There are many reasons why you might want to look at hidden files or folders on your Mac. You might not know it, but there are thousands of hidden files and folders on your computer that you shouldn’t disturb or modify. However, there may be occasions where you need to locate certain hidden files. Sometimes just out of curiosity or perhaps to locate some hidden folder for troubleshooting purposes. In this case, you should learn how to show hidden files and folders.

Some experienced or advanced users know that when you have a problem with an app, you might need to remove a preference file or find logs to help you fix the problem. Some hidden files also take up a lot of space on your hard disk. However, if you don’t know how to do show hidden files and folders, you won’t be able to deal with these issues.

First, let me tell you what files are hidden and why are they hidden on your Mac.

Where do hidden files come from?

Both macOS and linux are based on the UNIX operating system. You can call the macOS a special UNIX. MacOS has almost the same contents as UNIX but the macOS has a “desktop environment” which helped it become the world’s second most popular operating system. In Unix, there is always a “.” in front of hidden file names and they won’t be displayed until you manually change the system to view hidden files. All kinds of files could be hidden files, such as a .bash profile or a .git directory. System folders like /private, /bin, /etc, /usr are also hidden by default.

Want to view hidden files or folder on Mac OS X? Here three ways are available for you to choose, especially the first two are recommended to show hidden files or folder in Finder. 3 Ways to show or hide hidden files or folder on Mac OS X: 1. Shortcut keys 'CMD + Shift + G' 2. Terminal provided by Mac OS X; 3. Third-party app; Way 1: Show. After performing method 1, you can see the hidden files or folder on your Mac. But sometimes you want to keep them always visible to make it easy to access. For example, you might want to make the hidden folder “/Library” always visible since it stores your personal application support files and other important files. A lot of Mac tutorials mention the Library folder, which is where your macOS applications store things like settings and caches. Some settings can only be changed by editing files in the Library. But the Library is hidden by default. With the aliases set up, all you need do in the future is type showFiles and hideFiles to show and hide Mac OS X's hidden files respectively. Aliases can be used to speed up your interaction with the Terminal. Set up an alias for navigating to your most used directories, to commit to a GitHub repo and so on. So that’s it: Eight different ways to hide files or folders in OS X. Thanks to writer Steve McCabe for the tips. You’ll find those and more in the story “100 More Things Every Mac User.

Why are they hidden on your Mac?

The real reason that Apple set some files and folders hidden by default is that there is a risk to the system if you delete or modify these folders and files. I believe that most people are not advanced users. Apple regards these files or folder as significant files so be careful if you don’t know what you are doing, otherwise your Mac will lose data or could even be damaged.

How to show hidden items?

There are three methods to show hidden files/folders:

Method 1: Using Finder

• Keyboard shortcut

I highly recommend this way to show hidden files and folder since it is not only the easiest way, but also the quickest way.

If you are using the macOS Sierra or a higher version, you can open your Finder, then hit “command + shift + .(dot)” on your keyboard to show hidden files/folders.

If you hit the keyboard combination again, they will change back to original hidden status.

However, if you are running an older version than macOS Sierra, please choose Method 2: Using Terminal to show your hidden files.

• Keep certain folders visible

After performing method 1, you can see the hidden files or folder on your Mac. But sometimes you want to keep them always visible to make it easy to access. For example, you might want to make the hidden folder “~/Library” always visible since it stores your personal application support files and other important files. Here is how to do it.

Drag the hidden Library folder icon from Finder to the sidebar. This is the fastest way and it will keep the folder accessible even if you relaunch your Finder.

You can also hold down “command + alt” and drag the Library folder to your desktop to make a shortcut icon on your desktop.

• Go to certain folder (including hidden folders)

In some situations, you may already know the exact folder that you wish to view. You can follow the steps below to reach certain folders directly on your Mac:

1. Open a Finder window.

2. Open “Go to Folder…” by pressing the following keys; “shift + command + G” on your keyboard.

3. In the Go to the folder: dialog box, type the name of the directory you want to view.

Method 2: Using Terminal

Do you think the first method is too simple? Let’s try the hands-on method. Terminal, which is regarded as one of the most powerful app on Mac, can do anything you want to do since it owns the highest permission. Terminal can be found in spotlight very easily.

Then type the following command in terminal:

defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles -bool true

This command helps you set your Finder to show all files on your Mac.

If you want to switch them back to hidden status, you need to repeat the operation but remember to change the last word to false.

killall Finder

This command helps you restart your Finder to make your change effective.

You can also start the Terminal application from Launchpad. Now I should mention that all terminal commands listed in this article can be cut and pasted right into Terminal so you don’t have to re-type them.

Method 3: Using AppleScript

Do you prefer another option? Don’t worry! You can make a simple app with AppleScript.

1. Open “AppleScript” or “Script Editor” from your Launchpad. (The name of it depends on the system version, you can just type “script” in Spotlight)

2. Copy and paste this code into the edit window:

display dialog “Hide/Show Hidden Files and Folder” buttons {“Show”, “Hide”}

set switch to button returned of result

if switch is “Hide” then

do shell script “defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles -bool false;

KillAll Finder”

else

do shell script “defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles -bool true;

KillAll Finder”

endif

3. Click the Play button to compile the code.

4. Choose a folder then save and set the file format to “Application.”

Now the new app, named “Show/Hide Hidden Files and Folders”, has been generated by you. Do you feel a sense of achievement now? You can show or hide your hidden files with just one-click. It’s really easy to control.

