How to View All Files on Your Mac Hard Drive, Including Hidden Files/Folders

How to View All Files on Your Mac Hard Drive, Including Hidden Ones. This article will show you how to view all the files on your Mac hard drive, including hidden ones.

• Fix 1: View All Files on Mac Hard Drive with Software
• Fix 2: Show Hidden Files on Mac with Keyboard Shortcut
• Fix 3: View All Files on Mac Hard Drive with Finder
• Fix 4: View All Files on Mac Hard Drive with Terminal Command

Many of you might have experienced this: deleted files on Mac but still no space. Why is that? The answer can be divided into two cases.

Firstly, the deleted files are stored in the Trash and not really permanently delete files from Mac. You need to empty the Trash to free up storage space on your Mac. Secondly, some large files may be hidden in your Mac storage, so you can't delete them.

Why are files hidden on a Mac? By default, these hidden files or folders don't show up in Finder because they contain data crucial to the smooth running of macOS and shouldn't be modified.

Having these hidden files visible in Finder windows can be confusing, and it might lead to accidentally deleting some of them, which can cause macOS to behave oddly.

In the second case, we will tell you 4 ways to view all files on Mac hard drive, including hidden files and folders. Let's check them out!

Solution 1: View All Files on Your Mac Hard Drive with Software One of the simplest ways to view all files on your Mac hard drive is by using third-party software. Here are some recommended tools that can help you easily access and manage hidden or visible files: 1. **CleanMyMac X** - This is a powerful Mac cleaning tool that also allows you to view and manage hidden files. Simply launch the application, then select the "Files" module, and you can browse and access all files. 2. **Terminal** - For users comfortable with command lines, you can use the built-in Terminal app to display all files. Open Terminal and enter the following command: ``` defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles YES killall Finder ``` This will make Finder show all files, including hidden ones. To revert to the default settings, just change `YES` to `NO` and run the command again. 3. **Alfred** - Alfred is a feature-rich productivity tool with a search function called "Files & Folders" that displays hidden files. After installing Alfred, simply type `~` in the search box, and start searching for your files. 4. **TotalFinder** - This is a Finder enhancement plugin that lets you show hidden files within Finder. After installing TotalFinder, you can check the "Show Hidden Files" option in Finder's view settings. Please note that these methods may vary depending on your Mac version and installed software. Always ensure you obtain software from reliable sources and back up important data before proceeding.

There are many ways to view all the files on your Mac hard drive, but the easiest way is certainly by using software. We recommend using the Data Recovery Wizard for Mac Pro tool, which will skip the complicated process and scan all the files on the hard drive, including hidden files and recoverable deleted files.

This powerful Mac Hard Drive Recovery software is renowned for its high data recovery success rate, ultra-fast scanning speed, and straightforward interface. It can scan and recover permanently deleted files on Mac. Simply download the tool on your Mac, and it will search for existing, lost, hidden, and deleted files on the selected hard drive.

Moreover, the tool can also help to display hidden files on Mac external or internal hard drive. In case you have accidentally deleted files from your Mac hard drive, you can use this professional tool to retrieve them. Please check out the steps below:

Step 1: Search for the missing file

Select the disk location where you want to search for lost files (it can be an internal HDD/SSD or an external hard drive). Click on the “Search Lost Files” button.

Note: Before data recovery, it's recommended to click “Disk Backup” from the left sidebar and create a backup of your HDD/SSD to prevent further data loss. After the backup, the software can recover data from your disk image, and you can use the HDD or SSD again.

Step 2: Browse the scan results

The program will immediately scan the selected disk volume and display images, documents, audio, video, and email in the left pane.

Step 3: Select the files and recover them

Preview the data and then hit the "Recover" button to get them back.

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Solution 2: View Hidden Files on Mac Using Keyboard Shortcuts

To view all files on a Mac hard drive, including hidden files, use the keyboard shortcut "Command + Shift + Dot (.)". Here's how:

Step 1: Open the Finder from your Mac Dock.

Step 2: In the Finder window, select the “Macintosh HD” folder on the left.

Step 3: Press the keyboard shortcut “Command + Shift + .” to reveal hidden files and folders on your Macintosh HD.

This shortcut also works with other Mac disks and external hard drives.

