When using you Macbook, you might encounter a situation where you might want to access some hidden files.
Such files are often hidden by macOS by default, and more often, these files won’t be files that you need to access on the regular. In fact such files are often critical in making the Mac run hence why they are hidden in the first place.
However, if you ever do need to access these files, for example, for troubleshooting purposes, there are several ways to do it:
Using Terminal
One way to show hidden files is through the use of Terminal command.
Open Terminal on your Mac by going to Applications > Utilities in Finder. You can also access it through Spotlight (Command + Space).
Once the Terminal opens, you will type in the following command to view hidden filed or folders:
defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles TRUE
You can also use YES at the end in place of TRUE. Then, hit Return to execute it.
Then, enter the following command killall Finder and hit Return to restart the Finder
Once completed, all files should be visible.
Using Mac Keyboard Shortcut
If you want a much more straightforward process, you can also use the Mac keyboard using a Mac keyboard shortcut.
Simply go to your desired directory in the Finder. Once there, press Command + Shift + Period (.) on the keyboard.
Once completed, you will get several translucent folders or files in this directory. These are the hidden files. On the other hand, if you do not see any translucent files, then that means there are no hidden files in this directory. So, close it and open another directory and repeat the first step.
You can also repeat this keyboard shortcut to hide these files again from view.
For more shortcuts and guides to view hidden files on your Mac, click here. However, remember that there is a reason these files and hidden and thus, you must be sure of what you want to do with these files.
