How to Show Hidden Files on Windows 11

Hidden files and folders such as AppData do not appear in File Explorer until you turn them on. The switch is two clicks away in the View menu on Windows 11, and a checkbox on Windows 10.

Open File Explorer

Press Windows + E, or click the folder icon on the taskbar.

Turn on Hidden items

Click View on the toolbar, point to Show, and click Hidden items. A check mark appears next to it, and hidden files and folders show up immediately with faded icons. The setting applies to every folder, not only the one you are looking at.

Show file name extensions

On the same View, Show menu, click File name extensions. Files then display their full names, such as report.docx instead of report, which helps when a hidden file and a normal file share a name.

Show protected operating system files only if you need them

Some files, such as pagefile.sys and the $Recycle.Bin folder, stay hidden even with Hidden items on. To see them, click the three-dot menu (...) on the toolbar, click Options, open the View tab, and untick Hide protected operating system files (Recommended). Click Yes on the warning, then OK. Leave these hidden unless you have a specific reason to see them; deleting or moving one can stop Windows from starting.

On Windows 10, use the View tab

Open File Explorer, click the View tab on the ribbon, and tick Hidden items in the Show/hide group. File name extensions is next to it. For protected system files, click Options at the right end of the same tab and follow the step above.

If you only need AppData. Type %appdata% in the File Explorer address bar and press Enter to jump straight into AppData\Roaming without unhiding anything. %localappdata% opens AppData\Local the same way.

If Hidden items is on but a folder is still missing. It may be a protected system item (see the step above), or it may live under a different user account; check C:\Users for the right profile.