How to display hidden files in Windows 8

Select files and folders of the Windows 8 operating system are hidden by default so that users of the system can't see them in File Explorer and most other programs that they run on the system.
While that ensures that users cannot delete, move or modify important files or folders accidentally, it also means that it is sometimes difficult to follow tutorials or find specific files or folders that are hidden on the system.
Last but not least, hidden files are sometimes used by virus authors to hide files from the user of the system. It can be important to see those files and folders during clean-up.
Specialized software such as Find Hidden can be used to locate files that are hidden, but if you need to access those regularly, you may prefer a permanent solution instead.
The preference to show hidden files in Windows 8 is still the same as in Windows 7, but how it can be accessed has changed due to the lack of a proper start menu.
Show hidden files in Windows 8 and 8.1
If you want to see hidden files in Windows 8, you need to make those files and folders visible on the system first. This is done in the Folder Options menu which you can access in the following way:
- Tap on the Windows-key to open the operating system's start screen. If you are already on it, skip this step.
- Type Folder Options and select the same-named search result on the right side of the screen.
- This switches to the desktop interface and displays the Folder Options window on it.
- Switch to the View tab here.
- Locate "Show hidden files, folders, and drives" here and enable it.
- If you want, uncheck "Hide protected operating system files (recommended)", "Hide empty drives in the Computer folder" and "Hide extensions for known file types" as well here.
- Once you apply the change, all hidden files and folders become visible on the system.
Show hidden files, folders and drives is the core preference that you need to enable in the Folder Options menu. The NTFS file system supports attributes that can be assigned to files or folders, and one of those is the hidden attribute.
If a file is hidden, it won't show up unless you have enabled the option to show those files as well on the system.
The preference is different from "hide protected operating system files". This option reveals files and folders that Microsoft considers essential for the operating system. These do not necessarily need to have the hidden attribute, but may still be hidden from view even if you enable the show hidden files and folders option.
The hiding of known extensions on the other hand is something that I strongly suggest you disable. If left alone, files with known extensions such as .txt, .pdf or .doc are displayed without the extensions. While this may beautify the display of files, it can be problematic as you may not always be able to tell which file extension a file possesses.
Now Read: How to see hidden files in Windows 7
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What mental age of reader are you targeting with the first sentence? 10?
Why not write an article on how to *avoid* upgrading from W10 to W11. Analogous to those like me who avoided upgrading from 7 to 10 for as long as possible.
If your paymaster Microsoft permits it, of course.
5. Rufus
6. Ventoy
PS. I hate reading these “SEO optimized” articles.
I used Rufus to create an installer for a 6th gen intel i5 that had MBR. It upgraded using Setup. No issues except for Win 11 always prompting me to replace my local account. Still using Win 10 Pro on all my other PCs to avoid the bullying.
bit pointless to upgrade for the sake of upgrading as you never know when you’ll get locked out because ms might suddenly not provide updates to unsupported systems.
ps…. time travelling?
written. Jan 15, 2023
Updated • Jan 13, 2023
This happens when you schedule a post in WordPress and update it before setting the publication date.
Anyone willing to downgrade to this awful OS must like inflicting themselves with harm.
I have become convinced now that anybody who has no qualms with using Windows 11/10 must fit into one of the following brackets:
1) Too young to remember a time before W10 and W11 (doesn’t know better)
2) Wants to play the latest games on their PC above anything else (or deeply needs some software which already dropped W7 support)
3) Doesn’t know too much about how computers work, worried that they’d be absolutely lost and in trouble without the “”latest security””
4) Microsoft apologist that tries to justify that the latest “features” and “changes” are actually a good thing, that improve Windows
5) Uses their computer to do a bare minimum of like 3 different things, browse web, check emails, etc, so really doesn’t fuss
Obviously that doesn’t cover everyone, there’s also the category that:
6) Actually liked W7 more than 10, and held out as long as possible before switching, begrudgingly uses 10 now
Have I missed any group off this list?
You have missed in this group just about any professional user that uses business software like CAD programs or ERP Programs which are 99% of all professional users from this list.
Linux doesn’t help anyone who is not a linux kid and apple is just a fancy facebook machine.
Microsoft has removed KB5029351 update
only from windows update though
KB5029351 is still available from the ms update catalog site
1. This update is labaled as PREVIEW if it causes issues to unintelligent people, then they shouldn’t have allowed Preview updates ot install.
2. I have installed it in a 11 years old computer, and no problems at all.
3. Making a big drama over a bluescreen for an updated labeled as preview is ridiculous.
This is probably another BS internet drama where people ran programs and scripts that modified the registry until they broke Windows, just for removing stuff that they weren’t even using just for the sake of it.
Maybe people should stop playing geeks and actually either use Windows 10 or Windows 11, but don’t try to modify things just for the sake of it.
Sometimes removing or stopping things (like defender is a perfect example) only need intelligence, not scripts or 3rd party programs that might mess with windows.
Windows 11 was a pointless release, it was just created because some of the Windows team wanted to boost sales with some sort of new and improved Windows 10. Instead, Microsoft cannot support one version well let alone two.
Windows 11 is the worst ugly shame by Microsoft ever. They should release with every new W11 version a complete free version of Starallback inside just to make this sh** OS functionally again.
motherboard maker MSI has recently released a statement regarding the “unsupported processor” blue screen error for their boards using Intel 600/700 series chipsets & to avoid the KB5029351 Win11 update:
https://www.msi.com/news/detail/MSI-On–UNSUPPORTED-PROCESSOR–Error-Message-of-Windows-11-Update-KB5029351-Preview-142215
check out the following recent articles:
Neowin – Microsoft puts little blame on its Windows update after UNSUPPORTED PROCESSOR BSOD bug:
https://www.neowin.net/news/microsoft-puts-little-blame-on-its-windows-update-after-unsupported-processor-bsod-bug/
BleepingComputer – Microsoft blames ‘unsupported processor’ blue screens on OEM vendors:
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/microsoft-blames-unsupported-processor-blue-screens-on-oem-vendors/
While there may be changes or updates to the Windows 10 Store for Business and Education in the future, it is premature to conclude that it will be discontinued based solely on rumors.
My advice, I left win 15 years ago. Now I’m a happy linux user (linuxmint) but there is Centos, Fedora, Ubuntu depending on your needs.
motherboard maker MSI has recently released new BIOS/firmware updates for their Intel 600 & 700 series motherboards to fix the “UNSUPPORTED_PROCESSOR” problem (Sept. 6):
https://www.msi.com/news/detail/Updated-BIOS-fixes-Error-Message–UNSUPPORTED-PROCESSOR–caused-BSOD-on-MSI-s-Intel-700-and-600-Series-Motherboards-142277
I try to disable the Diagnostics Tracking Service (Connected Devices Platform User Services) but it wont let me disable it, any help will be greatly appreciated.
Tank you for your help