How to See Hidden Files on Mac

Alicia Santos

Mac, Tutorials

Have you ever wondered how to see hidden files on your Mac? Hidden files are files that are not normally visible in the Finder, but they can still be important for various reasons. In this article, we will guide you through the process of revealing these hidden files on your Mac.

Method 1: Using Terminal

To see hidden files on your Mac, you can use the Terminal application. Follow these steps:

  1. Open Terminal: You can find Terminal in the Utilities folder within the Applications folder. Alternatively, you can use Spotlight by pressing Command + Spacebar and searching for “Terminal”.
  2. Type the command: In the Terminal window, type the following command and press Enter: defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles TRUE
  3. Restart Finder: To apply the changes, you need to restart Finder. You can do this by holding down the Option key and right-clicking on Finder in the Dock, then selecting “Relaunch”.

Now you should be able to see hidden files in Finder.

Method 2: Using a Keyboard Shortcut

If you prefer using a keyboard shortcut to toggle hidden files visibility, follow these steps:

  1. Open Terminal: Launch Terminal using one of the methods mentioned above.
  2. Type the command: Enter this command in Terminal and press Enter: defaults write com.finder AppleShowAllFiles -bool true && killall Finder

This command will show hidden files once you execute it.

Note:

If you want to hide the files again, you can use the same methods as above but replace “TRUE” or “true” with “FALSE” or “false”.

Now that you know how to see hidden files on your Mac, it’s important to exercise caution when modifying or deleting these files. Hidden files are often hidden for a reason, and altering them without proper knowledge can lead to system issues.

Remember to always make a backup of any important files before making changes.

By following these simple steps, you can easily reveal hidden files on your Mac and gain access to additional options and settings that may be useful in certain situations.

Enjoy exploring the hidden side of your Mac!

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