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How to Open the Hidden Files in a USB Pen Drive

This wikiHow teaches you how to force hidden files that are on your USB flash drive to display so that you can open them. You can perform this process on both Windows and Mac computers. Plug your USB drive into your computer. Insert the...
Method 1 of 2:

On Windows

  1. Plug your USB drive into your computer. Insert the USB drive into one of the thin, rectangular slots in your computer's housing.
    1. If you're using a desktop computer, USB ports are typically in either the front or the back of the computer's CPU box.
  2. How to Open the Hidden Files in a USB Pen Drive Picture 1How to Open the Hidden Files in a USB Pen Drive Picture 1
    Open Start
    How to Open the Hidden Files in a USB Pen Drive Picture 2How to Open the Hidden Files in a USB Pen Drive Picture 2
    . Click the Windows logo in the bottom-left corner of the screen.
  3. How to Open the Hidden Files in a USB Pen Drive Picture 3How to Open the Hidden Files in a USB Pen Drive Picture 3
    Type in this pc. Doing so will search your computer for the This PC program.
  4. How to Open the Hidden Files in a USB Pen Drive Picture 4How to Open the Hidden Files in a USB Pen Drive Picture 4
    Click This PC. It's a computer monitor-shaped icon at the top of the Start window. Doing so opens This PC.
  5. How to Open the Hidden Files in a USB Pen Drive Picture 5How to Open the Hidden Files in a USB Pen Drive Picture 5
    Open your flash drive. Find your flash drive's name below the "Devices and drives" heading in the middle of the page, then double-click it.
    1. If you don't see your flash drive here, try unplugging the flash drive and plugging it back into a different USB slot.
  6. How to Open the Hidden Files in a USB Pen Drive Picture 6How to Open the Hidden Files in a USB Pen Drive Picture 6
    Click the View tab. It's in the upper-left side of the flash drive's window. Doing so prompts a menu bar to appear at the top of the File Explorer window.
  7. How to Open the Hidden Files in a USB Pen Drive Picture 7How to Open the Hidden Files in a USB Pen Drive Picture 7
    Check the "Hidden items" box. Click the box to the left of the "Hidden items" option in the "Show/hide" section of the menu bar. Doing so will both place a checkmark in the "Hidden items" box and force any hidden files on your USB drive to display.
    1. If there's already a checkmark in the "Hidden items" box, your USB drive is currently displaying hidden files.
    2. Hidden files are generally dimmer and more transparent-looking than regular files.
  8. How to Open the Hidden Files in a USB Pen Drive Picture 8How to Open the Hidden Files in a USB Pen Drive Picture 8
    Double-click the hidden file you want to open. Doing so will open the file, allowing you to view its contents.
    1. If the file you're trying to open is a system file, you may not be able to complete the opening process.
Method 2 of 2:

On Mac

  1. Plug your USB drive into your computer. Insert the USB drive into one of the thin, rectangular slots in your computer's casing.
    1. If you're using an iMac, you may find the USB ports on the side of your keyboard or on the back of the iMac's screen.
    2. Not all Macs have USB ports. If you're using a newer Mac that doesn't come with USB ports, you'll need to purchase a USB to USB-C adapter.
  2. How to Open the Hidden Files in a USB Pen Drive Picture 9How to Open the Hidden Files in a USB Pen Drive Picture 9
    Click Go. This menu item is in the upper-left side of your Mac's screen. A drop-down menu will appear.
    1. If you don't see Go, first either click your desktop or open Finder (the blue, face-like app in your Mac's Dock).
  3. How to Open the Hidden Files in a USB Pen Drive Picture 10How to Open the Hidden Files in a USB Pen Drive Picture 10
    Click Utilities. This option should be near the bottom of the Go drop-down menu.
  4. How to Open the Hidden Files in a USB Pen Drive Picture 11How to Open the Hidden Files in a USB Pen Drive Picture 11
    Double-click
    How to Open the Hidden Files in a USB Pen Drive Picture 12How to Open the Hidden Files in a USB Pen Drive Picture 12
    Terminal. You may have to scroll down through the Utilities folder to find it.
  5. How to Open the Hidden Files in a USB Pen Drive Picture 13How to Open the Hidden Files in a USB Pen Drive Picture 13
    Enter the "show hidden items" command. Type defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles YES into Terminal, then press the ⏎ Return key.
  6. How to Open the Hidden Files in a USB Pen Drive Picture 14How to Open the Hidden Files in a USB Pen Drive Picture 14
    Close and re-open Finder if it's open. If your Finder program is open, close it and then re-open it to refresh it.
    1. You can also enter killall Finder into Terminal to automatically perform this step.
  7. How to Open the Hidden Files in a USB Pen Drive Picture 15How to Open the Hidden Files in a USB Pen Drive Picture 15
    Click your USB drive's name. It will be in the lower-left side of the Finder window. Doing so opens the USB drive's contents, including any hidden files and folders that are on it.
  8. How to Open the Hidden Files in a USB Pen Drive Picture 16How to Open the Hidden Files in a USB Pen Drive Picture 16
    Double-click a hidden file or folder. Hidden items resemble greyed-out versions of regular files or folders; double-clicking a hidden file or folder will open it.
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