Hidden & system files

Show dotfiles and system folders safely, and know when to keep them hidden.

Hidden files vs system files

Explorer can show hidden items and system locations, but they’re different switches.

Where to change it

Open Preferences → View:

  • Show hidden files
  • Show system files

Hidden files

Hidden items are mainly dotfiles - names that start with a dot:

  • .git
  • .env
  • .DS_Store

Turn this on if you do development, configuration work, or manage dotfolders regularly.

System files

System locations are the “don’t poke unless you mean it” parts of macOS, for example:

  • /System
  • /Library
  • /private
  • /usr

Turn this on only when you’re troubleshooting or doing advanced maintenance.

Recommendation

  • Keep system files off unless you have a clear reason.
  • Use hidden files as needed (it’s much safer).

Next steps