There are LOTS of hidden files on a Mac.
Mac’s hidden files are well-known file types to web designers and developers. For everyone else, files starting with a period are not visible in Mac’s Finder or Desktop by default. This file type is a hidden file.
Many web development applications automatically show hidden files. For instance, you will see hidden files in the folder structure of Visual Studio Code. VS Code is my favorite editor, and it’s Free and Opensource.
Similarly, Mac FTP clients like FileZilla or Cyberduck also show hidden files on a Mac. An FTP client’s setting to show hidden files is very useful because it lets users quickly access important files like a .htaccess file. To point out, starting with a period, the .htaccess file is not visible by default in Mac’s Finder.
For this reason, FTP applications are great at showing hidden files on your Mac, but there must be a better way to see system files, right?
Well, you’re right. There is a quick, easy keyboard command to show and hide your Mac’s hidden files.
Hide and Reveal hidden files with Command, Shift and Period keys
cmd + shift + [.]
To hide the hidden and system files, again, use the same key command.
To repeat, showing and hiding system and hidden files on a Mac is as simple as clicking three keyboard keys.
In conclusion, a Mac keyboard command will show and hide files that start with a period on a Mac. Reveal hidden files on your Apple computer’s Desktop and Finder windows by using the cmd + shift + period keyboard shortcut.
