How to Show Hidden Files and Folders

Windows 98

1. Open My Computer.
2. Select the View menu and click Folder Options.
3. Select the View Tab.
4. In the Hidden files section select Show all files.
5. Click OK.

Windows ME

1. Open My Computer
2. Select the Tools menu and click Folder Options.
3. Select the View Tab.
4. Under the Hidden files and folders heading select Show hidden files and folders.
5. Uncheck the Hide protected operating system files (recommended) option.
6. Click Yes to confirm.
7. Click OK.
8. Click Start, Programs and Accessories and open Windows Explorer.
9. Select a hard drive from the left hand side of the Windows Explorer window.
10. Select View the Entire contents of this drive.

Windows 2000

1. Open My Computer.
2. Select the Tools menu and click Folder Options.
3. Select the View Tab.
4. Under the Hidden files and folders heading select Show hidden files and folders.
5. Uncheck the Hide protected operating system files (recommended) option.
6. Click Yes to confirm.
7. Click OK.

Windows XP

1. Click Start.
2. Open My Computer.
3. Select the Tools menu and click Folder Options.
4. Select the View Tab.
5. Under the Hidden files and folders heading select Show hidden files and folders.
6. Uncheck the Hide protected operating system files (recommended) option.
7. Click Yes to confirm.

Windows Vista

To enable the viewing of Hidden files follow these steps:

1. Close all programs so that you are at your desktop.
2. Click on the Start button. The small round button in the left hand bottom corner.
3. Click on the Control Panel menu option.
4. When the control panel opens you can either be in Classic View or Control Panel Home view:

• If you are in the Classic View do the following:
• Double-click on the Folder Options icon
• Click on the View tab
  

• If you are in the Control Panel Home view do the following:
• Click on the Appearance and Personalization link
• Click on Show Hidden Files or Folders

1. Under the Hidden files and folders section select the radio button labeled Show hidden files and folders.

• Remove the checkmark from the checkbox labeled Hide extensions for known file types
• Remove the checkmark from the checkbox labeled Hide protected operating system files
• Press the Apply button and then the OK button and shutdown My Computer

For more information about showing hidden files and folders

How to see hidden files in Windows