How to open folders hidden on the system with the Shell command on Windows?

On the operating system there are many hidden system folders that can be "identified" on the Windows Registry with the CLSID key, the specific directory name and the folder location on your computer.

In addition, using a combination of specific folder names and Shell commands means that hidden folders, even if buried deep on the system, will be "dug up".

How to open folders hidden on the system with the Shell command on Windows? Picture 1

1. What is CLSID key?

The location of specific directories (and some other software) is provided with a CLSID that allows Windows and other programs to easily 'identify' the folders without having to know the exact folder name. .

The CLSID key, the generic name and the full path used to store these directories are like folders on the Windows Registry.

Its nature is similar to the way that every computer on your network has a specific name that you can easily remember - when you use a computer name, Windows will look up the address. IP of the computer for you.

In the same way, programs can use a generic name (command name) for a directory on the structure of Windows and rely on the current location of the stored directory to create a CLSID key on the Registry.

The shell will work with the directories listed in Regitry at the location:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerFolderDescriptions

How to open folders hidden on the system with the Shell command on Windows? Picture 2

Each subkey in the FolderDescriptions key list represents a specific directory. The name of each key is the CLSID of that directory. When you click on any subkey there, you will see some important values attached to that key, such as the Name (common name of the folder) and RelativePath (the current path where the folder is stored). storage).

2. How to use the Shell command?

To open a folder, you can use a specific Shell command with the same directory name.

You can use the Shell command from the Run dialog box (press the Windows + R key combination), on the Windows File Explorer address bar and even on the Internet Explorer address bar. Just enter the command according to the command syntax below:

shell:

For example, if you want to open the folder containing the image used to create your Windows account, instead of browsing through the AppData folder on your account, simply open the Run command window, enter the following command. here and then press Enter is done:

shell: AccountPictures

How to open folders hidden on the system with the Shell command on Windows? Picture 3

3. Names of available folders

Below is a list of the names of directories you can use after the Shell command and the relative location of the directories:

shell: AccountPictures -% AppData% MicrosoftWindowsAccountPictures

shell: AddNewProgramsFolder - Control PanelAll Control Panel ItemsGet Programs

shell: Administrative Tools -% AppData% MicrosoftWindowsStart MenuPrograms Administrative Tools

shell: AppData -% AppData%

shell: Application Shortcuts -% LocalAppData% MicrosoftWindowsApplication Shortcuts

shell: AppsFolder - Applications

shell: AppUpdatesFolder - Installed Updates

shell: Cache -% LocalAppData% MicrosoftWindowsINetCache

shell: Camera Roll -% UserProfile% PicturesCamera Roll

shell: CD Burning -% LocalAppData% MicrosoftWindowsBurnBurn

shell: ChangeRemoveProgramsFolder - Control PanelAll Control Panel ItemsPrograms and Features

shell: Common Administrative Tools -% ProgramData% MicrosoftWindowsStart MenuPrograms Administrative Tools

shell: Common AppData -% ProgramData%

shell: Common Desktop -% Public% Desktop

shell: Common Documents -% Public% Documents

shell: CommonDownloads -% Public% Downloads

shell: CommonMusic -% Public% Music

shell: CommonPictures -% Public% Pictures

shell: Common Programs -% ProgramData% MicrosoftWindowsStart MenuPrograms

shell: CommonRingtones -% ProgramData% MicrosoftWindowsRingtones

shell: Common Start Menu -% ProgramData% MicrosoftWindowsStart MenuProgramsStartup

shell: Common Startup -% ProgramData% MicrosoftWindowsStart MenuProgramsStartup

shell: Common Templates -% ProgramData% MicrosoftWindowsTemplates

shell: CommonVideo -% Public% Videos

shell: ConflictFolder - Control PanelAll Control Panel ItemsSync CenterConflicts

shell: ConnectionsFolder - Control PanelAll Control Panel ItemsNetwork Connections

shell: Contacts -% UserProfile% Contacts

shell: ControlPanelFolder - Control PanelAll Control Panel Items

shell: Cookies -% LocalAppData% MicrosoftWindowsINetCookies

shell: CookiesLow -% LocalAppData% MicrosoftWindowsINetCookiesLow

shell: CredentialManager -% AppData% MicrosoftCredentials

shell: CryptoKeys -% AppData% MicrosoftCrypto

shell: desktop - Desktop

shell: device Metadata Store -% ProgramData% MicrosoftWindowsDeviceMetadataStore

shell: documentsLibrary - LibrariesDocuments

shell: downloads -% UserProfile% Downloads

shell: dpapiKeys -% AppData% MicrosoftProtect

shell: Favorites -% UserProfile% Favorites

shell: Fonts -% WinDir% Fonts

shell: Games - Games

shell: GameTasks -% LocalAppData% MicrosoftWindowsGameExplorer

shell: History -% LocalAppData% MicrosoftWindowsHistory

shell: HomeGroupCurrentUserFolder - Homegroup (user-name)

