6 ms·

Show hidden files (dotfiles) inside any finder window or file open dialog: Cmd + Shift + . Discovered after ~10 years

by hamiltont 6y ago

Roybot 6y ago
This is awesome.
- nemosaltat 6y ago
  I’ve been using `defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles YES; killall dock` for at least 15 years. A quick DDG search, indicated this shortcut arrived in High Sierra. Has it been around longer?
  - nguyenkien 6y ago
    No, this new added recent years. Before that I have to use software like xtrafinder (Cmd+Shift+/) --- https://www.macworld.co.uk/how-to/mac-software/show-hidden-files-mac-3520878/ https://www.macworld.co.uk/how-to/mac-software/show-hidden-f... added since sierra
  - uranusjr 6y ago
    It has been around for as long as I can remember, and I have been using Mac since 10.3. — Edit: Thinking about it a bit more, it might not be that long since I wasn’t into programming back then and hidden files meant little to me. The first time I used it was probably around Leopard. — Edit 2: It seems like the feature debuted in Lion (10.7). This would make sense since Finder was overhauled in that version to add several features.
house9-2 6y ago
Thank you!
manmal 6y ago
Not even temporarily, it’s a permanent, system-wide setting.
- hamiltont 6y ago
  snap, I never realized it was permanent. Guess I just kept turning it off. Thanks! Updated parent comment
duncans 6y ago
Why would they not put this in the View menu? I can even imagine someone invoking it by mistake and not working out how to undo it.
- bhj 6y ago
  Exactly, it's also a needless pain point for those switching from Windows, where the checkbox is relatively accessible, if a few clicks away.
chaboud 6y ago
That’s wild. I’ll leave it off, though. I don’t trust Finder to handle file operations safely and effectively (too many dangling files, partial copies, and littered indexing files in my history). If I have dot files, I’m gonna go all grey beard and handle them in a terminal.
prh8 6y ago
This is one of the most useful ones here that I didn't already know, thank you
digital_voodoo 6y ago
This doesn't work on my Mac. Only Cmd + Shift + Fn + . works. Don't know why, tbh.
Brajeshwar 6y ago
Remember this is a toggle, so you can toggle hide/unhide with the same shortcut. I use it pretty often.
mattalbie 6y ago
Also, it works in open/save dialog boxes.

Show hidden files (dotfiles) inside any finder window or file open dialog: Cmd + Shift + . Discovered after ~10 years

Roybot 6y ago

This is awesome.

nemosaltat 6y ago
I’ve been using `defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles YES; killall dock` for at least 15 years. A quick DDG search, indicated this shortcut arrived in High Sierra. Has it been around longer?
- nguyenkien 6y ago
  No, this new added recent years. Before that I have to use software like xtrafinder (Cmd+Shift+/) --- https://www.macworld.co.uk/how-to/mac-software/show-hidden-files-mac-3520878/ https://www.macworld.co.uk/how-to/mac-software/show-hidden-f... added since sierra
- uranusjr 6y ago
  It has been around for as long as I can remember, and I have been using Mac since 10.3. — Edit: Thinking about it a bit more, it might not be that long since I wasn’t into programming back then and hidden files meant little to me. The first time I used it was probably around Leopard. — Edit 2: It seems like the feature debuted in Lion (10.7). This would make sense since Finder was overhauled in that version to add several features.

house9-2 6y ago

Thank you!

manmal 6y ago

Not even temporarily, it’s a permanent, system-wide setting.

hamiltont 6y ago
snap, I never realized it was permanent. Guess I just kept turning it off. Thanks! Updated parent comment

duncans 6y ago

Why would they not put this in the View menu? I can even imagine someone invoking it by mistake and not working out how to undo it.

bhj 6y ago
Exactly, it's also a needless pain point for those switching from Windows, where the checkbox is relatively accessible, if a few clicks away.

chaboud 6y ago

That’s wild. I’ll leave it off, though. I don’t trust Finder to handle file operations safely and effectively (too many dangling files, partial copies, and littered indexing files in my history). If I have dot files, I’m gonna go all grey beard and handle them in a terminal.

prh8 6y ago

This is one of the most useful ones here that I didn't already know, thank you

digital_voodoo 6y ago

This doesn't work on my Mac. Only Cmd + Shift + Fn + . works. Don't know why, tbh.

Brajeshwar 6y ago

Remember this is a toggle, so you can toggle hide/unhide with the same shortcut. I use it pretty often.

mattalbie 6y ago

Also, it works in open/save dialog boxes.