How to Hide Hidden Files in Windows 95 Explorer

Windows 95 revolutionized the PC experience by introducing Windows Explorer, providing users with a graphical interface to organize and manage files. A key feature of this interface was the ability to control file visibility directly through folder settings, specifically toggling the display of items marked with the "hidden" attribute. This article explains the exact steps Windows 95 offered to conceal hidden files from view within the Explorer settings.

Accessing Folder Options in Windows 95

To configure the visibility of hidden files, users managed settings globally through any active file browser window:

1. Open My Computer or launch Windows Explorer (via the Start menu or by right-clicking the Start button and selecting "Explore").
2. On the top menu bar, click on View.
3. From the drop-down menu, select Options... (usually located at the very bottom of the menu).

Toggling the Hidden Files Setting

Selecting "Options" opened a dialog box with tabs for customizing shell behavior:

1. In the Options window, click the View tab.
2. Locate the Hidden files section, which presented two radio buttons:
   • Do not show hidden files (or in some editions, "Hide files of these types")
   • Show all files
3. Select the Do not show hidden files option.
4. Click Apply to preview the change, then click OK to close the dialog box.

Once confirmed, Windows Explorer immediately refreshed the active folder view, removing any files or folders flagged with the MS-DOS hidden (+H) attribute from sight.