[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":294},["ShallowReactive",2],{"en-post-115":3},{"id":4,"title":5,"body":6,"description":286,"extension":287,"meta":288,"navigation":289,"path":290,"seo":291,"stem":292,"__hash__":293},"content/post/115.md","115",{"type":7,"value":8,"toc":276},"minimark",[9,22,27,42,74,77,117,121,132,155,158,185,189,203,219,223,232,236,251,255],[10,11,12,13,17,18,21],"p",{},"Many new Windows users hit the same confusion: a downloaded file whose type they cannot tell, a ",[14,15,16],"code",{},".txt"," extension they cannot see when renaming, or a config folder like ",[14,19,20],{},"AppData"," they cannot find. All of these come down to File Explorer's view options. This guide explains the three most useful switches and why they matter.",[23,24,26],"h2",{"id":25},"why-you-should-show-file-extensions","Why you should show file extensions",[10,28,29,30,33,34,37,38,41],{},"The extension is the ",[14,31,32],{},".exe",", ",[14,35,36],{},".jpg",", or ",[14,39,40],{},".pdf"," at the end of a filename. It tells the system what the file is and which program should open it. Windows hides extensions for known types by default to keep the interface clean, but that creates two real problems.",[43,44,45,64],"ul",{},[46,47,48,49,52,53,56,57,59,60,63],"li",{},"Hard to spot fake files. Malware often names itself ",[14,50,51],{},"photo.jpg.exe",". With extensions hidden you only see ",[14,54,55],{},"photo.jpg"," and click without thinking. With them shown, the real JPEG is ",[14,58,36],{}," and the suspicious one is ",[14,61,62],{},".jpg.exe",", obvious at a glance. This single setting prevents a large share of accidental malware runs.",[46,65,66,67,69,70,73],{},"Easy to mis-rename. If you want to change a ",[14,68,16],{}," into a ",[14,71,72],{},".bat"," or the reverse, you cannot do it if you cannot see the extension. Worse, saving \"report.txt\" when extensions are hidden may actually produce \"report.txt.txt\" without you noticing.",[10,75,76],{},"Two ways to show them:",[43,78,79,94],{},[46,80,81,82,85,86,89,90,93],{},"Quick toggle in File Explorer: open any folder > ",[14,83,84],{},"View"," > ",[14,87,88],{},"Show"," > check ",[14,91,92],{},"File name extensions",".",[46,95,96,97,85,99,102,103,85,106,109,110,112,113,116],{},"Classic Folder Options: ",[14,98,84],{},[14,100,101],{},"Options"," (or ",[14,104,105],{},"Organize",[14,107,108],{},"Folder and search options",") > ",[14,111,84],{}," tab > uncheck ",[14,114,115],{},"Hide extensions for known file types"," > OK.",[23,118,120],{"id":119},"show-hidden-files-and-folders","Show hidden files and folders",[10,122,123,124,127,128,131],{},"Many important files are hidden by default (for example ",[14,125,126],{},"C:\\Users\\YourName\\AppData",", the program data folder ",[14,129,130],{},"C:\\ProgramData",", and system restore files) so they are not deleted by accident. To see them:",[43,133,134,145],{},[46,135,136,137,85,139,89,141,144],{},"Show hidden items: File Explorer > ",[14,138,84],{},[14,140,88],{},[14,142,143],{},"Hidden items",". Hidden files and folders then appear dimmed.",[46,146,147,148,150,151,154],{},"Or in Folder Options: ",[14,149,84],{}," tab > select ",[14,152,153],{},"Show hidden files, folders, and drives"," (equivalent to the toggle above).",[10,156,157],{},"Common \"cannot find it\" cases:",[43,159,160,179],{},[46,161,162,164,165,168,169,171,172,168,175,178],{},[14,163,20],{}," is missing: it is a hidden folder under your user directory. After enabling Hidden items, go to ",[14,166,167],{},"C:\\Users\\YourUserName"," and ",[14,170,20],{}," appears. Inside, ",[14,173,174],{},"Roaming",[14,176,177],{},"Local"," hold most software settings and caches.",[46,180,181,184],{},[14,182,183],{},"ProgramData"," and system files: same idea, just enable hidden display.",[23,186,188],{"id":187},"show-protected-operating-system-files-be-careful","Show protected operating system files (be careful)",[10,190,191,192,195,196,33,199,202],{},"Folder Options also has ",[14,193,194],{},"Hide protected operating system files (Recommended)",", checked by default. Unless you are troubleshooting a specific system issue (boot files, ",[14,197,198],{},"pagefile.sys",[14,200,201],{},"hiberfil.sys","), leave it checked. Deleting or editing those files can stop the system from booting.",[10,204,205,206,208,209,214,215,93],{},"Hidden files are hidden for a reason. Do not delete dimmed files casually, especially an application's subfolder inside ",[14,207,20],{}," or any system file you do not recognize. If a deletion causes a permission or access problem, see ",[210,211,213],"a",{"href":212},"/post/102/","Folder Access Denied: Take Ownership and Fix Permission Errors",", and for a frozen or unresponsive Explorer, refer to ",[210,216,218],{"href":217},"/post/36/","File Explorer Not Responding or Frozen in Windows 11: Restart and Repair Explorer.exe",[23,220,222],{"id":221},"revert-to-defaults-when-done","Revert to defaults when done",[10,224,225,226,228,229,231],{},"If the dimmed files bother you after troubleshooting, turn off ",[14,227,143],{}," and re-check ",[14,230,115],{}," (beginners should at least keep extensions visible to spot fakes). Folder Options settings are global and apply to every folder at once.",[23,233,235],{"id":234},"a-few-view-tips-that-save-time","A few view tips that save time",[43,237,238,245,248],{},[46,239,240,241,244],{},"Type a path in the address bar. Paste something like ",[14,242,243],{},"C:\\Windows"," directly into the Explorer address bar to jump there.",[46,246,247],{},"Read selection size from the status bar. By default it shows \"N items selected, X MB total\", which combined with visible extensions helps you judge file types quickly.",[46,249,250],{},"Explorer slow or unresponsive after showing hidden items may mean one hidden folder is huge. Troubleshoot it following the Explorer repair steps.",[23,252,254],{"id":253},"quick-faq","Quick FAQ",[43,256,257,264,270],{},[46,258,259,263],{},[260,261,262],"strong",{},"Extensions still hidden after toggling?"," Also change the setting in Folder Options, or check that no policy is forcing the default.",[46,265,266,269],{},[260,267,268],{},"A file shows no extension at all?"," It is likely a hidden known type; enable extensions to reveal it.",[46,271,272,275],{},[260,273,274],{},"Accidentally deleted a hidden file?"," Check the Recycle Bin first. User data may be there even if system files are not.",{"title":277,"searchDepth":278,"depth":278,"links":279},"",2,[280,281,282,283,284,285],{"id":25,"depth":278,"text":26},{"id":119,"depth":278,"text":120},{"id":187,"depth":278,"text":188},{"id":221,"depth":278,"text":222},{"id":234,"depth":278,"text":235},{"id":253,"depth":278,"text":254},"Many new Windows users hit the same confusion: a downloaded file whose type they cannot tell, a .txt extension they cannot see when renaming, or a config folder like AppData they cannot find. All of these come down to File Explorer's view options. This guide explains the three most useful switches and why they matter.","md",{},true,"/post/115",{"description":286},"post/115","5vMwwpHHpnHZBQtEoMzRp3FUgYvKcv30bTDV0KbKA-Y",1794378304596]