How to hide files and folders in Windows

On Microsoft's operating system there is a feature that allows you to hide files and folders quickly and easily. Here's how to do it

Many users at work or at home, for a variety of reasons have no choice but to share their computer. In these situations it can become useful to find a way to try and hide files or folders that we would like to remain private. On Windows there is a very simple trick.

It should be pointed out that this is not really the best solution to protect your privacy. It's just a trivial trick to get your files out of sight of prying eyes. As to say, opportunity makes the man a thief. And this is exactly the working principle of the expedient: hide files and folders from the curious. The procedure does not require any great computer skills and can be done even by those who are not very familiar with computers.

It is not even necessary to download any program: it is enough to use a system already used by Windows to protect some important files and folders.

To understand what this is about, it is useful to remember that Microsoft's operating system by default hides certain system files to prevent a distracted and unskilled user from deleting them, thus creating instability or irreversible damage to Windows. That being said, let's go over how to hide a file or folder in Redmond's OS.

Hiding a file or folder on Windows

First you need to locate the file or folder you want to hide. Let's say you are interested in hiding a Word document. Once you've found it, move your mouse cursor - or touchpad - over the file and right-click. Now, from the next menu, press "Properties". At this point we are very close to "burying" the textual content. In fact, all you have to do is check the "Hidden" box (located at the bottom, next to "Read Only") and press "OK". As if by magic, the file is gone. The procedure is also identical for hiding a folder.

How to recover a hidden file or folder

At some point you'll also have to recover a hidden file or folder on Windows. Again, this is really a piece of cake. Go back to the folder where the "invisible" document is located. Then click on "View" and finally on "Show and hide". With that done, the last thing you need to do is select the "Hidden Items" item and you're done.