Show hidden files shortcut (Mac & Windows)
On Mac, press Cmd+Shift+. (period) in Finder to toggle hidden files on and off. Windows has no single default hotkey — toggle “Hidden items” in File Explorer’s View menu.
| Action | Mac | Windows | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toggle hidden files in Finder | ⌘⇧. (Cmd+Shift+Period) | — | |
| Show hidden items (File Explorer, Win 11) | — | View → Show → Hidden items | |
| Show hidden items (File Explorer, Win 10) | — | View tab → Hidden items checkbox | |
| Open Folder Options | — | Alt+V then set, or Control Panel | |
| Show Library folder (Mac) | hold ⌥ in Finder Go menu | — | |
| Reveal path bar (Mac Finder) | ⌘⌥P | — |
Show hidden files on Mac
Open Finder (or the Desktop) and press ⌘⇧. — Command + Shift + Period. Hidden files and folders (those whose name starts with a dot, like .gitignore or the ~/Library folder) appear dimmed. Press the same combo again to hide them. This works system-wide in Finder on macOS Sierra (10.12) and later.
Show hidden files on Windows
Windows has no built-in single-key shortcut. In Windows 11 File Explorer, click View → Show → Hidden items. In Windows 10, open the View tab on the ribbon and tick Hidden items. To also reveal protected system files, open Folder Options → View and untick “Hide protected operating system files.”
Quick tip
On Mac, hidden files toggled this way stay visible until you toggle them off — handy when editing dotfiles. On Windows the ribbon checkbox persists per-folder-view setting across Explorer windows.
FAQ
What is the show hidden files shortcut on Mac?
Press Cmd+Shift+. (period) in Finder or on the Desktop to toggle hidden files and folders on or off. It works on macOS Sierra and later.
Is there a keyboard shortcut to show hidden files in Windows?
Windows has no default single-key hotkey. In Windows 11 use View → Show → Hidden items in File Explorer; in Windows 10 tick Hidden items on the View ribbon tab.
How do I see the ~/Library folder on Mac?
In Finder open the Go menu and hold the Option (⌥) key — Library appears in the list. Or press Cmd+Shift+. to reveal all hidden items at once.