How to show and hide files on Mac

Did you know that your Apple Mac hides certain files? That’s right, and it’s for your own good too. That’s because most of these hidden files contain important data that makes your Mac run. And if they’re deleted or tweaked by accident, you could seriously affect your machine’s performance.

But if your MacBook or iMac is having some issues or running slow, you might have to access some of these hidden files to clean it up and get it running smooth again.

That’s why in this article, we’ve provided a few different methods that’ll help you view hidden files on your Mac. Plus, we’ve got tips on how to hide certain files you want to keep out of sight.

3 ways to show hidden files on Mac

Ready to find those hidden files on your Mac? There are three ways you can access them, including using third-party software. But let’s start with the simplest method…

Using Finder

The easiest way to locate hidden files on your Mac is by using Finder. Just follow these steps to take a peek at them:

1. Hover over the dock at the bottom of your screen and click on the Finder icon (the smiley face).
2. Open the folder that you want to find hidden files in.
3. Press the Command + Shift + . (full stop) keys at the same time.
4. You’ll now see the hidden files in the folder you chose. Press Command + Shift + . again if you want to hide them.

Using Terminal

The terminal app lets you find those hidden files too, but it’s a slightly more technical way of doing it. And we’d only recommend this method if you really know what you’re doing, as terminal lets you change the way your Mac works by inputting commands straight into its operating system.

Here’s how you can use the Terminal app to show hidden folders and files on Mac:

1. Type “terminal” into the Spotlight (the magnifying glass symbol in the toolbar at the top-right of your screen) and click on the Terminal app when it appears.
2. Enter this script into the Terminal text field: $ defaults write com.apple.Finder AppleShowAllFiles true (this script tells Finder to show all of your Mac’s hidden files).
3. Press the Enter key on your keyboard. You’ll then have to type $ killall Finder into the Terminal text box and hit Enter again to apply the changes.
4. The hidden files on your Mac should now be visible.

If you want to hide those files again, just follow steps 2-4 above but change “true” to “false” in the script.

Third-party software

Fancy an even faster way to see hidden files on your Mac? There are a couple of third-party apps that can show and hide hidden Mac files with just a single click:

• Forklift: Forklift 4 is a powerful file transfer and management tool for macOS, which lets you easily move files between servers, cloud services, and your local computer. It can reveal your hidden files with a click, but does lots more stuff like syncing, splitting and combining large files, file compression, and remote editing too. It’s also really easy to use!
• Funter: If you want to strip away all the clever stuff Forklift does and just have an app that shows your Mac’s hidden files — download Funter. It’s free, and it even lets you search for specific hidden files that you might struggle to find without it.

How to hide files on your Mac

Got some sensitive files you want to keep private? Or maybe you just want clean up your desktop without permanently moving or deleting files? No problem, you can hide any file on your Mac by following these steps:

1. Click on the Spotlight (magnifying glass icon) in your toolbar and search “terminal”. Then click open the Terminal app.
2. Type chflags hidden into the Terminal text field.
3. Drop the file you want to hide into the Terminal window. You’ll now see the location of the file you dropped in next to the script you had just typed in.
4. Press the Enter key, and your file will now be hidden.

FAQs

Why are files hidden on macOS?

On macOS, hidden files are files that aren’t visible in the Finder by default. That’s because these files often contain important system data that shouldn’t be deleted or modified without proper knowledge. Your Mac’s OS also stores preference files, cache files, and other files in hidden files that aren’t meant to be accessed.

Accidentally deleting or modifying hidden files can cause system instability and other issues with your Mac, including weakening its security. Just make sure you know what you’re doing if you do need to access them, whether that’s troubleshooting a specific issue or decluttering your Mac’s disk.

How do you password protect folders and files on Mac?

You don’t have to hide files to stop prying eyes from seeing sensitive data or content on your Mac. You can just password protect folders and individual files instead by using Disk Utility. Here’s how to do it:

1. Open a Finder window, then click on ‘Applications’ from the sidebar.
2. Scroll down and click on ‘Utilities’, then open ‘Disk Utility’ from the list of apps.
3. Click on ‘File’ in the menu bar and hover over ‘New Image’ at the top.
4. Choose the ‘Image from Folder…’ option.
5. Select the folder that you want to protect with a password and click ‘Choose’.
6. Click on your preferred encryption method from the list.
7. Set your desired password and click ‘Choose’.
8. Save the new encrypted disk image in a secure location.

Source: CURRYS