Are you struggling to find hidden folders on your Mac? Don’t worry, you’re not alone!
Hidden folders can be tricky to locate, but with a few simple steps, you’ll be able to uncover them in no time. In this tutorial, we will show you how to see hidden folders on Mac using both the Finder and Terminal.
Using Finder
Finder is the default file manager on Mac and provides a user-friendly interface for navigating your files and folders. To reveal hidden folders using Finder, follow these steps:
- Step 1: Open a new Finder window by clicking on the Finder icon in the Dock.
- Step 2: In the menu bar at the top of the screen, click on “Go” and select “Go to Folder..” or use the keyboard shortcut Command + Shift + G.
- Step 3: A small window will appear. Enter the path of the hidden folder you want to access. For example, if you want to access a folder named “SecretStuff” located in your user’s home directory, type “~/SecretStuff” (without quotes) in the input field.
- Step 4: Click on the “Go” button or press Enter on your keyboard.
Congratulations! You have successfully revealed a hidden folder using Finder. You can now view, edit, or delete files within this folder just like any other folder on your Mac.
Using Terminal
If you prefer using the command line interface, Terminal is an excellent tool for revealing hidden folders. Here’s how you can do it:
- Step 1: Launch Terminal by going to Applications > Utilities > Terminal or by using Spotlight Search (Command + Space) and typing “Terminal” (without quotes).
- Step 2: Once Terminal is open, type the following command: defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles YES.
- Step 3: Press Enter to execute the command.
- Step 4: Now, restart Finder by typing the following command: killall Finder.
You have now enabled the option to display hidden folders on your Mac using Terminal. To access a hidden folder, simply navigate to its location using the Finder or use the “Go to Folder” option in Finder as mentioned earlier.
Reverting Changes
If you want to hide the folders again, follow these steps:
- Using Finder: Repeat steps 1-4 in the “Using Terminal” section, but replace “YES” with “NO” in step 2.
- Using Terminal: Open Terminal and type the following command: defaults write com.finder AppleShowAllFiles NO. Press Enter and then restart Finder by typing: killall Finder.
Congratulations! You now know how to see hidden folders on your Mac using both Finder and Terminal.
Whether you prefer a graphical interface or a command line approach, you can easily access your hidden files and folders with just a few simple steps. Happy exploring!