Search for hidden files and folders in Windows 7

Anonymous
2010-01-26T18:40:43+00:00

How for an individual search do I tell the search process to examine hidden files and folders.

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Files, folders, and storage

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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Anonymous
2010-01-27T17:56:36+00:00

Hi,

There is only one way to do it, Select the option Show hidden files from folder options and then search for the files using the start search box.

  1. Click Start.
  2. Type "search" in start search box.
  3. click "Change search options for files and folders".
  4. Now, Click on View tab .
  5. Under View,

       a)Select the radio button labeled Show hidden files, folders, and drives 

       b)Remove the checkmark from the checkbox labeled Hide extensions for known file types.

       c)Remove the checkmark from the checkbox labeled Hide protected operating system files.

  1. Click on Apply and Ok.

For more information on search, click on the following link:

 http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/Advanced-tips-for-searching-in-Windows

 http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Searching-in-Windows-frequently-asked-questions

 http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Find-a-file-or-folder

Thanks and Regards:

Swati K- Microsoft Support Engineer

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  1. Anonymous
    2011-11-05T00:33:16+00:00

    Hello Graham Charles,

     When you performed the steps listed on the first response by Fahimulla K, were you able to find a file through search, that is in a hidden folder?  

    Please let us know status.

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  2. Anonymous
    2011-11-05T04:04:18+00:00

    To James regarding my own search results via Fahimulla K's first post and having the same "no View tab" results that Graham did.:

    1. Click Start
    2. Type "search" in start search box
    3. click "Change search options for files and folders".
    4. THERE IS NO VIEW TAB TO SELECT. I have buttons lower on the page which give the options "modify", "Advanced", or "Pause".

    Included SEARCH locations: Internet Explorer History, Local Disk (C:), MP3 files, Windows Media Center, and Windows Sticky Notes. (I excluded my backup drive which also showed up there)

    EXCLUDED: Local Disk (C:) EXCLUDES "Data; AppData", and there are no means to alter this to include everything on the drive.

    Under "Modify" button, the above included items can be checked or unchecked but can't alter excluded stuff on C drive.

    We now move to a folder, any folder:

    Under "Folder Options" found under "tools" (which can be found on all folders ONLY after having found the means to have menus actually show up),   "Show hidden files, folders, and drives" is selected. (They do show).

    In Folder Options/search tab: Radio button to search file names/contents is selected. In non-indexed locations, "search file name only" is checked.

    How to search: "Include subfolders in search results when searching in file folders" is checked. ""Find Partial matches is checked". "Use natural language search" and "Don't use the index when searching in file folders for system files" are UNCHECKED.

    When searching non-indexed locations: "Include system directories" is checked", "include compressed files (ZIP.Cab...) is UNCHECKED.

    After windows updated the search index I can now access hidden files/folders from the start button search option. I can access a file ONLY by RIGHT CLICKING on it and telling windows to either OPEN THE FILE LOCATION or to open the file from the search box with Microsoft Windows Based Script Host. A single left click on the file will produce an "invalid character (800AO3F6)"error and shut down the process.

    So, even though windows tells me that "Data,AppData" is EXCLUDED in C drive searches as stated above, I am currently able to use search to access/open hidden files and folders. Go figure!

    Microsoft really should give us a one-click solution for complete access so we can turn it on and then turn it off.  It takes so long to de-fang Microsoft's need hide the many different tools needed in so many different locations, it's not worth the time and effort to undo it all when we don't need access. Also, having to use the search function to find the means to change how windows works means we have to use the exact wording or it won't yield results. Most of us out here are not mind readers. I find most of my information on how to make windows behave the way I want it to via google. A few key words lead me to other perplexed users who've managed to resolve our shared issues  - such as this one which I've sort of figured out. Barely..

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  3. Anonymous
    2011-11-23T18:24:51+00:00

    Hello, found this cool tutorial that SHOWS you visually show your hidden files. Im a visual type of person so this helped me out..

    Show Hidden files - YOUTUBE

    Hope this helps you out :)

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  4. Anonymous
    2011-12-21T17:42:14+00:00

    You were the only one who understood the question was how to search "for" hidden files not "in" them.. -

    Otherwise, let me echo the other complaints here.  Sometimes what we're looking for is a way to filter files with a number of diff criteria - and want a gui utility that facilitates this not makes it harder.  I guess I'm supposed to drop everything and learn the 'new' ways to do things,  but I'm sorry, having to 'know' that I need to put "attributes:34" in the search box to find hidden files is ridiculous.   Why they don't have a comprehensive/guided dialog box to do complex searching puzzles me.   They have so much money, but seem to be focused more on making computers pretty rather than practical.  There are literally 100's of extended attributes on Windows Files - I can't imagine what attributes "1-33" are/nor what "35-999" are.  But thank you for letting me know what attribute 34 is.

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