How to hide files and folders in Windows 10 (+ view & unhide)

Learn how to hide files and folders in Windows 10 from others. And also how to view and unhide hidden files and folders.

Hide files and folders using File Explorer

1. Open File Explorer (Windows Explorer).

2. Go to the file or folder you want to hide.

3. Right-click on the file or folder and then click on Properties.

View folder properties in Windows 10

A “Properties” window will appear.

4. Check the box next to the Hidden option.

5. Click on the Apply button in the bottom right corner of the “Properties” window.

Hide files in Windows 10

If you're hiding a folder with files and subfolders, then a “Confirm Attribute Changes” window will appear. If you're not hiding a folder, then you can continue with the last step (8).

6. Make sure that the Apply changes to this folder, subfolders, and files option is selected.

Confirm Attribute Changes window in Windows 10

7. Click on the OK button.

8. Click on the OK button to close the “Properties” window.

This is an easy and fast way to hide files and folders, but it's not a good and secure way. Someone with basic computer knowledge can find the files and folders easily and quickly.

This method is good for hiding files and folders for common users so that they hopefully don't find and delete or edit the files or folders.

View hidden files and folders using File Explorer

1. Open File Explorer (Windows Explorer).

2. Go to the location of the hidden file or folder.

3. Click on View located in the top menu of File Explorer.

View tab in File Explorer in Windows 10

4. Check the box next to the Hidden items option.

Hidden items option in File Explorer in Windows 10

You can now view the hidden file or folder.

Unhide hidden files and folders using File Explorer

1. Open File Explorer (Windows Explorer).

2. Go to the location of the hidden file or folder.

3. Click on View located in the top menu of File Explorer.

View tab in File Explorer in Windows 10

4. Check the box next to the Hidden items option.

Hidden items option in File Explorer in Windows 10

You can now view the hidden file or folder.

5. Right-click on the file or folder and then click on Properties.

View properties of hidden files in Windows 10

A “Properties” window will appear.

6. Uncheck the box next to the Hidden option.

7. Click on the Apply button in the bottom right corner of the “Properties” window.

Unhide hidden files in Windows 10

If it's a folder with files and subfolders, then a “Confirm Attribute Changes” window will appear. If it's not a folder, then you can continue with the last step (10).

8. Make sure that the Apply changes to this folder, subfolders, and files option is selected.

Confirm Attribute Changes window in Windows 10

9. Click on the OK button.

10. Click on the OK button to close the “Properties” window.

Hide files and folders using CMD

1. Open Windows Command Prompt.

Two ways to open Command Prompt:

  • Type cmd into the search box and then click on Command Prompt when it appears.
  • Press the Windows Windows key + R key combination, type cmd, and then press the Enter key on your keyboard.

2. Type a command similar to the commands below.

attrib +s +h C:\Users\mv\Documents\"Secret Files"
attrib +s +h C:\Users\mv\Pictures\secret-picture.jpg
attrib +s +h C:\Users\mv\Videos\"Secret Video.mp4"

Replace C:\Users\mv\Documents\"Secret Files", C:\Users\mv\Pictures\secret-picture.jpg, or C:\Users\mv\Videos\"Secret Video.mp4" with the path to the file or folder you want to hide on your computer.

Note: Quotation marks are only necessary when there are spaces in the name of the file or folder (e.g., Secret Files or Secret Video.mp4).

Hide files and folders in Windows 10 using CMD

3. Press the Enter key on your keyboard.

The file or folder is now hidden.

File or folder is hidden in Windows 10 using CMD

This method is better than the first method because, with this method, Windows won't show the hidden file or folder even if File Explorer is set to display hidden files and folders.

But:

Someone can still view the hidden files or folders in File Explorer if they click on File (top left) > Change folder and search options > View > uncheck the Hide protected operating system files option.

Windows 10 Hide protected operating system files option

But this will show a warning message and most people will probably freak out and not click Yes when the message appears.

Windows 10 Hide protected operating system files option warning

Make a hidden file or folder visible again using CMD

1. Open Windows Command Prompt.

Two ways to open Command Prompt:

  • Type cmd into the search box and then click on Command Prompt when it appears.
  • Press the Windows Windows key + R key combination, type cmd, and then press the Enter key on your keyboard.

2. Type a command similar to the command you used to hide the file or folder but then replace attrib +s +h with attrib -s -h.

attrib -s -h C:\Users\mv\Documents\"Secret Files"
attrib -s -h C:\Users\mv\Pictures\secret-picture.jpg
attrib -s -h C:\Users\mv\Videos\"Secret Video.mp4"
Unhide files and folders in Windows 10 using CMD

Hide files and folders in audio files using DeepSound

DeepSound is a free program that can hide files and folders in audio files. DeepSound also allows you to easily extract your secret files or folders from audio files.

DeepSound website

1. Open DeepSound.

2. Click on Open carrier files.

DeepSound Open carrier files button

A “Open” window will appear.

3. Go to the location on your computer where the audio file is stored you want to use to hide your secret data in.

4. Select the audio file.

5. Click on the Open button.

Select an Audio file in DeepSound

6. Click on Add secret files.

DeepSound Add secret files button

A “Open” window will appear.

7. Go to the location on your computer where the files or folders are that you want to hide.

8. Select the files or folders.

9. Click on the Open button.

Select files in DeepSound

At Free space for secret files, you can see how much data (in MB) you can hide in the audio file.

DeepSound Free space for secret files bar

10. When you're ready, you click on Encode secret files.

DeepSound Encode secret files button

A “Encode secret files” window will appear.

11. At Output format, you can select an audio format.

12. At Output directory, you can see the location on your computer where DeepSound will save the audio file.

13. If you want to hide and protect your files or folder with a password, then check the Encrypt secret files (AES 256) option. If not, then you can skip the following two steps and continue with step 16.

14. Type your password twice.

DeepSound Encode secret files window

15. Click on Encode secret files button at the bottom of the “Encode secret files” window.

DeepSound will now hide your files or folders in an audio file.

To extract your files or folders from the audio file; click on Open carrier files. Select your audio file and click on Open. Enter your password if asked for and click on OK. Click on Extract secret files.