This article shows you how to make all hidden files stored on a USB memory drive visible so that you can browse its contents. You can perform this procedure on both Windows and Mac systems.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Windows systems
Step 1. Plug the USB stick into your computer
Plug it into one of the free USB ports on your computer (they have a tapered rectangular shape).
If you are using a desktop system, the USB ports are usually located on the front or back of the case
Step 2. Access the "Start" menu by clicking the icon
It features the Windows logo and is located in the lower left corner of the desktop.
Step 3. Enter the keywords This PC
It will search for the Windows "This PC" application inside your computer.
Step 4. Click the This PC icon
It features a small monitor and is visible at the top of the results list. The "This PC" window will appear.
Step 5. Access the USB drive
Locate the USB key icon in the "Devices and drives" section located in the center of the window, then double-click it.
If there is no USB drive icon you just connected to your computer in the section shown, try removing it and reinserting it into a different USB port
Step 6. Go to the View tab
It is located in the upper left of the "Explorer" window. A toolbar will appear at the top of the toolbar.
Step 7. Select the "Hidden items" checkbox
It is a small white square visible to the left of the wording "Hidden Items" located within the "Show / Hide" group of the ribbon. This way all hidden items inside the selected USB drive will be immediately made visible.
- If the "Hidden items" check button is already selected, it means that all hidden items inside the USB stick are already visible.
- Normally, icons for hidden elements appear less bright than normal icons and have a higher level of transparency.
Step 8. Select the icon of the file you want to open with a double click of the mouse
In this way you will be able to consult the content of the chosen element.
If the one you select is a system file, you may not be able to access its contents
Method 2 of 2: Mac
Step 1. Plug the USB stick into your computer
Plug it into one of the free USB ports on your computer. They have a thinned rectangular shape.
- If you're using an iMac, the USB ports are located along one side of the keyboard or on the back of the monitor.
- Not all Macs have USB ports. If you are using a latest generation device it is very likely that it does not have USB ports. To work around this, you'll need to purchase a USB to USB-C adapter.
Step 2. Enter the Go menu
It's one of the options in the Mac menu bar at the top of the screen. A new drop-down menu will appear.
If the menu Go is not present, you will first have to open a Finder window (by clicking the blue icon in the shape of a stylized face visible in the system Dock) or click an empty spot on the desktop to make it visible.
Step 3. Choose the Utility option
It is one of the items in the menu Go appeared, more precisely in the lower part.
Step 4. Open a "Terminal" window by selecting the icon
with a double click of the mouse.
To find it, you may need to scroll down the list of icons that appeared.
Step 5. Run the command to make hidden items visible
Type the command defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles YES in the "Terminal" window and press the Enter key.
Step 6. If it is already open, close and reopen the Finder window
If the Finder application is already running, you will need to restart it for the new configuration settings to take effect.
If you prefer to perform this step using the "Terminal" window, you can use the killall Finder command
Step 7. Select the name of the USB drive
It is visible at the bottom of the left sidebar of the Finder window. This will display the contents of the USB drive in the main pane of the USB drive and all hidden files and folders will be visible.
Step 8. Double click on the file or folder of your interest
The icons of these elements are more opaque and slightly transparent than normal icons. By performing this step you will have access to the contents of the selected folder or file.
