Even if you’ve been using the macOS for a long time now, you might not know how to actually hide/unhide files and folders. That’s because you are not able to do so directly through the menu bar like on Windows. Here in the macOS, you have to use either a shortcut key combination or a terminal command to hide/show hidden files on Mac. This guide shall take you through all the steps to hide your files on a Mac computer.
How to Hide /Show Hidden Files on Mac?
Listed below are all the methods you can use to hide/show hidden files on Mac. The steps are pretty easy, and we are pretty sure that you’ll get the hang of it in no time. So, to hide/unhide files on Mac,
Using a Shortcut Key Combination
The easiest way to hide/unhide a file on Mac is by using the shortcut key combo. Hence, with only a couple of button clicks, you can show/ hide the files on your computer at your will. For this,
Using the Terminal
You can enter certain commands to hide and unhide files on your Mac via the terminal. However, if you want to hide only a single file, the method to do so is somewhat different. Nevertheless, we have listed all the important steps you have to know right below:To hide back the files, you have to work on the terminal as well. To do this, However, if you want to hide only one particular file or folder,
Using Third-Party Applications
If you’re not satisfied with the methods shown above, you can opt to use third-party applications to make things easier for you. We never recommend our viewers to use third-party applications; however, in some cases, these applications seem to work more efficiently than the conventional methods. Not all third-party applications are reliable, and some might even be a trick to attack your computer. However, upon research, we found that Forklift, Fman, TotalFinder, and Commander One are some of the most popular Mac file managers available right now.
Are There Pre-Hidden Files on Mac?
When you unhide hidden files for the first time on a Mac computer, you might notice that there are tons of files that were already hidden before. These are key OS files that come pre-hidden right out of the box. These files are hidden for the sole purpose of keeping your OS efficient and functioning. It’s present there to maintain a security standard as deleting only one of these files could have a drastic effect on how your computer performs. So, we recommend you not to modify or delete these files from your computer. Leave them as they are because that’ll be the most preferable move for you.
