To prevent sloppy users from messing around with crucial files in the macOS and causing unexpected consequences, Apple hides some directories from users by default to guard their safety. However, if there are times when you do need to access the files, how to see the hidden files on Mac becomes a tricky question. This post tells two simple ways, one using Finder, and the other using Terminal, to give you access to the files that Apple hides.
How to Access Hidden Files on Mac via Finder
The easiest and quickest way to show hidden files on Mac is by using Finder. Here’s how.
- Open Finder and locate the folder Macintosh HD under Locations.
- You shall see several directories. Press the key combinations Command + Shift+. (Period) simultaneously.
- You can also use the shortcuts under each directory.
Alternatively, you can follow another way to show invisible files as below.
- Open Finder and locate the folder Macintosh HD under Locations.
- Click Go at the left upper corner from the menu bar at the top.
- Select Option to see the hidden Library folder.
How to Access Hidden Files on Mac via Terminal
Another way of fulfilling this task is to run command lines in Mac Terminal. With it, you can access and modify macOS by text-based commands. Just to be clear, this method can be demanding for users and needs to be handled with caution.
- Step 1: Press Command + Space together, type in the terminal, and launch the program.
- Step 2: Input defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles TRUE and hit Enter.
- Step 3: Input killall Finder and hit Enter, this command may look terrifying but it’s actually fine to do.
After running the above two lines, you’ll be able to see all hidden files in Finder. It’s also easy to hide the files in case you want to keep them private. Simply replace TRUE in the command line with False and others remain the same. Check it out below.
- Step 1: Input defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles False and hit Enter.
- Step 2: Input killall Finder and hit Enter.
As you may notice, running command lines in Terminal looks more difficult than using Finder, however, one highlight Terminal owns is that it can hide one single file or folder. Here’s how it works.
- Step 1: Open the Terminal as what’s explained above.
- Step 2: Type in chflags hidden and hit Space.
- Step 3: Drag the files you want to keep private into the Terminal window, and hit Enter.
Files Not Showing Up on the External Hard Drive, What to Do?
Besides files not showing up on Mac start-up drive, users encounter the situation that files do not show up on external hard drives as well. If you’ve tried out the above methods but still failed to see the external hard drive on your MacBook, follow the below steps.
Mount the Drive in Disk Utility Manually
You won’t see an external hard drive or the files within the Mac desktop or Disk Utility if it’s unmounted. To verify and make sure of that, you can first check the drive status in Disk Utility.
- Step 1: Press Command and Space together, type in Disk Utility, and open it.
- Step 2: See if the drive is listed in the left sidebar, if so, choose it and press the Mount button on the top of the window to manually mount the drive.
Fortunately, you’ll see and access the drive without difficulties. If this doesn’t work for you, your drive may be damaged or corrupted. You can perform disk repair in Disk Utility as well.
Repair the Drive Using First Aid in Disk Utility
- Step 1: Open Disk Utility and select your disk from the left.
- Step 2: Click First Aid on the top of the Disk Utility window.
- Step 3: Press Run in the pop-up windows to confirm the repair. Wait till the process is finished.
First Aid offers a limited feature for disk repair, so chances are it fails to repair the drive and you still can’t access the data within.
Recover Data and Reformat the Drive
One of the worst cases is when your drive becomes so badly corrupted that even First Aid throws in the towel. When that happens, your main focus should be rescuing your data before it’s gone forever. Professional recovery tools like iBoysoft Data Recovery for Mac can be lifesavers in these situations.
After you’ve managed to pull your important files to safety, you have a choice to make about that troubled drive. Many people opt to just reformat it and start fresh – which is perfectly fine, but remember that reformatting is basically a clean slate operation. Everything on that drive gets wiped clean, so make certain you’ve saved everything you need before taking that step.
I learned this lesson the hard way last year when my external drive decided to call it quits mid-project. The relief I felt after recovering those irreplaceable family photos was worth every minute I spent on the recovery process. Don’t do what my colleague did and rush to reformat before making sure everything important was safely backed up.