[Solved] Hidden Files Feature Not Working in Windows 11/10

On this page, we've gathered 4 reliable methods to help you fix the issue of Hidden Files not showing in Windows 11/10.

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"The 'Show Hidden Files' feature is not working in Windows 11/10"

Hello, my main issue here is that Windows is unable to show hidden files and folders. Whenever I try to check the option to 'Show hidden files and folders', it automatically unchecks itself. I am currently using Windows 10. Why can't my Windows 10 display hidden folders? How do I fix this error? Please assist me! Thank you!

Normally, we show hidden files by opening File Explorer Options and checking the box to show hidden files, folders, and drives. However, this method doesn't always work. Apart from the case where users can't check the “Show hidden files” option, there's another situation indicating that the Show Hidden Files feature in Windows 10 isn't working – users can check the option but hidden files still don't show. How to fix the issue of Show Hidden Files not working in Windows 10? Keep reading and you'll find the answer.

How to Fix the "Show Hidden Files" Not Working Issue in Windows 11/10

Try the following methods to show hidden files:

Method 1: Show Hidden Files Using Another Method

Usually, you can display hidden files on a Windows computer using one of the following two methods.

Option 1: Open a folder that contains hidden files, go to the “View” tab, and check “Hidden items.”

Method 2: Open Control Panel, then File Explorer Options. Go to the View tab, and check Show hidden files, folders, and drives.

Actually, there's another way to show hidden files in Windows 10, and that's through Command Prompt. If the above two methods don't work for showing hidden files in Windows, you can try this third method.

Option 3: Display Hidden Files using CMD

Step 1: Click on “Start” and type in cmd.

Step 2: Right-click on Command Prompt and select Run as administrator.

Step 3: In the Command Prompt, type attrib -h -r -s /s /d f:*.* (replace “f” with the drive letter of the partition that contains the hidden files).

While power users might be comfortable issuing commands directly from the Command Prompt, a wrong one can do more damage than expected. For safety and convenience, we highly recommend trying automated Command Prompt tools, such as CleanGenius. This handy utility lets you check and fix file system errors, enable or disable write protection, and update your system with a single click, without having to type complex commands.

Use this one-click repair tool to unhide files with the simple steps below.

Step 1: Download the free CleanGenius tool.

Step 2: Launch CleanGenius and select “Optimize” from the left pane. Then click on “File Display” from the right panel.

Step 3: Select the hard drive and click “Execute”.

Step 4: After the reset is complete, click on this link to view the hidden files.

Method 2: Run the System File Checker Utility

If you can't check the “Show hidden files” option in Windows 10 at all, it might be due to corrupted system files. Running the System File Checker tool can help in this situation. This built-in Windows utility will fix missing or damaged system files that could be causing the “Show hidden files” feature not to work in Windows 10.

Step 1: Click "Start," and type cmd.

Step 2: Right-click Command Prompt and select Run as administrator.

Step 3: Type the commands in order as shown. (Use the DISM command to create a Windows image to protect your data.)

These two commands are used in the Windows operating system to repair system files and check integrity. The Chinese translation is as follows: DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth - 使用DISM工具在线清理并恢复系统映像的健康状态。 sfc /scannow - 运行系统文件检查器(SFC)扫描，检查并修复系统文件中的任何问题。

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Step 4: Restart your computer and check if the issue persists.

Method 3: Modify the Registry

Exercise caution when editing the Registry; mistakes can cause serious system problems.

Step 1: Press "Windows + R," type "regedit," and then click "OK."

Second step: Go to

"HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced\Folder\Hidden\SHOWALL"

Step 3: Double-click on “CheckedValue,” and set the “Value data” to “1.”

Step 4: Restart your computer and check if the issue with hidden files not showing still persists.

Method 4: Restore Hidden Files

If you still can't view files on your computer or external hard drive after trying the above three methods, you can use data recovery software – tools Data Recovery Wizard to get them back. This tool can help you recover files that you hide or are hidden by viruses (like the shortcut virus). Besides hidden files, it can also help recover deleted, formatted, and lost files from computer hard drives or external storage devices. It's 100% safe and virus-free.

To show all hidden files and folders:

Step 1: Select the virus-infected drive to scan

Run an antivirus file recovery software on your Windows computer. Select the disk that was infected by the virus to scan for lost or hidden files. Note that

• If the infected files are on a hidden or deleted hard drive due to a virus, it is recommended to install the software on another volume or external USB drive to avoid overwriting data. • If the infected device is an external hard drive, flash drive, or memory card, it is safe to install the software on the local disk of your computer.

Step 2: Review all scan results

The "Tools" Data Recovery Wizard will immediately start scanning the virus-infected hard drive for your deleted or hidden files. To quickly locate the file you need, use the "Filter" or "Group by Type" feature to display only images, videos, documents, emails, and so on.

Step 3: Preview and Recover Deleted/Hidden Files

Once the scan is complete, you can preview the files that were found. Select the ones you need and click the “Recover” button. Save the recovered files to another secure location on your computer or storage device instead of the original location where they were lost.

Bottom line

When the "Show Hidden Files" feature in Windows 10 isn't working, you can fix it by using an alternate method, running the System File Checker tool, or modifying a registry key. If none of these methods work, one way to recover hidden files is to use data recovery software to restore the hidden files or folders.