How to Find Hidden Files and Folders on Windows

Using these secret search tools and apps

When you 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, however. If the folder you’re looking in contains hidden files or folders, Windows won’t show them unless you’veenabled hidden file view in File Explorer.

If you want to know how to find hidden folders on Windows 10 and any hidden files contained within, you’ll need to use some of the methods we’ve listed below. This includes using secret search tools in File Explorer andWindows PowerShellto locate them, as well as using third-party alternatives like FreeCommander.

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

If you’re trying to hunt down a missing file or folder, the best way to do it is to use File Explorer’s search tool. Using advanced search parameters, you can locate any folders or files that have been hidden by view (either automatically or manually) using an open File Explorer window.

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, it isn’t necessarily the quickest. If you want to quickly search through your PC for any files you’ve missed, a good alternative is to use the Windows PowerShell to do so.

You can also use thenewer Windows Terminal, but PowerShell remains the default option for Windows 10 users. The commands below are PowerShell specific and won’t work with the olderCommand Line.

To start, open a new PowerShell window by right-clicking the Start menu and selectingWindows PowerShell (Admin).

In the new PowerShell window, move to the folder or drive you wish to search. For instance, typingcd C:\will move you to the root (first) folder on the main system drive, allowing you to search the entire drive.

Typingcd C:\Program Filesmeans that the search you perform will only work through any files and sub-folders contained in theProgram Filesfolder. Once you’ve moved folders, typels -Forceto view a list of files and folders contained within (including any hidden files or folders).

Once you’ve moved into the folder to begin your search, type the following command into the PowerShell window and press theEnter keyto run it:Get-ChildItem -Filter . -Recurse -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | where { $_.Attributes -match “Hidden”}.

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

If you’d prefer to list a folder directory to begin the search, add-Path locationto your command afterGet-ChildItem, replacinglocationwith a suitable file path.

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

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

To do this, add> log.txtto the end of your command (eg.Get-ChildItem -Path “C:\New Folder” -Filter . -Recurse -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | where { $_.Attributes -match “Hidden”} > log.txt). This will create a file namedlog.txtin your currently active folder containing the terminal output of theGet-ChildItemcommand.

You can set an alternative filepath (eg> C:\Folder\log.txt) or filename (eghiddenlog.txt) as required.

If you’ve created a log file, you can view the contents in the PowerShell window directly by typingcat log.txt(replacinglog.txtwith the correct file path and file name). You can also open the file as normal using File Explorer and Notepad.

Locating Hidden Files and Folders Using Third-Party Apps

The best methods for finding hidden 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 can use third-party apps to search your PC for hidden files as an alternative.

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

To start,download and install FreeCommanderon your PC and launch it once the installation is complete. To begin a search in the FreeCommander window, selectCtrl + Fon your keyboard or selectFile>Searchto open a new search window.

In theSearch files/folderswindow, enter the search criteria for file or folder names in theFile namebox, located in theLocationtab. You can use full file names or find partial matches using a wildcard (eg.fileorfil*).

In theSearch Inbox below it, select the folder to begin the search. You can type this manually (eg.C:\to search the entire system drive) or select theadd button>Browseto identify them individually.

Select theTimestamp/Size/Attrtab next and make sure to select theHiddenattribute 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 any other search criteria that you require in all the available search tabs. When you’re ready to begin your search, selectFindto begin.

Search results will appear in theSearch resulttab at the bottom of the search window. To open any of the hidden files or folders that FreeCommander locates, right-click the entries and selectOpen.

Managing Your Files on Windows 10

Knowing how to find hidden files on Windows 10 is easy — once you know where to look. Whether you use File Explorer, Windows PowerShell, or third-party apps like FileCommander to get the job done, the steps above should help you locate your previously hidden files and folders.

The next step is to manage your files properly. There are plenty ofadvanced search tipsto locate missing files, but you may also need to considerbacking up your important filesto make them easier to access in the long run. You can alsolook for large files on Windowsto help free up disk space for other files and applications.

Ben Stockton is a freelance technology writer based in the United Kingdom. In a past life, Ben was a college lecturer in the UK, training teens and adults. Since leaving the classroom, Ben has taken his teaching experience and applied it to writing tech how-to guides and tutorials, specialising in Linux, Windows, and Android. He has a degree in History and a postgraduate qualification in Computing.Read Ben’s Full Bio

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How to Find Hidden Files and Folders on Windows#

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

Searching for Hidden Files and Folders Using Windows Powershell#

Locating Hidden Files and Folders Using Third-Party Apps#

Managing Your Files on Windows 10#