Hide Files or Folders

Have you ever wished you could make something disappear?  Well, we might not have figured out how to make physical objects disappear yet, but we can make files disappear.  There are many reasons why you might want to do this.  Perhaps you are working with confidential data and want an extra layer of security.  Maybe you are purchasing a gift for a spouse and don't want his or her eyes to come across the information.  Whatever reason you might have for wanting to hide a file or even an entire folder, Windows makes it easy to do it.

To hide the file or folder, simply right-click on it and select properties.  Towards the bottom of the Properties window will be a check-box that says Hidden.  Check the box to mark the file to be hidden.

However, Windows has a setting that will either show or hide all files marked as hidden.  This is also how you will find the hidden file when you need to access it again.  The easiest way to find this setting is to go to the Search box and type in Folder Options.  On the View tab, under Advanced Settings, you will find the option to either show or hide all hidden files and folders.  In Windows 8, this option also appears on the View ribbon of File Explorer.  You also have the option to make files and folders as hidden directly from this ribbon.

Even if you are never planning on hiding files yourself, it is important to know about this feature, especially if you have kids.  It might be wise to check your kids' computers with hidden files shown to see if they have anything they think you can't see.