Mac show hidden files keyboard shortcut allows you to view the hidden files on your MacBook without having to go through many extra steps. While using the keyboard shortcut doesn’t allow you to perform any other action, you’ll be able to see the hidden folders and files on your computer.
If you intend to perform an action on the hidden files, then you’d have to use a different method to view and edit the files. In this guide, we’ll be talking about the shortcut as well as the other methods through which you can unhide files on your Mac.
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How to Check for Invisible Files on Your Mac?
You can check for invisible files on your Mac by following several different steps, including using keyboard shortcuts, the Terminal, Library, and third-party utility apps. Besides the Terminal option, other methods are non-technical and easy to use to show hidden files on your Macbook.
– Unhiding Your Files via the Keyboard Shortcut
Using a quick shortcut on your keyboard can help you unhide and conceal hidden files in your Mac folders. This method is sort of like a quick scan as it allows you to see the files, but the files themselves will be greyed out, so you won’t be able to edit them.
However, since you’ll be able to see them, you can easily analyze the amount of space the concealed files are occupying to know whether they’re potential causes of low disk space issues or not. You can use the shortcut by following the steps below:
- Open the folder you want to check via Mac Finder.
- Press the shift key, command key, and period key simultaneously.
- The hidden files in the folder will show up, but they’ll be greyed out.
– Unhiding Files in the Library
Many of the concealed files that take up your storage can be found in the “~/Library” folder. However, we must mention that you shouldn’t play around with the concealed files in this folder unless you know what you’re looking for. The reason is that many of the files hidden in the folder are essential system files, and deleting the wrong folder or file can cause your entire MacBook to crash.
Mac developers decided to hide these files to make sure users don’t delete them mistakenly as the files are crucial to the running of the entire OS. With that said, there are still many redundant files that sit in the Library, but you’ll have to be well-versed to know which file or folder to delete. So, unless you’re a macOS developer or a computer professional, we recommend that you don’t snoop around the “~/Library” folder. But if you want to, here’s how to do so:
- Launch your Finder.
- Tap and hold the “Option” key until you get a context menu.
- Select “Go” then “Library,” and you should have access to the Library folders and files.
– Revealing all Hidden Files via Finder
Instead of viewing your concealed files folder by folder with the shortcut method above or manually scanning the Library folder, you can use the Finder app to unhide all concealed files at once. Note that the UI will become cluttered, and you may have to sort through many different files. With that out of the way, here’s how to unveil concealed files through your Finder app:
- Launch your Finder and open the Macintosh HD folder.
- Now, press the shift, command, and period buttons at the same time.
- Every hidden file on your computer will be displayed.
- You can hide the files again by pressing the same button combination.
- If you want to jump to the ~/Library folder from your Macintosh HD folder, simply press and hold the Alt key.
- Next, navigate to the top of your screen and choose the “Go” option.
- Now, tap on the Library to unveil the hidden folder.
– Unhiding Files via the Terminal
Another way you can view hidden files on your MacBook is through the Terminal. This method is ideal if you’re experiencing Mac show hidden files shortcut not working on your MacBook Pro or Air. The Terminal is a command-line interface that allows you to utilize command prompts as its mode of operation. It’s a more direct approach than using a series of complex instructions to achieve the same goal via Finder.
However, you need to be technical enough to use the unhide or hide hidden files Mac terminal, as using the wrong command can cause irreversible damage to your computer. Also, if you’re experiencing a command shift period not working error and your computer is showing hidden files, you can use the terminal to conceal your files as well. Here’s how to use the Terminal to display hidden files on your Mac:
- Select the Launchpad icon located on your Dock, type in “Terminal,” and select the search result.
- Alternatively, you can use Finder by opening the “/Applications/Utilities” folder and then clicking on “Terminal.”
- Once the Terminal is open, enter the following command: com.apple.Finder AppleShowAllFiles -boolean true ; killall Finder.
- Press the “Return” key, and all of your hidden files will become visible.
- Once you’re done checking the files, run the same command but change the “true” to “false” and all your files should become hidden again.
Using Third-Party Apps
Another way to show hidden files mac Monterey is by using third-party apps. This option is more comfortable for those who don’t want to tinker with their Terminal or Library folder. Good examples of such third-party apps include the Forklift and D commander. They both have intuitive user interfaces and function like Finder on steroids. You can also conceal files with them in case you have private files you don’t want anyone to have access to.
How to Effectively Hide Files on Your Mac After Making Them Appear
You can effectively hide files on your max after making them appear using the Terminal on Mac or third-party apps.
The files and folders here refer to those you downloaded or created on your device, but you would like them to be private to you alone.
– Hiding Your File via the Terminal
To hide your files via the terminal, all you have to do is:
- Start the Terminal app on your MacBook by searching for it through Finder or using Spotlight search.
- Now, enter the following terminal command: “chflags hidden” without pressing the “Return” key.
- Make sure to put a space between “chflags” and “hidden.”
- Now go to the folder or file you intend to hide and drag it over to the terminal, placing it at the end of the command you’ve written above.
- Now, tap the return key, and the file should be hidden.
- And when you want terminal show hidden files, simply use the terminal commands above.
Conclusion
That’s all on the shortcut to hide and reveal hidden files on your MacBook as well as how to hide your personal files on your mac OS device via the Terminal.
Here is a quick summary to keep in mind when hiding or unhiding files or folders on your MacBook:
- The main shortcut for hiding or unhiding files on your Mac is the shift, command, and period combination.
- Using the hiding/unhiding shortcut in your Macintosh folder will reveal or hide all hidden files on your computer.
- The Library folder contains crucial files that are important to the running of your operating system.
- The Terminal is the only built-in app that allows you to hide files and folders on your Mac.
We recommend that you don’t dig through the hidden Library folder if you don’t know the file or folder to look out for. And if you’re not technical enough to use the Terminal, you can find a third-party app that can help you sort the hidden files on your computer so you can analyze and manage your storage.