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May 14, 2020 To show hidden files on Mac, click on the Finder icon in the bottom Dock and then go to Applications Utilities and then open Terminal application. In the next step, type the command below, or just copy & paste it, and then press the Enter key. Report this ad. Defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles YES.
Did you know that on the Mac there are thousands of files and folders hidden from you to prevent you from messing around with them? Take the Macintosh HD root directory, for example: in the screenshot below you’ll only see four folders and one file. That's a total of five items, compared to the 30 that will be revealed when you’re able to see all files and folders using this simple trick. Read on to find out how hidden files can be viewed and to discover the purpose they serve.
Jun 24, 2020 As a Mac owner, if you want to show those hidden files in Mac OS X, here is a method. Mac Terminal is one of the most popular apps used and eulogized by experts. This app allows you to control Mac OS X by using the command line to enter Unix commands. In a way, Terminal works as car bonnet, which you can open and check entire engine. The app helps you open Mac OS X and take a look what is happening there. 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. We’ve discussed accessing hidden files and folders in Mac OS X before, but many users don’t know that they can also create their own hidden items. While not secure against an experienced set of prying eyes, using hidden files and folders is a quick and easy way to keep sensitive items out of view on your Mac. Apr 11, 2013 To do this, simply press Command-F in the Finder to bring up a Finder search, and then click the plus button to the right of the search window to add a new filter.
Why Are Files Hidden in macOS?
Commonly used in computing for storing user preferences or preserving a given state of a utility, hidden files or folders don't appear in Finder, for a very simple reason: some things just don't need to be visible to everyone, because messing around with them could put the overall stability of the operating system at risk. Simply put, these files and folders are just too confusing for the average user, so they're better staying hidden until you need them and feel confident enough to deal with their content.
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What Kind of Files Are Hidden on macOS
Files preceded with a “.” are hidden from the normal list view, such as .cleverfiles, .TemporaryItems, .feventsd directories, for example. However, folders such as /usr, /bin, and the like are also hidden from sight. There is one folder, though, that users will regularly seek access to, and that is the Library folder (~/Library). This is the place where user-specific app support files and sometimes data are stored.
Why the Need to View Hidden Files?
Sometimes advanced Mac users will turn to these files to tweak the Mac's performance or functionality. Whether it’s due to a Mac optimization tip they've read on Best Reviews or because a troubleshooting process requires deleting a particular user preference or log file that's hidden from sight. Some Mac users may want to remove some unused or redundant hidden files because they occupy precious disk space.
How to View Hidden Files in Modern Versions of macOS
Modern versions of macOS offer a convenient way to reveal invisible files: all you need to know is a keyboard shortcut. Using this key combination will unhide hidden files and folders in an instant, while a second press of the same combination will remove those files from sight again.
This keyboard shortcut works only on macOS 10.12 Sierra or later, so users running an earlier version of the operating system will need to use a Terminal command.
Here is how the key combination works:
- Navigate to the folder containing hidden files, such as Macintosh HD or the user Home folder.
- Press Command + Shift + Period.
- Enjoy the view of all files and folders existing in that directory.
As soon as you press the keyboard shortcut, all files and folders within the chosen directory that are marked as invisible will instantly come into sight. Hidden items will have dimmed, gray names.
To view hidden files on earlier macOS versions, open Terminal and copy and paste the following command:
defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles TRUE;killall Finder
The “killall Finder” command will relaunch the Finder app with those hidden files now visible. To once again hide invisible files, users on modern versions of macOS need to only press the Command + Shift + Period shortcut once again. On older versions of the Mac operating system use the following command in the Terminal window:
defaults write com.apple.Finder AppleShowAllFiles FALSE;killall Finder
As you can see, there is no witchcraft surrounding the viewing and hiding of files on macOS. The only thing that matters is what you do with these hidden files once you find them because novice Mac users can easily end up in places they shouldn't be and may delete system files. Alter hidden files only if you have enough knowledge of what you are doing, otherwise you risk the overall stability of the system and may need to reinstall macOS.
