Windows 10: Set or Unset Hidden Attribute of Files and Folders in Windows 10

How to: Set or Unset Hidden Attribute of Files and Folders in Windows 10

How to Set or Unset Hidden Attribute of Files and Folders in Windows 10


Information In Windows, you can set or clear the hidden attribute for files and folders to hide or unhide them.

Hidden files and folders do not show by default in Windows.

If you have Windows set to show hidden files, folders, and drives, hidden items will be faded (dimmed) in File Explorer to indicate that they are hidden.

If you have Windows set to don't show hidden files, folders, or drives, hidden items will not be seen in File Explorer.

This tutorial will show you different ways on how to set or unset the hidden attribute to hide or unhide files and folders in Windows 10.


CONTENTS:

• Option One: To Hide Files and Folders using File Explorer Ribbon
• Option Two: To Unhide Files and Folders using File Explorer Ribbon
• Option Three: To Hide Files and Folders from Properties
• Option Four: To Unhide Files and Folders from Properties
• Option Five: To Hide File using Command Prompt
• Option Six: To Unhide File using Command Prompt
• Option Seven: To Hide Folder Only using Command Prompt
• Option Eight: To Unhide Folder Only using Command Prompt
• Option Nine: To Hide Folder, Subfolders and Files using Command Prompt
• Option Ten: To Unhide Folder, Subfolders and Files using Command Prompt

OPTION ONE [/i] To Hide Files and Folders using File Explorer Ribbon
1. Open File Explorer (Win+E).

2. Click/tap on the View tab, select one or more unhidden files and/or folders you want to hide, and click/tap on the Hide selected items button in the ribbon. (see screenshot below)



3. If you selected a folder, select (dot) to either Apply changes to this folder only or Apply changes to this folder, subfolders and files for what you want, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)







OPTION TWO [/i] To Unhide Files and Folders using File Explorer Ribbon


Note You will need to have Windows set to show hidden files, folders, and drives to be able to see hidden items as faded (dimmed) in File Explorer to make it easy to select them to unhide.


1. Open File Explorer (Win+E).

2. Click/tap on the View tab, select one or more hidden files and/or folders you want to unhide, and click/tap on the highlighted Hide selected items button in the ribbon. (see screenshot below)



3. If you selected a folder, select (dot) to either Apply changes to this folder only or Apply changes to this folder, subfolders and files for what you want, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)







OPTION THREE [/i] To Hide Files and Folders from Properties
1. Open File Explorer (Win+E).

2. Select one or more unhidden files and/or folders you want to hide, right click or press and hold on the selected items, and click/tap on Properties. (see screenshot below)



3. In the General tab, check the Hidden box in the bottom Attributes section, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshots below)



4. If you selected a folder, select (dot) to either Apply changes to this folder only or Apply changes to this folder, subfolders and files for what you want, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)







OPTION FOUR [/i] To Unhide Files and Folders from Properties
1. Open File Explorer (Win+E).

2. Select one or more hidden files and/or folders you want to unhide, right click or press and hold on the selected items, and click/tap on Properties. (see screenshot below)



3. In the General tab, uncheck the Hidden box in the bottom Attributes section, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshots below)
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4. If you selected a folder, select (dot) to either Apply changes to this folder only or Apply changes to this folder, subfolders and files for what you want, and click/tap on OK. (see screenshot below)







OPTION FIVE [/i] To Hide File using Command Prompt
1. Open a elevated command prompt based based on the access permissions you have for the file.

2. Type the command below into the command prompt, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)
*Arrow attrib +h "full path of file with extension"



Note Substitute full path of file with extension in the command above with the actual full path of the unhidden file you want to hide.

For example: attrib +h "C:\Users\Brink\Desktop\Folder\File1.txt"









OPTION SIX [/i] To Unhide File using Command Prompt
1. Open a elevated command prompt based based on the access permissions you have for the file.

2. Type the command below into the command prompt, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)
*Arrow attrib -s -h "full path of file with extension"



Note Substitute full path of file with extension in the command above with the actual full path of the hidden file you want to unhide.

