By default Windows conceal some files by reason of security. It is sometimes files system that must not be manipulated or others who have status 'hidden '. An option allows to make visible the hidden elements and even to conceal ourselves the files which are wanted.

See the hidden files

For it, go to ' my Documents ' for example. Click then on 'Tools ' then 'Options of files'. Otherwise go to Starting / Control panel. Click on 'Toppling over towards classical display' if you are under Windows XP. Double-click then 'Options of files'.


In the thumb-index 'Display ', click in front of required option: 'Show files and files hidden' or 'not show files and hidden files'.


The hidden files are visible with an a bit lifeless appearance, what allows to differentiate them of other files.


To give the status 'Hidden ' from a file or file or on the contrary to abolish this state, make a right click on the concerned element then 'Properties '. In the 'General ' thumb-index, check option or not 'Hidden ' (down in the called section 'Attributes ').

Show files system

To return visible the important files of the operating system is not a registered option because she can prove to be dangerous if you make a bad manipulation.

However to show these files, it is needed at first, to speed up files hidden (see above). Then in the same thumb-index as for the option of the hidden files, that is to say 'Display ', check option or not 'Conceal files protected from the operating system'.


Here are for example, important files that they are not supposed to see without manipulating the previous options: the basket of Windows (to recycle), the file of starting of Windows (boot.ini)...