Discover how to display hidden files on your USB drive to access them. The following instructions work for both Windows and Mac OS X.

Windows

Step 1. Connect the USB drive to your computer's USB port.

Insert the USB drive into a USB port on your computer. This port is typically rectangular and located on the device's case.

  • USB ports are usually found on both the front and back panels of a desktop PC.

Step 2. Open the Start menu.

Step 2

Click the Windows logo in the bottom left corner of the screen to open the Start menu.

Step 3. Type "This PC" in the search box.

Step 3

Enter "This PC" in the search bar to find the corresponding utility.

Step 4. Select "This PC".

Step 4

Click on the "This PC" icon, which looks like a monitor and is located at the top of the Start menu. A window will open showing available devices.

Step 5. Double-click the USB drive's name.

Step 5

Double-click the name of the USB drive in the "Devices and drives" section in the center of the window.

  • If the USB drive name does not appear, try unplugging it and connecting it to a different USB port.

Step 6. Go to the "View" tab.

Step 6

Click on the "View" tab located in the top left corner of the window. In the drop-down menu, find the corresponding option.

Step 7. Enable the "Hidden items" option.

Step 7

Check the box next to "Hidden items" in the Show/hide section. Now you will be able to see hidden files on the USB drive.

  • If the box is already checked, hidden files are already displayed.
  • Typically, these files have duller and more transparent icons.

Step 8. Open the desired hidden file.

Step 8

  • If you try to open a system file, it may not open.

Mac OS X

Step 1. Insert the USB drive into your computer's USB port.

Connect the USB drive to a USB port on your Mac. This port is typically rectangular and located on the device's case.

  • On iMacs, USB ports may be located on the keyboard (on the side) or on the back panel.
  • If your Mac does not have USB ports, you will need a USB-C/USB adapter.

Step 2. Open the Go menu.

Step 2

Select the "Go" menu located in the upper left corner of the screen.

  • If the menu does not appear, click on the desktop or open a Finder window (the blue icon with a face in the dock).

Step 3. Locate the "Utilities" section.

Step 3

Choose the "Utilities" option available at the bottom of the drop-down menu.

Step 4. Launch Terminal.

Step 4

Double-click the "Terminal" icon, which can be found in the Utilities folder. If you don't see it, scroll down.

Step 5. Enter the command to show hidden files.

Step 5

Type the following command in Terminal: defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles YES and press the ⏎ Return key.

Step 6. Restart Finder.

Step 6

If the Finder window is open, you need to close it and reopen it. This will refresh the file display.

  • You can also use the command killall Finder in Terminal for a quick restart of Finder.

Step 7. Find the USB drive in Finder.

Step 7

Click on the USB drive name in the bottom left corner of the Finder window to access its contents, including hidden files and folders.

Step 8. Open the hidden file.

Step 8

Double-click the hidden file to open it. Note that hidden files and folders are displayed with gray and less vibrant icons.