For example: attrib -s -h "C:\Users\Brink\Desktop\Folder\File1.txt"









OPTION SEVEN [/i] To Hide Folder Only using Command Prompt
1. Open a elevated command prompt based based on the access permissions you have for the folder.

2. Type the command below into the command prompt, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)
*Arrow attrib +h "full path of folder"



Note Substitute full path of folder in the command above with the actual full path of the unhidden folder you want to hide.

For example: attrib +h "C:\Users\Brink\Desktop\Folder"









OPTION EIGHT [/i] To Unhide Folder Only using Command Prompt
1. Open a elevated command prompt based based on the access permissions you have for the folder.

2. Type the command below into the command prompt, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)
*Arrow attrib -s -h "full path of folder"



Note Substitute full path of folder in the command above with the actual full path of the hidden folder you want to unhide.

For example: attrib -s -h "C:\Users\Brink\Desktop\Folder"









OPTION NINE [/i] To Hide Folder, Subfolders and Files using Command Prompt
1. Open a elevated command prompt based based on the access permissions you have for the folder.

2. Type the command below into the command prompt, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)
*Arrow attrib +h "full path of folder\*" /s /d



Note Substitute full path of folder in the command above with the actual full path of the unhidden folder you want to hide along with all of its contents.

For example: attrib +h "C:\Users\Brink\Desktop\Folder\*" /s /d









OPTION TEN [/i] To Unhide Folder, Subfolders and Files using Command Prompt
1. Open a elevated command prompt based based on the access permissions you have for the folder.

2. Type the command below into the command prompt, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)
*Arrow attrib -s -h "full path of folder\*" /s /d



Note Substitute full path of folder in the command above with the actual full path of the hidden folder you want to unhide along with all of its contents.

For example: attrib -s -h "C:\Users\Brink\Desktop\Folder\*" /s /d






That's it,
Shawn


Related Tutorials

• How to Show Hidden Files, Folders, and Drives in Windows 10
• How to Add a File Attributes context menu in Windows 10
• How to Add Hidden items to Context Menu in Windows 10
• How to Add Hide selected items to Context Menu in Windows 10
• How to Set or Unset Read-only Attribute of Files and Folders in Windows 10

:)

 

lock a folder

To : Ben

Not exactly what you are asking, just something for you to consider...……….

*Arrow Set or Unset Hidden Attribute of Files and Folders in Windows 10 | Windows 10 Tutorials

How to hide files and folders using File Explorer

• Open File Explorer.
• Navigate to the file or folder you want to hide.
• Right-click the item and click on Properties.
• On the General tab, under Attributes, check the Hidden option.
• Click Apply.

 

Win 10 Folder/file Read Only attribute is not able to be unset

Why am I not able to unset this attribute in the properties section of the file?

 

Folder Attribution

Hello Kaushik,

The tutorial below can give you specific details on how to remove the "Read-only" attribute of files and folders in Windows 10.

Set or Unset Read-only Attribute of Files and Folders in Windows 10

If you need to do this often, then the tutorial below can show you how to add an "Attributes" context menu to files and folders to make this easier to do as needed.

Add Attributes context menu in Windows 10

 

Restore hidden file attributes

You could try unsetting and setting the defaults for these, but I'd guess you'll still have some not as default:

 

Change file attribute to 'unhide'

Hello Walt,

Thank you for posting your concern in Microsoft Community and welcome to the Windows 10 Family.

I suggest you to follow the below steps to change the attribute of any file/folder to unhide.

Step A: Show Hidden files

1. Open Windows Explorer(win logo key+E) or My computer.

2. Now click on View on top of the window.
3. Untick ‘Hidden items’ in the options.

Step B: Change file attribute

1. Once the hidden file is located, right click on the file/folder you want to change the attribute for.

2. Go to ‘properties’, untick the box facing hidden.

3. Now, Click on ‘apply’ and then ‘ok’.

Hope it helps.

Thank You.