If you want to hide files and folders from the eyes of other users of your computer then the process is quite simple in Windows.
The technique mentioned below is not a foolproof way to hide things as anyone who is computer savvy can easily crack it. But if you don’t have such people in your family and friends then this could be an easy way to hide your secret stuff from them.
Here are the steps.
For Windows 7 & Vista Users
Step 1. Click on Start / windows button and go to the Computer option. Now click the Organize tab and click Folder and Search Options in the drop down menu.
Step 2. Inside folder options, go to the View tab. Now click on Hidden files and folders option and make sure that the “Do not show hidden files and folders” option is checked (it usually is by default). Click on Apply button after you are done.
Step 3. Now go to any folder which you want to hide. Right click on the folder. Go to properties option from the right click menu.
Step 4. In general tab check the Hidden box in Attribute section and click on Apply button.
Step 5. Now confirm the change by checking the appropriate option.
This will make your folder hidden. You can check it by visiting the location and you will notice that the hidden folder does not exist. It actually exists there but hidden according to settings. You can see your hidden folder by visiting Folder option (Step 2) and checking “Show hidden files and folder” option.
Hiding Files and Folders In Windows XP
For those using Windows XP, the steps are same except for the first step. Here, you need to click on Tools at the top of the Window you are on and there you’ll find Folder options.
The rest of the steps are same as above.
One extra step to ensure privacy of your files is to transfer them from common folders like My Documents, My Pictures etc to a separate folder which people don’t browse normally, and then hide that folder.
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{ 2 comments }
This is so simple process to hide a file. Any novice can find the file changing the Folder options. So the purpose of hiding fails if anybody apply this procedure. But there is a cool tricks of hiding file safely in Windows by command prompt. Visit here for details Hide Files or Folders by Command Prompt in Windows XP. By the way, the article has been well written.
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