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The Finder is the first thing that you see when your Mac finishes starting up. It opens automatically and stays open as you use other apps. It includes the Finder menu bar at the top of the screen and the desktop below that. It uses windows and icons to show you the contents of your Mac, iCloud Drive, and other storage devices. It's called the Finder because it helps you to find and organize your files.
Open windows and files
To open a window and see the files on your Mac, switch to the Finder by clicking the Finder icon (pictured above) in the Dock. Switching to the Finder also reveals any Finder windows that might be hidden behind the windows of other apps. You can drag to resize windows and use the buttons to close , minimize , or maximize windows. Learn more about managing windows.
When you see a document, app, or other file that you want to open, just double-click it.
Change how your files are displayed
To change how files are displayed in Finder windows, use the View menu in the menu bar, or the row of buttons at the top of the Finder window. You can view files as icons , in a list , in columns , or in a gallery . And for each view, the View menu provides options to change how items are sorted and arranged, such as by kind, date, or size. Learn more about customizing views.
When you view files in a gallery, you can browse your files visually using large previews, so it's easy to identify images, videos, and all kinds of documents. Gallery View in macOS Mojave even lets you play videos and scroll through multipage documents. Earlier versions of macOS have a similar but less powerful gallery view called Cover Flow .
Gallery View in macOS Mojave, showing the sidebar on the left and the Preview pane on the right.
Use the Preview pane
The Preview pane is available in all views by choosing View > Show Preview from the menu bar. Or press Shift-Command (⌘)-P to quickly show or hide the Preview pane.
macOS Mojave enhances the Preview pane in several ways:
- More information, including detailed metadata, can be shown for each file. This is particularly useful when working with photos and media, because key EXIF data, like camera model and aperture value, are easy to locate. Choose View > Preview Options to control what information the Preview pane can show for the kind of file selected.
- Quick Actions let you easily manage or edit the selected file.
Use Quick Actions in the Preview pane
With Quick Actions in macOS Mojave, you can take actions on a file without opening an app. Quick Actions appear at the bottom of the Preview pane and vary depending on the kind of file selected.
- Rotate an image
- Mark up an image or PDF
- Combine images and PDFs into a single PDF file
- Trim audio and video files
To manage Quick Actions, click More , then choose Customize. macOS Mojave includes a standard set of Quick Actions, but Quick Actions installed by third-party apps also appear here. You can even create your own Quick Actions using Automator.
How To Search For Hidden Files In Mac Os X 10 11 Download Free
Use Stacks on your desktop
macOS Mojave introduces Stacks, which lets you automatically organize your desktop into neat stacks of files, so it's easy to keep your desktop tidy and find exactly what you're looking for. Learn more about Stacks.
The sidebar in Finder windows contains shortcuts to AirDrop, commonly used folders, iCloud Drive, devices such your hard drives, and more. Like items in the Dock, items in the sidebar open with just one click.
To change the items in your sidebar, choose Finder > Preferences from the Finder menu bar, then click Sidebar at the top of the preferences window. You can also drag files into or out of the sidebar. Learn more about customizing the sidebar.
Search for files
How To Search For Hidden Files In Mac Os X Mac
To search with Spotlight, click the magnifying glass in the menu bar, or press Command–Space bar. Spotlight is similar to Quick Search on iPhone or iPad. Learn more about Spotlight.
To search from a Finder window, use the search field in the corner of the window:
When you select a search result, its location appears at the bottom of the window. To get to this view from Spotlight, choose “Show all in Finder” from the bottom of the Spotlight search results.
In both Spotlight and Finder, you can use advanced searches to narrow your search results.
Delete files
To move a file to the Trash, drag the file to the Trash in the Dock. Or select one or more files and choose File > Move To Trash (Command-Delete).
Mac Show Hidden Files Sierra
To remove a file from the Trash, click the Trash to open it, then drag the file out of the Trash. Or select the file and choose File > Put Back.
Show Hidden Files Os X
To delete the files in the Trash, choose File > Empty Trash. The storage space used by those files then becomes available for other files. In macOS Sierra, you can set up your Mac to empty the trash automatically.