How To: Invisible Files & Folders on Windows

You’re here either because you want to hide your important stuff away in a place where someone would not be able to find or access it, or you just want to hide your porn. I’m not judging, I’m just here to provide you with your daily fix of that good shizzle.

Whatever it is that you want to hide will not only be hidden visibly, but will also be untraceable. This means that only you will be able to navigate to it.

Only you. You can finally feel special in life now. 

Step 1: Rename

Right-click on the file/folder you want to hide, and select “Rename”, like so:

Then, on your keyboard, keep the ALT key pressed and then press 2, 5 and 5 (ALT + 255) in the given sequence on your number pad. The number pad is literally the pad of numbers on the right side of your full-sized keyboard. This code is used because you cannot just put a blank space using the space bar as Windows won’t allow you to use that as a name.

NOTE: If you do not have a number pad, copy the character between these quotations ”    ” and paste it.

Your file/folder name will look something like this while you will be doing the above:

Once you’re done either manually putting the ALT + 255 code as the new name, or just copy-pasting the one I have provided, your file/folder will now look like this:

We’re now half way there. The file/folder name is hidden.

Now, we shall hide the icon.

Step 2: Change the icon

Right-click on the file/folder you want to hide, and select “Properties”, like so:

NOTE: If it is a file you’re hiding and not a folder, then you will need to first make a shortcut of that file, as you cannot change file icons. But you can for shortcuts.

Go to the “Customize” tab and click on “Change Icon…” as shown below:

Scroll a little to the right and select the icon with the small arrow, as shown below:

NOTE: If you do not see this icon, then make sure that the icon file path next to the “Browse…” button is the following:

%SystemRoot%\System32\SHELL32.dll

And if it is not, then copy-paste the path given here without the quotations and press Enter.

Now, press OK. The icon selection window will close.

Press Apply and OK on the Properties window that’s left.

If you were hiding a folder, then you now have a completely invisible and untraceable folder that only you can find and click on. You’re done here, you can leave now.

If you were hiding a shortcut, the shortcut should now look like this:

That shortcut arrow is being a problem, isn’t it? Okay, let’s fix that.

Step 3: Sorcery

In order to remove that shortcut arrow from the icon, you would have to make some changes in the registry through the Registry Editor (Regedit), but I’m not going to bore you with the technical stuff, and will just give you a simple registration file that will take the shortcut arrows away by making those Registry Editor changes for you with literally two clicks. AKA sorcery.

You can download this small registration file from here.

It includes the .REG files for the removal of the shortcut arrow and also the restoration of the arrows as well, so you do not have to worry if you do not like the changes you have made. Also, this is completely safe.

After the download is complete, extract the .RAR file anywhere you like and you’ll now have the folder “Windows Shortcut Arrow Tweak” there. Yes, I know, long name.

Enter this folder and you’ll see the below two files:

Double-click on “Remove Shortcut Arrows”, and you’ll see a prompt like this:

Click on “Yes”, and the change will be instant. Your shortcut arrows will now be gone, making your semi-invisible file shortcut completely invisible.

NOTE: This is completely reversible and you can double-click on “Restore to Default” to undo this change at any time you want.

You’ll now see your shortcut like this:

You’re done. you now have a completely invisible and untraceable file shortcut that only you can find and click on.

Tips for Stealthy Execution

• Place the invisible folder/shortcut somewhere convenient/inconvenient in order to maximize security/privacy.

• You can have more than one invisible folder/shortcut in the same location by renaming them all with different numbers of the ALT + 255 code. Just make sure you let the ALT key go after doing the code every time.