How To Hide and Unhide a Folder

This tutorial will teach you how to hide a folder and its contents completely from the desktop and Windows Explorer searches

1. Locate a folder you want to hide.


2. Open up Command Prompt

3. Most likely the folder is in the default directory, so simply type "attrib +a +r +s +h foldername /s /d" into the prompt, without the quotes. Replace "foldername" with name of folder you wish to hide.


4. The folder should now be hidden completely from the desktop and from Windows Explorer searches.


5. Now when you need to access the folder, simply open up command prompt again, and replace the "+" with "-".


There ya go! Your folder will be summoned. So go ahead now, try it on your porn folder. :)

EDIT: Folder isn't invisible on desktop unless show hidden folders is disabled. Only becomes faded if enabled.

This is very helpful, thank you for this there are some users that prefer cmd base actions. There are also users that prefer, ui actions with that being said. I myself choose to navigate to Start/control panel/folder options/show or hide files. Select your preference then hit apply.

Didn't know this, thanks.

This is very helpful, thank you for this there are some users that prefer cmd base actions. There are also users that prefer, ui actions with that being said. I myself choose to navigate to Start/control panel/folder options/show or hide files. Select your preference then hit apply.

From my understanding, the show and hide folder options through the control panel only show the folders that are originally hidden. The ones that are mostly unimportant to the average user. This way you can manually hide any folder while keeping all others the same.

Didn't know this, thanks.

No problem. It's simple and has it's uses.

You can do the same, right click the folder, go to settings, check hidden. Viola hidden, this'd can be applied to any and all folders.

You can do the same, right click the folder, go to settings, check hidden. Viola hidden, this'd can be applied to any and all folders.

It doesn't have the same effect. Just tried it on a folder on the desktop and once hidden, the folder just turned transparent as opposed to completely invisible.

Edit: Not to mention it still came up in Windows Explorer searches.

Oh I see what you are saying, I will have to try this, so it is truly hidden even when you select search hidden folders and files. I got you, ill be trying this when I get back to the home stead.

Oh I see what you are saying, I will have to try this, so it is truly hidden even when you select search hidden folders and files. I got you, ill be trying this when I get back to the home stead.

It's been a while since I've tested it so I'm not completely sure. Will go check right now, brb.

Edit: Just tested it and nothing showed up in searches. Desktop Icon doesn't completely disappear if you have show hidden folders on.

Edit 2: This was more for regular users and family computers who usually have "show hidden folders" off. In that case, the desktop icon will also be invisible. The only way to get that effect while displaying hidden folders is to just manually change the icon to transparent and use hidden characters for the name.

This will come in very helpful, thanks for getting this out here to everyone!

Yea that is how I hide folders on my externals, put my files in a folder, set it to hidden, make sure do not show hidden files and folders is checked then the folder well disappear before your eyes. However if you say this method literally removes its trace even from the search function even with search hidden files. Then I will be using this one, as my private folders and files can still be searched for.