When yous open a folder in Windows File Explorer, you expect to see the full contents — all the files, all the sub-folders. That isn't necessarily true, yet. If the folder you're looking in contains subconscious files or folders, Windows won't show them unless y'all've enabled hidden file view in File Explorer.

If you lot want to know how to observe hidden folders on Windows 10 and any hidden files independent within, you'll demand to utilize some of the methods nosotros've listed below. This includes using secret search tools in File Explorer and Windows PowerShell to locate them, equally well equally using tertiary-political party alternatives like FreeCommander.

How to Find Find Hidden Files and Folders on Windows 10 Using File Explorer

If yous're trying to hunt downwards a missing file or binder, the best way to do it is to use File Explorer's search tool. Using advanced search parameters, you can locate whatever folders or files that accept been subconscious by view (either automatically or manually) using an open File Explorer window.

  1. To do this, open a new File Explorer window using your taskbar (if the File Explorer icon is pinned) or via the Offset menu. Yous tin can also right-click the Starting time card and select File Explorer to open a new window instead.
  1. In the new File Explorer window, open the folder (or drive) that you're looking to search. Using the search bar in the top correct, blazon attributes:H and select the enter key to begin the search. This searches for all files and folders within that folder that take the subconscious file attribute applied to them in the Backdrop card.
  1. If you want to customize the search further, you can add a file or folder proper name (or partial proper noun) to the search. To practice this, type the file or binder name before or after the attributes:H parameter in the search bar (eg. file attributes:H). If you want to search for partial match, you can use a wildcard (eg. fil* attributes:H) to do and so.
  1. Once y'all've located a file or folder, you can trace it dorsum to its saved location past correct-clicking the file or folder and selecting Open file location from the pop-up menu.

Searching for Hidden Files and Folders Using Windows Powershell

While the File Explorer method above offers the easiest way to find hidden files and folders on Windows 10, information technology isn't necessarily the quickest. If you desire to rapidly search through your PC for whatsoever files you've missed, a expert alternative is to use the Windows PowerShell to practice then.

You can too use the newer Windows Terminal, just PowerShell remains the default choice for Windows 10 users. The commands below are PowerShell specific and won't piece of work with the older Command Line.

To start, open a new PowerShell window by right-clicking the Starting time card and selecting Windows PowerShell (Admin).

In the new PowerShell window, motility to the folder or bulldoze y'all wish to search. For instance, typing cd C:\ will motility you to the root (first) folder on the main organisation drive, allowing you to search the entire drive.

Typing cd C:\Program Files ways that the search you perform volition only work through any files and sub-folders contained in the Program Files folder. Once you've moved folders, type ls -Forcefulness to view a listing of files and folders independent inside (including any hidden files or folders).

Once you've moved into the folder to begin your search, type the post-obit command into the PowerShell window and press the Enter key to run information technology: Get-ChildItem -Filter *.* -Recurse -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | where { $_.Attributes -match "Subconscious"}.

This will search for all hidden files and sub-folders in your current folder position and listing them in the PowerShell window.

If you'd prefer to list a folder directory to begin the search, add -Path location to your command after Get-ChildItem, replacing location with a suitable file path.

For instance, Become-ChildItem -Path C:\Folder -Filter *.* -Recurse -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | where { $_.Attributes -match "Hidden"} will search for all subconscious files and subfolders in the C:\Folder directory. If the file path contains spaces or other special characters, you'll need to contain them inside quotation marks (eg. Get-ChildItem -Path "C:\New Folder" etc).

If PowerShell locates a big number of subconscious files and folders, the PowerShell terminal output will scroll through the entries rapidly, making it difficult to analyze. To make this easier, yous can save the output of the Get-ChildItem command to a text file, allowing you to search through and review at your leisure.

To do this, add > log.txt to the stop of your command (eg. Get-ChildItem -Path "C:\New Binder" -Filter *.* -Recurse -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | where { $_.Attributes -match "Hidden"} > log.txt). This will create a file named log.txt in your currently agile folder containing the final output of the Get-ChildItem command.

You can ready an culling filepath (eg > C:\Folder\log.txt) or filename (eg hiddenlog.txt) as required.

If you've created a log file, you tin view the contents in the PowerShell window directly past typing cat log.txt (replacing log.txt with the correct file path and file name). You can also open up the file every bit normal using File Explorer and Notepad.

Locating Subconscious Files and Folders Using Third-Political party Apps

The best methods for finding subconscious files and folders on Windows are to use File Explorer or Windows PowerShell as explained above. If these methods are too slow or don't offer the complex search criteria that you need, you tin use third-party apps to search your PC for hidden files equally an alternative.

While various tools exist that support this, one good option is to employ the freeware FreeCommander tool. This File Explorer replacement includes a powerful search tool that allows yous to locate hidden files and folders on your PC.

To start, download and install FreeCommander on your PC and launch it once the installation is complete. To brainstorm a search in the FreeCommander window, select Ctrl + F on your keyboard or select File > Search to open a new search window.

In the Search files/folders window, enter the search criteria for file or folder names in the File name box, located in the Location tab. You tin utilise total file names or discover partial matches using a wildcard (eg. file or fil*).

In the Search In box beneath information technology, select the folder to begin the search. Yous can blazon this manually (eg. C:\ to search the entire system bulldoze) or select the add button > Browse to identify them individually.

Select the Timestamp/Size/Attr tab next and make sure to select the Subconscious attribute checkbox so that a tick is visible. Leave all other checkboxes with a solid black check (ensuring that they're included) or select them twice to uncheck them and remove any files containing those attributes from your search.

Select whatsoever other search criteria that you require in all the bachelor search tabs. When you lot're ready to begin your search, select Detect to begin.

Search results will appear in the Search event tab at the lesser of the search window. To open any of the subconscious files or folders that FreeCommander locates, right-click the entries and select Open.

Managing Your Files on Windows 10

Knowing how to discover subconscious files on Windows 10 is easy — one time you lot know where to await. Whether you lot use File Explorer, Windows PowerShell, or third-political party apps like FileCommander to get the job done, the steps to a higher place should help you locate your previously hidden files and folders.

The next step is to manage your files properly. There are plenty of avant-garde search tips to locate missing files, but you may also demand to consider backing up your important files to make them easier to admission in the long run. Yous can also look for large files on Windows to assist free upward disk infinite for other files and applications.