) to reveal hidden files and folders.

To hide them again, use the same keyboard shortcut.

4. Unhide and Hide Files/Folders Using Terminal

If you want to permanently unhide a file or folder on your Mac, you can use the Terminal application. To do this, follow these steps:

Step 1: Open the Terminal application.

Step 2: Type in the following command: chflags nohidden [FILE NAME]. Replace '[FILE NAME]' with the name of the file or folder you want to unhide.

Step 3: Press Enter. This will unhide the selected file or folder.

To hide a file or folder again, use the same command, but replace 'nohidden' with 'hidden'.

5. Use FileVault to Create Invisible Folders or Rename Files

Another way to hide files and folders on your Mac is by using FileVault. FileVault is a built-in encryption tool that allows you to encrypt your entire hard drive or specific files and folders. To create invisible folders using FileVault, follow these steps:

Step 1: Go to System Preferences > Security & Privacy > FileVault.

Step 2: Click on the lock icon in the bottom left corner and enter your admin password.

Step 3: Click on the '+' button and select the folders you want to encrypt.

Step 4: Once the folders are added, click on the 'Encrypt' button.

Step 5: The folders will now be invisible and can only be accessed by entering your password.

You can also hide files by renaming them with a period (.) before their names. For example, if you have a file named 'secretfile.txt', you can rename it to '.secretfile.txt' to make it invisible.

Remember to be cautious when accessing and manipulating hidden files on your Mac. These files are hidden for a reason, and changing or deleting them could cause system issues. It's always a good idea to make a backup of your important files before making any changes.

There are various methods to view hidden files and folders on your Mac. Whether you use a keyboard shortcut, Terminal commands, or FileVault, you now have the knowledge to access hidden files whenever you need to. Just remember to use caution and be aware that these files are hidden for a reason.