This wikiHow teaches you how to view and unhide hidden files and folders on Mac OS X by using the Terminal app. If you don't have any hidden folders on your Mac, you can make one.

Part 1
Part 1 of 2:

Showing Hidden Files

  1. 1
    Open Finder. This app is a blue, face-shaped icon on your Mac's Dock.
  2. 2
    Click Go. It's in the top-left row of menu items. Doing so invokes a drop-down menu.
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  3. 3
    Click Computer. This option is about halfway down the Go drop-down menu.
  4. 4
    Double-click your hard drive's icon. It resembles a grey box.
    • On most Macs, the hard drive is entitled "Macintosh HD".
  5. 5
    Press Shift+ Command+.. This key combination will display any hidden folders in your Mac's hard drive. Any hidden folders or files will appear as grayed-out.
    • This keyboard shortcut can be done from any Finder window. The main Hard Drive folder usually contains hidden system files and folders so you should be able to see this better here when the hidden files are visible (grayed-out).
  6. 6
    Press Shift+ Command+. again. This will hide the hidden files again, making them invisible.
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Part 2
Part 2 of 2:

Making Hidden Files Visible

  1. 1
  2. 2
    Type chflags nohidden into Terminal. Make sure you leave a space after nohidden.
  3. 3
    Click and drag a hidden file or folder into Terminal. Dropping the item onto the Terminal window will place the item's pathway--which is essentially its address--directly after the "chflags nohidden" command.
  4. 4
    Press Return. This will run the command, which removes the "hidden" status of your selected item.
  5. 5
    Double-click the item. It should now open like a regular file or folder.
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Expert Q&A
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  • Question
    Is it good to show hidden folders on your Mac?
    Chiara Corsaro
    Chiara Corsaro
    Phone & Computer Repair Technician
    Chiara Corsaro is the General Manager and Apple Certified Mac & iOS Technician for macVolks, Inc., an Apple Authorized Service Provider located in the San Francisco Bay Area. macVolks, Inc. was founded in 1990, is accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) with an A+ rating, and is part of the Apple Consultants Network (ACN).
    Chiara Corsaro
    Phone & Computer Repair Technician
    Expert Answer

    Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

    Revealing hidden files involves messing around in the Terminal, which is where the main system of the computer is located. If you accidentally move, open, or delete the wrong thing, you could render your system inoperable. There's really no good reason to do this.
  • Question
    How do I see the number of folders in a tree on a Mac?
    Dishant Gusain
    Dishant Gusain
    Community Answer
    Enable the Finder "Status" bar, which can be enabled in the View menu or by pressing Command-forward slash on the keyboard.
  • Question
    I have a virus called .dir but i dont know how to access the folder since its hidden. How do I access it if it's a hidden file?
    Floris_Fireball
    Floris_Fireball
    Community Answer
    Some apps use .dir for good purposes. Make sure before you remove it! Follow the steps to show the hidden file, then right-click it and simply click "Move to Trash".
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Warnings

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References

  1. Chiara Corsaro. Computer Specialist. Expert Interview. 18 October 2019.
  2. Chiara Corsaro. Computer Specialist. Expert Interview. 18 October 2019.

About This Article

Chiara Corsaro
Written by:
Phone & Computer Repair Technician
This article was written by Chiara Corsaro and by wikiHow staff writer, Jack Lloyd. Chiara Corsaro is the General Manager and Apple Certified Mac & iOS Technician for macVolks, Inc., an Apple Authorized Service Provider located in the San Francisco Bay Area. macVolks, Inc. was founded in 1990, is accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) with an A+ rating, and is part of the Apple Consultants Network (ACN). This article has been viewed 796,781 times.
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Co-authors: 22
Updated: August 18, 2022
Views: 796,781
Categories: Mac OS X
Article SummaryX

1. Open Finder.
2. Click Go.
3. Click Computer.
4. Double-click your hard drive.
5. Press Shift + Command + .

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