Conclusion

After all these instructions, no matter which method you choose, I believe you know how to show all the files on your Mac.

How to keep your Mac always safe?

At the beginning of this article, I mentioned that sometimes we need to show hidden files and folders for troubleshooting purposes. You might be curious about why we should do this. I will tell you the reason. Although macOS is not open like Windows, it may still have malicious code like chill-tab. It’s really annoying if your browser has popups or always jumps to advertisement websites when you open a new tab. Almost all viruses or malware are usually hidden in your Mac, that’s why we need to show hidden items.

To make your Mac safe, we recommend Antivirus One. This popular and effective tool was developed by Trend Micro, an industry leader in computer security. Thousands of users have provided positive comments in the App Store. Antivirus One detects viruses on your Mac for free. You can also use it to clean adware, clean privacy in your browser, and even protect your web experience. After Antivirus One finds a virus or malware on your Mac, you can use it to remove them easily no matter whether they are hidden or not.

Try it for free to keep your Mac always safe.

Are you among the many Mac users who depend on Spotlight when searching for folders and files? Then you are not alone. It is understandable because the tool is convenient to use. In fact, it is a good and reliable assistant when sorting disorganized data. However, did you know that your Mac has hundreds or thousands of useless hidden files that Spotlight cannot see and are taking up too much of your disk space? Well, we have solutions that can help you show hidden files on mac but before we give out help, allow us to discuss a few important things.

Hidden Folders Mac Terminal

The Hidden Files on Mac and the Reason Why They Are Hidden

Files that are preceded by a “.” are not always visible in a normal file list. Also, folders like /bin, /etc/, and /usr are hidden away. By default, macOS hides all critical system folders and files. Others are kept out of view because they may be too confusing to understand for typical Mac users.

Now, no matter how familiar you are with your Mac, there are instances when you cause data loss or damage if you mess up with these files. You can either accidentally change them or worse, delete them, resulting in a catastrophic system-wide issue. That is obviously the reason they are hidden away.

Use Terminal to Show All Files on Mac

The first solution involves using the Terminal to show hidden files on your Mac.

1. Launch Terminal. Go to Finder > Applications > Utilities > Terminal.
2. Once it is launched, type in the command defaults write com.apple.Finder AppleShowAllFiles true.
3. On your keyboard, press
4. Relaunch Terminal by typing killall Finder. Now, you can view all hidden files.
5. If you wish to hide the files again, simply type in the Terminal Window this command: defaults write apple.FinderAppleShowAllFiles false.
6. Now, press
7. Finally, relaunch Finder by typing the command killall Finder.

Show Hidden Files Using Show Hidden Files App

Here is an easy way to view hidden files on Mac. Use the Show Hidden Files application. This app makes searching hidden files as easy as possible. You can even delete any useless hidden data with just one click!

1. Download Show Hidden Files app from the Mac App Store.
2. Install and launch the app.
3. In the search field, input the file or folder name. For example, you can type in “cache”.
4. A list of hidden files and folders will be shown to you. Select one item and then click the Show in Finder button or the arrow sign.
5. The file or folder will then be shown in the
6. From there, you can manage and view the hidden files.
7. Once you close or relaunch Finder, the hidden file or folder will become invisible again.

Use the Show Hidden Files App and a Special Script

There is another way to use the Show Hidden Files app to view the hidden files you have on Mac. Use a special script! Follow the steps below:

1. Download Show Hidden Files app from the Mac App Store. If you already have it, then proceed to step 3.
2. Install the app.
3. Download the following archives and unpack them:
   • HideHiddensAndRelaunchFinder
   • ShowHiddensAndRelaunchFinder
4. Go to Finder and go to this directory: ~/Library/Application Scripts/com.nektony.FindFiles. To do this, open the Finder window ->Go -> Go to Folder. Type ~/Library/Application Scripts/com.nektony.FindFiles.
5. Move the archives you downloaded and unpacked in step 3 to the com/nektony.FindFiles Be sure you don’t change the file names of the scripts.
6. Relaunch the Show Hidden Files There should be a new option in its window. Click on the Grant Access button to confirm and verify access to the Home folder.
7. Once you have successfully followed the steps, you can already enable or disable the feature to show or hide hidden files and folders.
8. To enable or disable the visibility of files, you just have to use the Switch

Summary

Application Folders Mac

It is important to understand that there are many hidden files and folders in your Mac’s system. While some of them play an integral role, others only eat up your Mac’s memory space. Even so, you should not modify or delete them unless you are completely aware and certain of their roles. After all, you can’t afford to mess up with the system.

Show Invisible Folders Windows 10

In addition, some of the methods may require a bit of manual labor and a little of your time. But if you are not that confident with your technical skills, we suggest you install Tweakbit MacRepair first. If things seem too confusing, seek assistance from Apple experts. Take your Mac to the nearest iStore and ask an Apple genius to show the hidden files for you.

Hidden Folders Mac Os