shell: HomeGroupFolder - Homegroup

shell: ImplicitAppShortcuts -% AppData% MicrosoftInternet ExplorerQuick LaunchUser PinnedImplicitAppShortcuts

shell: InternetFolder - Internet Explorer

shell: Libraries - Libraries

shell: Links -% UserProfile% Links

shell: Local AppData -% LocalAppData%

shell: LocalAppDataLow -% UserProfile% AppDataLocalLow

shell: MusicLibrary - LibrariesMusic

shell: MyComputerFolder - This PC

shell: My Music -% UserProfile% Music

shell: My Pictures -% UserProfile% Pictures

shell: My Video -% UserProfile% Videos

shell: NetHood -% AppData% MicrosoftWindowsNetwork Shortcuts

shell: NetworkPlacesFolder - Network

shell: OneDrive - OneDrive

shell: OneDriveCameraRoll -% UserProfile% OneDrivePicturesCamera Roll

shell: OneDriveDocuments -% UserProfile% OneDriveDocuments

shell: OneDriveMusic -% UserProfile% OneDriveMusic

shell: OneDrivePictures -% UserProfile% OneDrivePictures

shell: Personal -% UserProfile% Documents

shell: PicturesLibrary - LibrariesPictures

shell: PrintersFolder - All Control Panel ItemsPrinters

shell: PrintHood -% AppData% MicrosoftWindowsPrinter Shortcuts

shell: Profile -% UserProfile%

shell: ProgramFiles -% ProgramFiles%

shell: ProgramFilesCommon -% ProgramFiles% Common Files

shell: ProgramFilesCommonX64 -% ProgramFiles% Common Files (64-bit Windows only)

shell: ProgramFilesCommonX86 -% ProgramFiles (x86)% Common Files (64-bit Windows only)

shell: ProgramFilesX64 -% ProgramFiles% (64-bit Windows only)

shell: ProgramFilesX86 -% ProgramFiles (x86)% (64-bit Windows only)

shell: Programs -% AppData% MicrosoftWindowsStart MenuPrograms

shell: Public -% Public%

shell: PublicAccountPictures -% Public% AccountPictures

shell: PublicGameTasks -% ProgramData% MicrosoftWindowsGameExplorer

shell: PublicLibraries -% Public% Libraries

shell: Quick Launch -% AppData% MicrosoftInternet ExplorerQuick Launch

shell: Recent -% AppData% MicrosoftWindowsRecent

shell: RecordedTVLibrary - LibrariesRecorded TV

shell: RecycleBinFolder - Recycle Bin

shell: ResourceDir -% WinDir% Resources

shell: Ringtones -% ProgramData% MicrosoftWindowsRingtones

shell: Roamed Tile Images -% LocalAppData% MicrosoftWindowsRoamedTileImages

shell: Roaming Tiles -% AppData% MicrosoftWindowsRoamingTiles

shell: SavedGames -% UserProfile% Saved Games

shell: Screenshots -% UserProfile% PicturesScreenshots

shell: Searches -% UserProfile% Searches

shell: SearchHistoryFolder -% LocalAppData% MicrosoftWindowsConnectedSearchHistory

shell: SearchHomeFolder - search-ms:

shell: SearchTemplatesFolder -% LocalAppData% MicrosoftWindowsConnectedSearchTemplates

shell: SendTo -% AppData% MicrosoftWindowsSendTo

shell: Start Menu -% AppData% MicrosoftWindowsStart Menu

shell: StartMenuAllPrograms - StartMenuAllPrograms

shell: Startup -% AppData% MicrosoftWindowsStart MenuProgramsStartup

shell: SyncCenterFolder - Control PanelAll Control Panel ItemsSync Center

shell: SyncResultsFolder - Control PanelAll Control Panel ItemsSync CenterSync Results

shell: SyncSetupFolder - Control PanelAll Control Panel ItemsSync CenterSync Setup

shell: System -% WinDir% System32

shell: SystemCertificates -% AppData% MicrosoftSystemCertificates

shell: SystemX86 -% WinDir% SysWOW64

shell: Templates -% AppData% MicrosoftWindowsTemplates

shell: ThisPCDesktopFolder - Desktop

shell: UsersFilesFolder -% UserProfile%

shell: User Pinned -% AppData% MicrosoftInternet ExplorerQuick LaunchUser Pinned

shell: UserProfiles -% HomeDrive% Users

shell: UserProgramFiles -% LocalAppData% Programs

shell: UserProgramFilesCommon -% LocalAppData% ProgramsCommon

shell: UsersLibrariesFolder - Libraries

shell: VideosLibrary - LibrariesVideos

shell: Windows -% WinDir%

Refer to some of the following articles:

Use the CMD command to remove viruses on Windows computers

How to use Command Prompt to manage wireless networks on Windows 10?

How to activate Ctrl + C / Ctrl + V to execute paste command in Command Prompt window?

Good luck!

shell command

Jessica Tanner

Update 26 May 2019

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