Let’s face it. Everyone has a secret, and so does your Mac. Thousands of them are in the form of hidden files and folders stored in the
~/Library
folder in your User folder. These files hold information like app preferences, etc.How to un-hide a hidden Mac window (application) There are at least two ways to un-hide a hidden Mac window: Click the application icon in the Mac Dock (the icon for the application you hid) Use the CommandTab keystroke to cycle through the open applications, and select the application you hid. When Mac OS X El Capitan debuted in 2015, for the first time in the Mac operating system, you could hide the menu bar. This continues in macOS Catalina. I’m not sure why you would want to, but if you do, here’s how: Hide the Menu Bar. Open System Preferences. Click on the General icon.
But how can we view hidden files on macOS X?
There’s hope, and in this article, we will talk about ways to see all hidden files on Mac and make the Library folder visible.
What are Hidden Files on Mac?
Hidden files on Mac are a throwback to macOS’ Unix roots. Generally, files starting with “.” are hidden. Due to this, Mac doesn’t allow placing a ‘.’ at the beginning of a file name.
These hidden files contain data like preferences, application support files, privileges folders, and more.
Why are the files hidden on Mac?
Due to several reasons, files and folders on Mac are hidden. They are listed as below:
- They contain crucial data important for working for macOS.
- If they are visible, your Mac might look cluttered.
- No reason for users to view them
How to View Hidden File on Mac?
Before you learn how to see hidden files on Mac, remember there are reasons for hiding files on Mac.
The information they contain is essential, and making any changes or deleting them can make Mac behave weirdly.
For example, if you want to view the
~/Library
folder & delete application support files for uninstalled applications, consider using Disk Clean Pro. This nifty Mac optimizer and cleaner will remove all unwanted application support files. Just click via One Click Care.To download Disk Clean Pro, click here.
This cleanup tool for Mac is available at Mac App Store and is thoroughly tested and trusted. Using it, you can clean junk files, system log files, cache files, partial download, organize files on Mac, and do a lot more.
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In addition to this, you can recover gigabytes of disk space and can get rid of not enough storage space.
However, if you are not satisfied with it and would like to view the hidden files Mac app. Here’s how you can see all files hidden on Mac.
Way 1: Mac Finder Showing Hidden Files
Follow the steps below to view hidden files in Finder on Mac:
- Open Finder window
- Now in the left bar, click the name of your Mac under ‘Devices.’
- Select and click the startup drive. By default, it reads as Macintosh HD.
- Next, press Command +Shift +.(period) key. You will now be able to see several files with “.”
- To hide them again, hold down Command + Shift +. (period).
Note: To unhide and see hidden files in the Documents or Applications folder, you can use the same key combination i.e., Command+Shift+.
However, if you know what file type you are looking for in the
~/Library
folder, follow the steps below:1. Open Finder, press the Alt key, and click Go.
![Show Hidden Apps Mac Show Hidden Apps Mac](/uploads/1/3/4/1/134185895/720312053.jpg)
2. Click Library to open, normally hidden, folder
You’ll now see the most cluttered Mac desktop. Most of the unhidden files are system files and autosaved Microsoft Word documents. This finder showing hidden files sometimes helps users find those files that they thought were lost forever.
Read Also: “Other” On Mac Storage And How To Remove It
Way 2: Unhide Files On Mac With Terminal Commands
Like the command prompt in Windows, we have a Terminal, command-line interface in Mac. Using it and a set of commands, you can easily show hidden files on Mojave and hide files. Unlike Finder, where you need to follow a series of complex instructions, using the Terminal command is easy.
If you know about Terminal and are conformable using it, here is the list of commands to show hidden files Mac app:
- Launch Terminal
- Here, copy-paste the following command
defaults write com.apple.Finder AppleShowAllFiles true [Press Return] killall Finder
Note: The parameter True shows hidden files, whereas when you change it to false, it will again hide the files.
The method you chose doesn’t matter because both will help view all hidden files. If you select a finder to show hidden files, you will have to follow complex steps. While using the Terminal command is simple, and it quickly helps with OS X show hidden files. Mac os 7.0 download.
Moreover, using Terminal, you can show all hidden files or folders on your Mac. This is a great way to view password protected .rar on your desktop!
Read Also: Uninstaller for Mac to Remove Apps Completely
Way 3: View Hidden files using chflags hidden command on Mojave
However, if you want to see all hidden files on Mac follow the steps below:
1. Launch Terminal
2. Copy-paste the following command:
chflags hidden
Note: Make sure there’s a space between the command and the parameter
3. Drag files or folders into the Terminal that you want to hide from Finder. You will now see the file and folder paths in Terminal.
4. To hide, press Return.
By using these simple sets of instructions, you can hide files. To view hidden files, change the parameter from nohidden. You will now see all the hidden files on Mac.
While using this method, always remember anyone who knows this trick can also use the same command to unhide files.
This is all using these simple methods; you can show hidden files on Mac. Furthermore, if your motive to see hidden files is to remove junk files, we have an easy way.
Cleaning Hidden Junk Files Automatically Suzuki lt80 repair manual download.
Generally, Mac users look for ways to view hidden files because they want to recover some additional gigabytes. But if they can clean up these useless hidden files without much ado then?
You read it right using an excellent tool like Disk Clean Pro; you can quickly recover hard disk space and clean up your Mac.
To use this fantastic tool, follow the steps below:
1. Download & install Disk Clean Pro
2. Launch the app and click Start System Scan
3. Let the scan finish. You’ll now see all the junk files.
4. Hit Clean Now to get rid of this unwanted data.
Tada! This is it. Using these simple steps and Terminal commands, you can view hidden files on Mac. Moreover, you can show hidden files on Mac to your friend and be popular.
Read Also:Delete Downloaded Files And Folders
Frequently Asked Question
Q1. How Do I Manage Files On A Mac?
Files on Mac can be managed both manually and automatically. To manage files manually, select items by pressing and holding the Command key. Next, press the Control key > choose New Folder with Selection. That’s it. You can now place the files in the selected folder.
Alternatively, you can use Disk Clean Pro to organize and manage files. In addition to this, to arrange files on the desktop. Click desktop, choose view > Sort By, then choose from the list of options. You can now arrange the files.
Q2. How Do You Make Hidden Files Unhidden On A Mac?
The easiest way to unhide a file on Mac is to use the Terminal command. To do so, launch Terminal and run the following command:
defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles TRUE killall Finder.
This way, you can see hidden files in Finder.
Additionally, you can also type
chflags nohidden
with a space between command and nohidden. You can now unhide a file or a folder.Q3. Where Are Hidden Files On Mac?
In the Finder, open your Macintosh HD folder. Press
Command+Shift+Dot
. You will now be able to see hidden files.What Do You Think?
Responses
Responses
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.
Show Hidden Mac Files
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.
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
Show Hidden Apps Mac Osx
• 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 Magix music maker 2013 premium download.
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. Good photo collage apps for mac.