![]() Secrets the folder will become invisible to the Finder.Īlternatively, you can use the Terminal mv command, which is designed to move a file or folder to a new location, but can also be used to change a file or folder name. You can also make a file or folder disappear by prepending a period to its name. That’s not the only Terminal method for making a file or folder disappear. (The first chflags command hides the folder named Secrets, while the second chflags command reveals the hidden Secrets folder.) We can bring it back by typing a magic word or two in Terminal: The folder is still right where you created it. The Secrets folder wasn’t deleted it simply had a flag changed that told the Finder not to display it in a Finder window. The Secrets folder should disappear from the Finder window. In the Terminal window, enter the following at the prompt: Launch Terminal, located in /Applications/Utilities, and arrange the Finder and Terminal windows so that you can see both of them. With the Secrets folder created, it’s time to make it disappear. Enter a new name for the folder, such as Secrets. Within the home folder window, either right-click in an empty area and select New Folder from the popup menu, or select New Folder from the Finder’s File menu.Ī new folder will be created, and the name (untitled folder) highlighted. ![]() You can do this by selecting your home folder from the Finder sidebar. Open a Finder window, and navigate to your home folder. Let’s take a look at hiding a folder using Terminal by first creating a folder that we can hide. (Use the Secrets folder to hide any files or folders you wish.) If you’re wondering about the user’s library, often written out as ~/Library, you can learn a bit more about it in the article: Access Your Hidden Library Folder With These Five Easy Tricks. You may have already made use of the Terminal chflags command to unhide the user’s library folder, which Apple hides by default. Terminal can be used to invoke a couple of commands that can be used to hide or unhide a file or folder. Terminal has always been a favorite app of mine, so much so that I keep it in the Dock for easy access. You can get in on the secrets of hiding files and folders so that others can’t easily find them, or make use of their content, with just a few simple Terminal tricks. But Apple isn’t the only one that hides items on your Mac some developers use similar tricks to keep important secret app files, such as licensing credentials, from being used willy-nilly. Note: In the above I have deliberately referred to Documents and Applications (and not ~/Documents and /Applications) where I am referring to the pseudo-locations presented by Finder.Your Mac is full of secrets special files and folders hidden away so you don’t accidentally make changes to critical system components. Those who want (or even need) to see more will know how to do so! The alternative view is that Finder shows you what you need to know. I presented this as Finder lying about the file system. ![]() But it does show the combined view for the Applications folder. DS_Store, and doesn't show pretend Documents folders. ForkLift is much closer to the true file system. Use ForkLift from binarynights or other 3rd party Finder replacements. The Terminal app and the ls -a command shows the file system. There are various ways to see the true file system: For example you won't find Mail in ls -a /Applications.įinder hides some files (even with show hidden files). ![]() When Finder shows the Applications folder it is combining two locations in the underlying file system, that is /Applications and /System/Applications. This example is not present in ls -a ~/Documents Mine includes a hidden folder called BBEdit which in the file system is ~/Library/Containers//Data/Documents. The Documents folder as shown by Finder may have extra folders when hidden files are shown. Even with Command+shift+., Finder does not show the full file system. With Big Sur and even more with Monterey, Finder no longer shows the file system unadulterated. The short answer is you can't! Finder has changed. You very reasonably ask "How can I permanently compel the Finder to show me hidden files?". ![]()
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