If you can't find Macintosh HD in Finder, like if you accidentally deleted Macintosh HD, don't worry! Read this guide to fix the issue of Macintosh HD not showing up.

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Macintosh HD Not Showing Up in Finder or Recovery Mode

This article discusses 5 practical ways to fix the issue of Macintosh HD not showing up in Finder or Recovery Mode. Read More >>

Solution 3: View All Files on Your Mac Hard Drive with Finder

Your Mac has a hidden Library folder on its hard disk. To view this hidden Library folder in Finder, follow these steps:

Step 1: Open the “Finder” and select “Macintosh HD.” (Click here if your Finder is not working after updating to macOS Sonoma.)

Step 2: Click "Go" and hold down the "Option" key. This will show you the hidden Library folder within your Home folder.

3. Double-click the “Libraries” folder to open it, and your hidden files will appear.

Fix 4: View All Files on Your Mac's Hard Drive Using Terminal Commands Some hidden files on your Mac might not show up in the regular Finder view. To see all files, including hidden ones, you can use a Terminal command. Here's how: 1. Open "Terminal." You can find it in "Applications" > "Utilities" > "Terminal." 2. In the Terminal window, type the following command: ``` defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles -bool true ``` 3. Press Return to execute the command. 4. Next, enter this command to restart the Finder: ``` killall Finder ``` 5. Press Return again. Now, when you open the Finder, you should see all files on your hard drive, including hidden ones. To revert to the default settings and hide these files again, enter the following command in Terminal and press Return: ``` defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles -bool false killall Finder ```

Using the built-in Mac Terminal program allows you to view all files on your Mac hard drive, including hidden files and folders. Here's how:

Step 1. Launch Terminal from Applications > Utilities.

Step 2: Type the command in the terminal window and press Enter.

Step 3: Type the second command and press “Enter” again.

Step 4: Open the "Macintosh HD" folder to view your hidden files and folders. If you want to hide them again, simply repeat these steps but change "TRUE" to "FALSE" in the Terminal command.

Conclusion

This article introduces 4 effective ways to view all files on a Mac hard drive, including hidden files and folders. You can download and install Data Recovery Wizard for Mac Pro to quickly scan your Mac hard drive and display all files.

Frequently Asked Questions on Viewing All Files on a Mac Hard Drive

Read on to learn how to view all the files on your Mac's hard drive.

**1. How can I view all files on my Mac drive?** To view all files on your Mac, follow these steps: 1. Open Finder (usually found in the Dock). 2. In the Finder's left sidebar, select "Macintosh HD" under "Finder" (on macOS Catalina or later, it may display as "Mac"). 3. Now, you'll see the main folders and files on your hard drive. To view hidden files, press `Command` + `Shift` + `.` (period). This will reveal usually hidden system files and preferences. 4. To return to the normal view and hide these hidden files, press the same key combination `Command` + `Shift` + `.` again. Please note that some system files and folders are protected to ensure the stability of your Mac and should not be modified or deleted without caution.

Click on items in the Finder sidebar to access your files, apps, downloads, and more. To show hidden files and folders, press the keyboard shortcut “Command + Shift + Dot(.”).

2. How to search your entire hard drive on a Mac? To search your entire hard drive on a Mac, you can use the built-in "Spotlight" feature. Follow these steps: 1. Click the magnifying glass icon in the top-right corner of the screen (or press Command + Space) to open Spotlight search. 2. Type the filename, keyword, or phrase you want to search for in the Spotlight search box. 3. Search results will appear immediately below, including various types of results like files, applications, emails, and contacts. 4. Use the sidebar (if displayed) to filter and browse different categories of search results. 5. Click on a search result to open or select the corresponding file. If you want to customize Spotlight's search locations or exclude specific folders, follow these steps: 1. Open "System Preferences" (click the Apple menu > "System Preferences"). 2. Choose "Spotlight." 3. On the "Search" tab, you can check or uncheck disk locations to include or exclude them from searches. Please note that Spotlight might take some time to index your entire hard drive, especially during the initial setup.

The quickest way is to use the keyboard shortcut "Command + F," which will open Finder and search for the word you type throughout your entire Mac. If you want to search for hidden files, first use the keyboard shortcut "Command + Shift + Dot (.)" and then press "Command + F" to open the search bar.